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Getty Images / Luis Alvarez
Similar to the chicken and egg debate, the debate between cardio and weight training can heat up, both when discussing heart health and losing or maintaining weight.
Most doctors and researchers agree with the weekly physical activity recommendations from the World Health Organization and the American Heart Association, which include a mix of the two:
But a growing body of research is proving that resistance training may be even better for your heart than many forms of cardio. The latest nugget of evidence comes from an Australian study published in the August 12 edition of the journal Hypertension Research. In addition to aerobic and dynamic resistance exercises (such as lunges or bicep curls), static strength training, known as isometric resistance training (IRT), can effectively lower blood pressure.
As a reminder, it is important for all of us to have blood pressure checked at least every two years, because hypertension (or blood pressure of 130/80 mm Hg or higher, according to the criteria of the AHA ) is one of the most common medical conditions in the United States. An estimated 45% of American adults have the diagnosis, according to the latest data from the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The higher the blood pressure than normal, the greater the risk of a heart attack or stroke, the CDC adds.
Related: Try Our Healthy Meal Plan For Beginners
So what exactly is IRT? It is a style of strength training in which muscles are called upon through force, but without changing length. Think: a plank pose, a seated wall, or a static lunge. As you may have noticed in these activity recommendations, the IRT is not called as part of the plan. This is probably because in decades past trainers were concerned that the static nature of the movements, especially when performed at a high intensity, could cause blood pressure to rise too high during exercise (because the participant strives to maintain the position for a long time).
Related: The Best And Worst Foods For Healthy Blood Pressure
But study lead authors from the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Harrison Hansford and Matthew Jones, Ph.D., both of whom are accredited exercise physiologists, found in this study that ESRD is more than safe for the heart. It’s actually stellar at improvement heart health.
“We found that ESRD was very safe and caused significant changes in blood pressure, almost as much as you would expect to see with hypotensive drugs,” Jones said. UNSW Sydney Press Room. “We may see the same effects just by asking participants to clench their fists and clench them at a certain intensity for the prescribed amount of time.”
Since lack of time and feeling tired are two of the most common reasons many of us say we can’t achieve that mark of movement, Jones says this research is a promising potential solution. “ESRD is an effective way to lower blood pressure, requiring only 12 minutes a day, two to three days a week, to produce the effects we found in our review,” he explains. Plus, he says, “IRT could easily be performed while participants are watching TV” from the comfort of their own homes.
Related: The Best Fitness Foods: What to Eat Before, During, and After a Workout
Previous research had suggested that ESRD may be effective in lowering blood pressure, but this is the first to thoroughly examine the safety of ESRD. And the researchers warmly greet both. “We also found that ESRD caused improvements in other measures of blood pressure, including central blood pressure (the pressure in the heart’s largest artery, the aorta, and a strong predictor of cardiovascular disease) and, to a lesser extent, ambulatory blood pressure (average blood pressure across a 24-hour period), none of which had been examined before, ”Jones said.
While that doesn’t mean you can give up your high blood pressure medications right away – see your doctor if you’re being treated for high blood pressure – a well-balanced workout routine that includes cardio (walking, cycling, running spinning), dynamic strength training and IRT could be the recipe for success, in terms of heart health and general well-being. Our 10-Minute No-Equipment Home Workout Plan to Build Your Strength includes a few IRT moves to help you dip your toe into this heart-healthy option. Want a little more motivation? Find out how home training has helped a woman become stronger than ever for less than $ 2 a month.
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