This One Weekly Workout Could Lower Your Blood Pressure for Weeks, According to New Research

I don’t think any of us like going to the doctor, but I really don’t like my blood pressure being taken. I always feel like my arm is going to explode as the cuff tightens around it. I like it even less when I see the numbers are climbing higher than they should.

It’s at this point where I swear to myself I’m going to start getting fit, eating a healthier diet, and stop drinking as much wine. Oh, and because I live in France, cutting down on the bread, cheese, and pastries as well.

Then I leave the doctor’s and conveniently push it all to the back of my mind for later. And I think the main reason I do this is because of the preconceived effort I think is involved in getting fitter and eating healthier.

The Weekly Workout That Can Lower Your Blood Pressure

So when I read that one of the best exercises for blood pressure involves nothing more than leaning against a wall, I’ll admit my ears pricked up.

It’s called a wall squat, or a wall sit, and you’ve probably seen one even if you didn’t know the name. 

It’s very simple: find a nice sturdy wall and stand with your back against it, slide down until your knees are bent, and stay there. 

It belongs to a family of moves called isometric exercises. Rather than lifting, pulling, or pushing, your muscles work by holding still against gravity. Planks are isometric too, and so is squeezing a handgrip.

Why Has This Exercise Come To Light Now?

For years, isometric exercise was the poor relation of the fitness world. Most of us were told that walking, running and cycling were what our hearts needed. 

Then, in 2023, a major review in the British Journal of Sports Medicine synthesized 270 trials involving nearly 16,000 people.

Every type of exercise helped. But isometric training came out on top for lowering blood pressure, and the wall squat stood out. 

On average, isometric training brought the top number, systolic pressure, down by about 8 points. That’s nearly double what aerobic exercise managed.

“While research shows all forms of exercise are good for your heart, isometric training is a promising exercise mode for people with high blood pressure,” says Sandy Green, MD, an interventional cardiologist at Geisinger.

How Standing Still Can Change Your Blood Pressure

When you hold a wall squat, your thigh muscles tighten and squeeze the blood vessels running through them, so less blood gets through. Your body responds by making more nitric oxide, a chemical that tells blood vessels to relax and widen.

Do that regularly, and your blood vessels get better at relaxing, so your heart doesn’t have to push quite so hard. 

It’s the holding that makes the difference. “When you do a bicep curl, you don’t hold it for several minutes,” Dr. Green explains. “You lift it quickly and go back down, so you’re not getting the decreased blood flow to the area and increased production of nitric oxide from holding the position.”

How Often Should You Do Wall Squats For It To Count?

So we know wall squats work. What nobody really knew was how often you need to do them, and what happens when life gets in the way and you skip a few. Which, let’s be honest, happens for most of us.

A team of researchers at Canterbury Christ Church University in the UK decided to find out. They recruited 100 adults with an average age of 37. None of them were getting the recommended amount of exercise, and all had systolic blood pressure between 120 and 140, which is normal to high-normal.

For the first four weeks, 80 did wall squats three times a week, while the other 20 continued as usual. Each session consisted of four two-minute holds, with two minutes of rest between them.

After a month, the exercisers’ systolic blood pressure was about 9.5 points lower than the group that did nothing. Not bad for a few minutes leaning on a wall.

For the next four weeks, the exercisers were split up. Some kept going three times a week, and some dropped to twice a week, some to once a week, and some stopped altogether.

In other words, the researchers copied real life. Most of us start a new habit full of good intentions and then let it slide. They wanted to know how much sliding you can get away with.

So, How Little Can You Get Away With?

Here’s the answer, and it’s better news than I expected. Once a week was enough to benefit.

The people who dropped to a single weekly session still had systolic blood pressure about 6.6 points lower than when they started. Twice a week gave a similar result, about 7 points lower.

Sticking with three sessions a week was still the winner, though. That group’s blood pressure kept falling, ending up nearly 14 points lower than at the start.

And the people who stopped completely? Within four weeks, their blood pressure had crept back up to where it was before. Use it or lose it, as they say.

“Even minimal engagement can help maintain significant benefits,” the authors wrote in BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine, where they published the study in September 2026.

What You Need To Know Before You Start

There are a few things worth knowing. The once-a-week result only came after a month of doing it three times a week, so you’ll need to put the work in first. 

The trial was also small and short, and nobody in it had been diagnosed with high blood pressure. The researchers themselves say longer studies are needed.

If you take blood pressure medication, keep taking it, and talk with your doctor before starting anything new. Wall squats aren’t a replacement for everything else, either. Dr. Green is clear that you still need aerobic exercise and strength training for your overall health, and the American Heart Association recommends 150 minutes of moderate activity a week.

How to Do a Wall Squat

• Find a nice sturdy wall and stand with your back flat against it, feet hip-width apart and toes pointing forward.
• Walk your feet out and let your back slide down the wall. If you’re new to this, one step out is plenty. For a deeper squat, take two or three steps, but don’t let your knees go past your toes.
• Remember it’s your heels, not your toes, where the weight should be. And remember to breathe slowly and steadily.
• To come back up, push your palms against the wall and bend forward at the hips, or bring one foot back toward the wall and slide up.

Don’t worry if you can only manage a few seconds to begin with. Start off slow and steady with 20 seconds and slowly build up to the two minutes used in the study. Your thighs will burn, but nothing ventured, nothing gained, and nothing good ever comes easily.

About this article: Our health articles are based on published studies and advice from experts such as physiotherapists and dietitians, and the sources are linked in the article.

Disclaimer: The content in this article is for informational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your doctor, physical therapist, or healthcare provider before starting a new exercise program, particularly if you have existing joint, cardiovascular, or balance conditions. This article may contain affiliate links.