Fitness
Do these exercises to control your blood pressure
A recent study has found that isometric exercises are very effective in cotrolling blood pressure. Here are five excellent examples for you to try
If you want to tame your spiralling blood pressure, perform a plank hold for as long as you can. A recent study conducted in the UK found that while all forms of exercise help in improving a person’s resting blood pressure, the most effective are isometric exercises. These are exercises that engage your muscles without any movement, such as planks, hollow holds and wall sits.
The study in question is a meta-analysis of 270 randomized controlled trials, involving over 15,000 people, and conducted between 1990 and early 2023. Titled Exercise Training And Resting Blood Pressure, it was published last month in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. Researchers found that when people exercised for more than two weeks, irrespective of their choice of exercise, they reported a reduction in their blood pressure as compared to those who did not exercise at all.
They further found that benefits varied depending on the nature of the exercise as well. While high intensity interval training (HIIT) showed the minimum impact on reducing blood pressure, isometric exercise had the maximum effect; twice as impactful as HIIT in fact. The study found that certain exercises such as combination training, dynamic resistance training and aerobic exercise fall in a spectrum between the two. Certain exercises, the study found, such as the isometric wall squat and running, were effective in reducing both diastolic and systolic blood pressure.
This is significant, as blood pressure is one of the key indicators of our health and it is closely associated with various cardiovascular diseases, as well as stress and hypertension. With this in mind, here are five great isometric exercises for you to perform at home and keep control of your blood pressure.
Plank: Everyone is familiar with this simple and effective exercise for the core. Doing the plank is quite easy: Prop yourself on the ball of your feet and elbows (elbows under your shoulder), while squeezing your stomach and keeping your body parallel to the floor. However, holding one for as little as a minute is another matter altogether.
The plank strengthens your core muscles, including abs, lower back, pelvis and glutes. A strong core plays an important role in your posture, mobility, movement, all forms of exercise and sports. You could also perform a high plank on your palms instead of elbows and it is just as effective.
Wall squat: The wall squat or the chair pose is performed with your back pressed against the wall while keeping your spine straight and core engaged. Other than working your core, it is also an excellent workout for the quadriceps, hamstrings, calves and ankles. It also enhances muscular endurance and stability. Other studies have found that workout routines that include wall sits improved balance and leg strength.
Side plank: People perform the side plank in the hope of ridding themselves of their love handles, which ironically, is not the exercise’s primary benefit. It is performed by lying on your side and then propping yourself up on your elbow and feet while lifting your hips off the floor and engaging your abdominal and back muscles.
Like the plank, it is a move that strengthens your core muscles, including the lower back muscles, the transversus abdominis (deepest of the six abdominal muscles), the external obliques, the multifidi (core stabiliser muscles around the spine), the longissimus thoracis (the muscle that runs along the spine), and glutes. To make it more challenging you could lift the top leg towards the ceiling, making it the star plank.
Hollow hold: This is another isometric exercise for the core. Lie on your back and then lift both your torso and legs about six to ten inches off the floor while balancing on your tailbone, your hands by your side or above your head. Apart from strengthening your stomach and lower back muscles, it also stabilizes the spine. One of the biggest advantages of this exercise is it helps in keeping back pain at bay.
Boat hold: As far as appearances go, this is the most difficult looking isometric exercise on this list. Sit on the floor with your legs stretched out straight in front of you and spine straight. Lift your legs off the floor and hold them at an angle of about 60 degrees. As you lift your leg, it is normal for you to lean behind a bit. Remember, a slight bend in the knees is perfectly fine. Now straighten your hands and lift them up till they are parallel to your legs. Apart from core strength, the exercise is also good for improving your pelvis and adductor strength. To make the move more challenging, you could hold a dumbbell in your hands. And to make it easier, you could place your hands on the floor on either side of your hips.
Shrenik Avlani is a writer and editor and the co-author of The Shivfit Way, a book on functional fitness.
Fitness
No Time To Exercise Daily? Be A Weekend Warrior For A Healthy Life | Delhi News – Times of India
New Delhi: People who can’t exercise daily, either due to their hectic schedules or otherwise, can lower the risk of more than 200 adverse health conditions by becoming “weekend warriors”. This term defines people who often condense their moderate-to-vigorous physical activity into a couple of days during the week, or on weekends.
A recent study published in Circulation journal suggests that this concentrated exercise regimen is as beneficial as more consistently distributed physical activity in terms of lowering disease risk.The findings provide valuable insights into the potential advantages of alternative exercise routines for individuals who may struggle to maintain a consistent daily workout schedule.
Experts across the city agree that a heart-healthy lifestyle does not necessarily require daily workouts, but does call for commitment to sufficient and challenging physical activity that can be adjusted to fit a busy schedule.
Dr Seema Grover, head of physiotherapy and rehabilitation department at Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, emphasised that engaging in any form of physical activity is preferable to being sedentary, as high-intensity workouts, even if only twice per week, provide the body with a significant boost, triggering positive metabolic reactions that continue for several days after the workout.
“Physical activity helps prevent the deterioration of muscles and bones, promotes mental well-being, reduces stress and anxiety, enhances balance and coordination, and improves digestive and respiratory health,” said Dr Gurinder Bedi, principal director, orthopaedics, Fortis Vasant Kunj.
Dr Avinash Bansal, a cardiologist at Sri Balaji Action Medical Institute in Delhi, said that condensing exercise into two days means “exercising for around 1.5 to 2.5 hours of moderate activity each day or 45 to 75 minutes of vigorous activity”. He recommended incorporating a combination of aerobic exercises and strength training into one’s fitness routine to maximise health benefits. Aerobic activities, such as jogging, cycling or swimming, help improve cardiovascular endurance and circulation. Strength training, on the other hand, builds muscle and supports overall body strength.
Dr Manish Srivastava, an endocrinologist at Narayana Hospital, highlighted the importance of recent research demonstrating the benefits of engaging in just two days of intense physical activity. By focusing on maintaining sufficient intensity and duration during workouts, one can reap the rewards of improved hormonal balance and decreased inflammation, even with limited time available for physical activity.
Dr Ashish Srivastava, a consultant in department of cardiology at Kashvi Hospital, said that the human body could attain the same metabolic benefits in a span of two days that would typically require a week of intensified and prolonged physical activity. This highlights the potential for achieving significant health improvements in a relatively short period.
Experts also emphasise that people who exercise are delaying dementia and have a lower chance of stroke, highlighting the significant impact of physical activity on cognitive function and overall health.
If you’re trying to lose weight and want a new way to do it, stair-climbing as a regular exercise — or just adding a few flights a day — might be for you.
It’s accessible, and research shows it’s more effective than walking on level ground.
“Overall, it is a fact that stair-climbing gets you fit faster and consumes more calories,” said Lauri van Houten, vice president of the International Skyrunning Federation, which oversees a wide range of disciplines that involve vertical climbing.
This includes disciplines like mountain running above 2,000 meters (about 6,500 feet) or events like the Stairclimbing World Championships.
These competitions are for the very fit, but we’re talking here about adding a few minutes of stair-climbing as a daily routine and raising awareness about its effectiveness for all ages.
“How many calories will I burn is the question everyone wants to know,” van Houten said. “Here’s the good news: The overall energy expenditure of the exercise depends on your weight. Therefore, the more you weigh, the more you burn.”
Stair-climbing burns calories — fast
Research shows you burn about 20 times more calories going up stairs than walking on flat ground.
Even going down stairs you burn roughly five times more, the muscles being worked to slow the body’s descent.
That might be all you need to know if you are trying to lose weight.
Dr. Alberto Minetti, a physiologist and biomechanist at the University of Milan, has done extensive research of human locomotion — including stair-climbing.
“It is an exercise everybody can do,” Minetti told The Associated Press. “You always have stairs nearby you — free of charge compared to a gym.”
Minetti did the math to explain why going up stairs is so effective for burning calories in a short amount of time.
“To move 1 kilogram of body mass over 1 horizontal meter, you expend 0.5 calories,” he said. “If you move 1 kilogram of body mass vertically on stairs it’s 10 calories. So it’s 20 times the calories moving vertically rather than horizontally.”
Trained as a physician, Minetti has spent his career in research rather than treating patients.
He suggested “watching your speed” for the not-so-young and beginners.
He does his own stair-climbing at his third-floor residence in Milan.
He said he often takes a few deep breaths before ascending, which makes him feel fresher at the top.
In a scientific study, Minetti makes the point that using the arms in stair-climbing adds extra power.
Handrails offer safety, too.
The journal notes that handrails are available in most stairwells in skyscrapers, which maximizes “the muscle mass involved and, consequently, the mechanical/metabolic power of the ascent” by getting the arms involved.
“They are relatively small muscles in the arms, but better than nothing,” Minetti said.
Stairs are everywhere
If stair-climbing was an Olympic sport, Suzy Walsham would own a handful of gold medals.
She’s won 10 races up New York’s Empire State Building — officially 1,576 stairs.
She’s claimed titles in more than 100 international stair races, and was once regarded as the No. 1 woman in the discipline.
Five times, the Australian has won climbs up the Eiffel Tower.
This was all too easy, apparently.
When she was living in Singapore, Walsham climbed up her 29-story building — 37 consecutive times.
It took over four hours, riding the elevator down each time after reaching the top with short breaks for coffee or water. She covered a vertical distance of 3,200 meters (10,500 feet).
But let’s get grounded.
What are the advantages of stair-climbing as a regular exercise routine for the rest of us?
“You get a lot of bang for your buck,” Walsham told the AP. “Many people struggle to run as they age. The impact of running gets harder on the joints. But stair training is a great alternative.”
AP
Stairs are everywhere — one flight, two flights at home, inside skyscrapers, in stadiums and arenas, at work, in shopping malls, in the subway.
One giant advantage of stair-climbing is it doesn’t take much time.
It’s easy to build up, adding a few flights of stairs every day or week, and it improves balance.
On the down side, it’s not very scenic, particularly in the stairways of towering skyscrapers.
There are two types of athletes: the 4 a.m. warriors, and those who would rather carry dumbbells all day than work out in the morning. If you asked me three months ago, I would have chosen the latter. But now, over halfway through marathon training and several 6 a.m. alarms later, I’ll admit it: I’m a changed person.
As I planned out my marathon training schedule, nothing sounded worse than waking up with the sun to run 16 miles—especially on a Saturday. I’ve learned to not only embrace the challenge but thrive under it. And I have never felt stronger and healthier, both as a runner and human being. I credit the transformation to one small change: a morning workout routine.
Dreading that morning sweat? Here are five benefits to an a.m. workout that will get you out of bed in the morning, plus exactly how to get started, from experts.
Meet the experts: Alexa Noban, CPT, is a fitness coach in New York City. Lindsay Pantaleon, CPT, is a trainer at DOGPOUND. Calyn Brooke, CPT, is a trainer in Arizona. Lisbeth Jennings, PT, DPT, is a physical therapist in New York City. Claire Rifkin, MS, RDN, is a dietician based in New York City.
Benefits Of A Morning Workout Routine
1. It contributes to better sleep quality.
Exercise in general can help improve various aspects related to sleep which can lead to improved wellbeing, increased energy, reduced stress, and simply feeling well-slept, according to a 2024 study in Scientific Reports. Older research looked specifically at early morning exercise and found that it led to a decline in nighttime blood pressure, which contributed to better sleep.
“Morning exercise, especially if done outdoors, helps regulate your circadian rhythms,” says Alexa Noban, CPT, a fitness coach in New York City. “Exposure to morning light tells your body that it’s time to be awake and alert, which sets the stage for better sleep at night. This rhythm makes it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep, leading to improved recovery and overall health.”
2. It boosts your mood.
Nothing feels better than checking off a workout before a busy day ahead. Exercise releases endorphins, the “feel-good” hormone that helps you achieve a post-workout high. Think of it as a natural energy boost sans caffeine. “You’ll feel more energized throughout the day because physical activity increases blood flow, delivering more oxygen and nutrients to your muscles and brain,” says Noban.
3. It could help you to be more productive.
Morning exercise is good for both your body and brain. “You’ll find that you’re sharper and more productive throughout the day because your body has already gotten moving,” says Noban. “Studies have shown that exercise can improve memory and problem-solving skills, so that morning sweat session is also a mental workout.”
4. It may help with weight loss.
Sticking to a workout schedule is key when it comes to fitness gains and weight loss, if that’s what you’re going for. Consistent morning exercise in particular may help you make it a habit, and lead to more overall exercise, according to a 2020 review in Exercise and Sport Sciences Reviews. And that’s a good thing for any goal!
5. It plays a key role in injury prevention.
By getting active early, your muscles will be primed for optimal performance the rest of the day—and that may decrease the risk of injury, says Lindsay Pantaleon, CPT, a trainer at DOGPOUND.
Pro tips for getting started with a.m. workouts
If you’re not a morning person, getting your head off the pillow to start breaking a sweat can be tough. These pro tips can help:
1. Define your “why.”
Whether your motivation is mental or physical, having a clear idea as to why you want to get out of bed in the morning is crucial. “It’s so easy to skip a workout when you face even the smallest inconvenience, like taking time off for vacation, getting bad sleep, or when your gym buddy bails,” says Noban. “If your ‘why’ is strong, it’ll push you through those tough moments and keep you going, even when you really don’t feel like it.”
Personally, my “why” is to feel strong both mentally and physically. I started running during the pandemic, when my mental health was suffering, and running gave me a new passion and purpose. Since then, it has been a source of strength for me and a major mood booster.
2.Put a plan in place.
Choosing a workout in advance helps avoid wasting time figuring out what to do once you’re awake, per Noban (and morning exercisers everywhere). No workout class, no problem. Check out the Women’s Health workout finder for personalized workout and plan recommendations.
Always have a plan as a Women’s Health+ member. Join today.
3. Prepare the night before.
To avoid the hassle of getting your gear ready in the morning, lay everything out the night before. Noban recommends getting workout clothes and sneakers ready, and even a healthy breakfast in the fridge (expert reccos below!).
Trainer Calyn Brooke prepares a cup of coffee to kick off her morning. “I love a good cup of coffee and need that ‘me time’ before I start my workout,” says Brooke. “Years ago, I invested in a coffee maker that I set the night before to brew at a specific time in the morning. Having that hot cup of coffee waiting for me as soon as I get up has been a game-changer for my morning workouts.”
4. Have someone hold you accountable.
Noban suggests making a plan to work out with a friend you don’t want to flake on, join a running club, or enroll in an online fitness company. “If you prefer working out alone, maybe sign up for a class where you have to show up to avoid a fee,” Noban suggests.
5. Never hit the snooze button.
The snooze button is the greatest enemy to a morning workout. To avoid an endless loop of extra sleep, Noban says to put your phone across the room, so you have to get out of bed to turn off your alarm. If you really want to get moving, don’t let yourself press “stop” until you’ve made your bed.
6. Try “habit stacking.”
If you find yourself dragging your feet, attach your workout to a habit you already enjoy. For example, Noban suggests pairing a workout with a podcast, audiobook, or playlist to stay engaged. Planning a reward—like a post-class smoothie—ahead of time can also help, as can simply planning to run through your favorite park rather than on the treadmill.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you stay safe running outdoors before sunrise?
Meeting a friend in the mornings will not only hold you accountable but provide safety in numbers. If you run alone, make sure to tell someone your route and estimated run time, and bring your phone.
If you listen to music, lower the volume so you can hear your surroundings, or only use one headphone. Physical therapist Lisbeth Jennings, PT, DPT, suggests wearing bright-colored clothing and accessories, and considering a headlamp, light-up vest, and something reflective. Carry a form of ID, and if you wear an Apple Watch or other fitness tracker with the feature, program emergency contacts into it.
Should you eat before or after a morning workout?
Ideally, both. If you’re working out right after you wake up, try to eat something small with easily-digestible carbs to avoid getting an upset stomach, especially if you’re going on a run. A banana fits the bill and you might consider adding a little almond butter, which Claire Rifkin, MS, RDN, says is a source of fat and protein that will help keep you full and sustain your energy throughout your workout. Other suggestions from Rifkin include oatmeal with honey and chia seeds or apple slices with a handful of pistachios.
If you’re awake for one to two hours prior to getting a workout in, you’re safe to eat a normal breakfast. Afterwards, prepare a balanced meal with protein, carbs, and fats to refuel.
How do you ensure your morning workout doesn’t make you tired the rest of the day?
Make sure you’re getting roughly eight hours of sleep the night before (and ideally every night). Hydrate well and ensure your dinner has a mix of protein, carbs, and fat. If you aren’t a morning person, Jennings recommends gradually setting your alarm earlier over a few days to warm up to waking up early. And remember to fuel before and afterwards to replenish your energy stores for the day.
Morning Workout Inspo
“I personally think the best type of exercise to do in the mornings is the one that you’re most likely to get up and feel excited to do,” says Jennings. “If the thought of a run motivates you to get out of bed, schedule your runs in the morning.” If you’d rather lift or do a class, do that.
That said, if you’re looking for more direction, Pantaleon recommends a functional strength workout since these movements mimic the ones you’ll do throughout your day, helping to warm up your muscles and joints. Grab a pair of dumbbells or kettlbells and try this total-body routine she curated.
Instructions: Compete 3 to 4 sets of 8 to 12 reps of each of the following exercises. Choose weights ranging from 10 to 30 pounds based on your experience. If you’re new to exercise, try the moves with just your bodyweight first, and consider consulting with a personal trainer to master form.
Goblet Squat
Suitcase Deadlift
Farmer’s Carry
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