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Best strength exercises for high blood pressure: 7 moves and a sample week

Strength training can help lower resting blood pressure. Steady holds and smooth reps, not max lifts. Breathe out on the effort. Keep 1 to 3 reps in reserve.

By Susmit Jalan, coach at Online Fitness Worldwide.

Your reading came back high. Maybe you're on tablets now. Maybe you were told to move more. Lifting can feel like the wrong idea. Done steadily, it isn't.

The NHS lists regular exercise, at least 150 minutes a week, among the changes that help lower blood pressure. It usually treats 140/90 or higher at a clinic, or 135/85 or higher at home, as high.[2] WHO advises adults, including people living with hypertension, to do muscle-strengthening work on 2 or more days a week.[1]

A 2023 network meta-analysis of 270 randomised trials found that aerobic, dynamic resistance, combined, high-intensity interval and isometric training all lowered resting blood pressure. Isometric training, holding a position, showed the largest average drop, about 8/4 mmHg. Dynamic resistance training was about 4.5/3 mmHg. The isometric wall squat ranked first for systolic pressure.[3]

An earlier meta-analysis pointed the same way, with fewer isometric studies.[4] An umbrella review for the US physical activity guidelines found aerobic and dynamic resistance training about equally effective, with bigger benefits in people with prehypertension than in people with normal pressure.[5]

The 2024 European hypertension guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes a week of moderate aerobic exercise, complemented by low- to moderate-intensity resistance training 2 to 3 times a week.[7] The American Heart Association's 2023 statement describes resistance training as safe and effective for cardiovascular health in adults with and without heart disease.[6]

This list is coaching, not treatment. It sits alongside your medicines and your doctor's plan, never instead of them. Read "Before you start" first.

See also: Best strength exercises for type 2 diabetes: 7 moves and a sample week · Best strength exercises for over 60s: 7 moves and a sample week

The 7 best strength exercises for high blood pressure

  1. Wall sit

    Why
    The isometric wall squat ranked as the most effective sub-type for lowering systolic pressure in the 2023 analysis.[3] It is a hold. No weights. No jumping.
    How
    Back flat on a wall, feet a stride out. Slide down until your knees bend to a comfortable angle, well short of 90° at first. Knees over toes. Breathe in and out the whole time; count aloud if it helps. Too much? Sit higher, or shorten the hold. Come up by pressing through your feet and walking your hands up the wall.
    Dose
    3 to 4 holds of 30 to 60 seconds, 1 to 2 minutes' rest between. Effort about 5 to 7 out of 10. End each hold before your breathing or form changes.

  2. Handgrip squeeze

    Why
    Handgrip holds were one of the isometric sub-types in that analysis, and isometric work as a whole gave the largest average drops.[3][4] It fits at a desk.
    How
    Squeeze a soft ball, rolled towel or grip trainer at about a third of your hardest squeeze. Not a max. Keep the shoulder and jaw loose. Breathe normally. Swap hands.
    Dose
    3 to 4 holds of 30 to 60 seconds each hand, 1 to 2 minutes' rest between. Effort about 5 to 7 out of 10. End each hold before your breathing or form changes.

  3. Sit-to-stand

    Why
    Dynamic leg work: the kind of training that lowered resting pressure by about 4.5/3 mmHg on average.[3] Big muscles, smooth reps, an easy set-up.
    How
    Sit near the front of a sturdy chair, feet hip-width. Lean forward and stand up, breathing out as you rise. Sit down slowly. Too much? Use a higher seat, or push from your thighs.
    Dose
    2 to 3 sets of 8 to 12. Keep 1 to 3 good reps in reserve (RIR); stop before technique changes.

  4. Incline push-up

    Why
    Upper-body pushing at a level you control. Hands high keeps the effort moderate and your head above your heart.
    How
    Hands on a kitchen counter or sturdy table, body in a straight line. Lower your chest as you breathe in. Push away as you breathe out. Too much? Use a wall. Floor push-ups only if the counter feels easy.
    Dose
    2 to 3 sets of 8 to 12. Keep 1 to 3 good reps in reserve (RIR); stop before technique changes.

  5. One-arm row

    Why
    Pulling balances the pushing. Resistance work for all the major muscle groups is what WHO and the hypertension guidelines describe.[1][7]
    How
    One hand on a bench or chair, hips back, back long. Pull a dumbbell or a loaded bag toward your hip as you breathe out. Lower slowly. Swap sides. Too much? Use a lighter bag, or a seated band row.
    Dose
    2 to 3 sets of 8 to 12 each side. Keep 1 to 3 good reps in reserve (RIR); stop before technique changes.

  6. Glute bridge

    Why
    Hips and the backs of the thighs, worked on the floor with no load on the spine.
    How
    Lie on your back, knees bent, feet flat. Breathe out and lift your hips until you are straight from knee to shoulder. Lower slowly. Lying flat uncomfortable, or dizzy when you get up? Do a standing hip hinge instead, and always roll to your side and rise slowly.
    Dose
    2 to 3 sets of 8 to 12. Keep 1 to 3 good reps in reserve (RIR); stop before technique changes.

  7. Supported split squat

    Why
    Single-leg strength helps with stairs and balance. A hand on a chair keeps it steady and the effort moderate.
    How
    Stand in a split stance, one hand on a chair. Lower the back knee a short way as you breathe in. Push up as you breathe out. Small range first. Swap sides. Too much? Shorten the range, or go back to sit-to-stands.
    Dose
    2 to 3 sets of 8 to 12 each side. Keep 1 to 3 good reps in reserve (RIR); stop before technique changes.

How much, how hard, how often

WHO: muscle-strengthening work for the major muscle groups on 2 or more days a week, plus 150 to 300 minutes of moderate aerobic activity.[1]

European guidelines: at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise a week, with low- to moderate-intensity resistance training 2 to 3 times a week.[7] Moderate means smooth reps you could repeat, not a maximum test.

In the large 2023 analysis isometric holds gave the largest average drop, but every training type helped.[3] The best plan is the one you keep doing. Mix holds, smooth reps and walking.

Bigger drops showed up in people whose pressure started higher.[4][5] Keep your doctor in the loop, and keep taking your medicines as prescribed.

Progression: when you beat 8 to 12 good reps by 1 or 2, add a little load, about 2 to 10%, or slow the lowering.[8] For holds, add 10 to 15 seconds before you sit any lower. Keep 1 to 3 reps in reserve. Failure is not the goal.

Breathing: breathe out on the effort and keep breathing through every hold. Straining with a held breath spikes pressure during the lift. A steady pace keeps it calmer.

A sample week of strength training for high blood pressure

Sample only. Not a prescription. Adjust it with your doctor to your body, your medicines and your history.

  • Monday, about 25 minutes: wall sit, sit-to-stand, incline push-up, one-arm row. 1 to 3 sets of each.
  • Tuesday: brisk walk, about 30 minutes, at a pace where you can still talk.
  • Wednesday, about 15 minutes: wall sit and handgrip holds only.
  • Thursday: brisk walk, about 30 minutes.
  • Friday, about 25 minutes: wall sit, glute bridge, supported split squat, one-arm row. 1 to 3 sets of each.
  • Saturday: an easy walk, or a longer brisk one if you feel good.
  • Sunday: rest.
  • Load cap for this sample week: weights you can move for 8 to 12 smooth reps, and holds you finish still breathing easily. No maximum lifts, no breath-holding, no heavy overhead pressing, no sprints.
  • Keep 1 to 3 good reps in reserve (RIR); stop before technique changes.
  • Pain check: mild discomfort that settles soon is fine. Pain that rises during a set means make it easier: less range or less load. Sharp pain, swelling, pain spreading down a limb, numbness, a joint giving way or locking means stop and get it checked. I'm a coach, not a physio or doctor.

Want it coached live?

Iron Hour is 60 minutes, 1:1. Set-up at minute 0: camera so I can see your whole body, and your monitor nearby if your doctor wants readings. Warm-up from minute 4. The primary lift at 14, steady, not a max test. Accessories at 28. Cool-down at 50.

Lean Reset is 20 sessions a month, 1:1, if you want more frequent coached days. Return is 45 minutes, 1:1, 12 alternate-day sessions a month, if you haven't trained in years. Open Floor is a small group.

I'm a coach, not a doctor: if you have high blood pressure, heart disease or kidney disease, your doctor sets the limits, and we train inside them.

Coached live on Google Meet, Zoom or FaceTime, in your own living room. In Hindi or English. On IST. Not sure yet? Start with a 30-minute consultation. It is a conversation, not a training session. Booking holds a time; the fee is agreed directly.

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Before you start

General information, not medical advice. ACSM's screening model: if you are inactive, have no symptoms and no known heart, metabolic or kidney disease, you can start light to moderate exercise without medical clearance and build up gradually. If you have one of those conditions, or symptoms such as chest pain, unusual breathlessness or dizziness, get medical clearance first.[9] Whatever that model says, if your blood pressure is very high, newly found or not yet controlled, or your medicines just changed, ask your doctor before you start. NHS advice: get urgent help if you often have headaches or blurred vision, or chest pain that comes and goes. Call emergency services for chest pain or pressure that does not go away, pain spreading to an arm, the neck, jaw, stomach or back, or chest pain with sweating, sickness, light-headedness or breathlessness.[2] Outside the UK, that means your doctor or your local emergency number. Keep taking your medicines as prescribed. Some can make you light-headed when you stand up fast, so rise slowly after floor work. Stop for chest pain, a pounding headache, dizziness or blurred vision.

ASCA Level 1 (strength and conditioning) and ACE (anatomy and biomechanics). These are credentials held by the coach. Neither body endorses this business or this article.

Sources

  1. [1] World Health Organization. WHO guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour. Geneva: WHO; 2020. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240015128 (opens in a new tab)
  2. [2] NHS. High blood pressure (hypertension). nhs.uk. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/high-blood-pressure/ (opens in a new tab)
  3. [3] Edwards JJ, Deenmamode AHP, Griffiths M, et al. Exercise training and resting blood pressure: a large-scale pairwise and network meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. Br J Sports Med. 2023;57(20):1317–1326. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2022-106503 (opens in a new tab)
  4. [4] Cornelissen VA, Smart NA. Exercise training for blood pressure: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Am Heart Assoc. 2013;2(1):e004473. https://doi.org/10.1161/JAHA.112.004473 (opens in a new tab)
  5. [5] Pescatello LS, Buchner DM, Jakicic JM, et al. Physical activity to prevent and treat hypertension: a systematic review. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2019;51(6):1314–1323. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0000000000001943 (opens in a new tab)
  6. [6] Paluch AE, Boyer WR, Franklin BA, et al. Resistance exercise training in individuals with and without cardiovascular disease: 2023 update. A scientific statement from the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2024;149(3):e217–e231. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIR.0000000000001189 (opens in a new tab)
  7. [7] McEvoy JW, McCarthy CP, Bruno RM, et al. 2024 ESC Guidelines for the management of elevated blood pressure and hypertension. Eur Heart J. 2024;45(38):3912–4018. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehae178 (opens in a new tab)
  8. [8] American College of Sports Medicine. Position stand: Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009;41(3):687–708. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0b013e3181915670 (opens in a new tab)
  9. [9] Riebe D, Franklin BA, Thompson PD, et al. Updating ACSM's recommendations for exercise preparticipation health screening. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2015;47(11):2473–2479. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0000000000000664 (opens in a new tab)