One Simple Wall Squat a Week Could Help Keep Your Blood Pressure Down, New Research Finds

If the idea of committing to a gym routine feels like one more thing on an already full plate, new research offers some genuinely encouraging news: even just one short session of a simple exercise a week may be enough to help maintain lower blood pressure.

Why this matters for Australians

Blood pressure remains one of the most significant, and most common, health concerns for older Australians. Recent national data shows hypertension prevalence in Australia has climbed from 33.7 per cent to 39.4 per cent, meaning close to two in five Australian adults are now living with the condition, many without realising it. Given high blood pressure is one of the biggest risk factors for heart attack and stroke, genuinely accessible, low-time-commitment ways to help manage it are worth taking seriously.

What the study actually found

Published in BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine, the research looked at isometric exercise, a style of training that involves holding a single position, rather than moving through repetitions, for a few minutes at a time. Think holding a squat against a wall, maintaining a plank, or a sustained hand-grip exercise. Earlier research has already shown isometric training can lower blood pressure more effectively than some other forms of exercise, in some cases producing effects comparable to certain blood pressure medications.

What hadn’t been clear until now was how often you actually need to keep doing it to hold onto those benefits. Researchers recruited 100 adults with normal to high-normal blood pressure, who didn’t already exercise regularly, and had them complete a four-week home-based wall-squat training program, three sessions a week. After that initial month, participants were split into four groups: continuing three times a week, dropping to twice a week, dropping to just once a week, or stopping entirely.

The results were genuinely telling. Everyone who completed the initial four-week program saw meaningful reductions in blood pressure. Once split into different maintenance schedules, those doing just one or two sessions a week still held onto significant reductions in systolic blood pressure after a further four weeks, though the biggest, most durable improvements, including a 13.73 mmHg drop in systolic blood pressure, came from those who kept training three times a week. Tellingly, the group that stopped altogether saw their blood pressure drift back toward where they’d started.

What this means in practice

The researchers were clear that three sessions a week remains the gold standard for genuinely locking in the full cardiovascular benefits, including improvements to blood vessel function and heart rate variability. But for anyone who simply can’t commit to that regularly, whether due to time pressure, mobility, or general adherence challenges, the finding that even one weekly session offers a real, measurable benefit is genuinely good news, rather than an all-or-nothing proposition.

It’s worth noting the study’s participants were relatively young, with an average age of 37, and none had a formal hypertension diagnosis or existing injuries. If you’re managing diagnosed high blood pressure, taking blood pressure medication, or have joint or mobility concerns, it’s well worth discussing with your GP whether a wall-squat style routine is appropriate for you, and how to modify it safely, before giving it a go.

How to try it yourself

A simple wall squat involves standing with your back against a wall, sliding down until your knees are at roughly a right angle, as though sitting in an invisible chair, and holding the position for one to two minutes before resting. The study’s protocol involved four bouts of this, separated by two minutes of seated rest, which is a genuinely manageable routine to fit into even the busiest week.

This article reports on published research and is general in nature. It isn’t personalised medical advice — if you have concerns about your blood pressure or are considering a new exercise routine, speak with your GP first.

IMPORTANT LEGAL INFO This article is of a general nature and FYI only, because it doesn’t take into account your personal health requirements or existing medical conditions. That means it’s not personalised health advice and shouldn’t be relied upon as if it is. Before making a health-related decision, you should work out if the info is appropriate for your situation and get professional medical advice.