![\"Estimated](\"https:\/\/www.womenshealthmag.com\/_assets\/design-tokens\/fre\/static\/icons\/clock-regular.4ddebeb.svg\")
4 min read<\/p>\n4 min read<\/p>\n
Key Points<\/p>\n
![\"Caret](\"https:\/\/www.womenshealthmag.com\/_assets\/design-tokens\/fre\/static\/icons\/caret-right-regular.a6ec664.svg\"){kind=icon}
<\/p>\n
New research that reviewed over 31 studies suggests that a combination of aerobic exercise, resistance training, and HIIT can reduce blood pressure, with aerobic exercise and resistance training being an especially effective combo.<\/p>\n
Aerobic exercise includes brisk walking, jogging, rowing, cycling, swimming, and elliptical training.<\/p>\n
Experts emphasize creating a workout routine you\u2019ll follow and aiming for at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise five times a week, plus strength training twice a week.<\/p>\n
There\u2019s no dearth of options when it comes to the kinds of workout routines you can choose. But if you\u2019re on the fence when it comes to the right type of exercise for you, consider this: New research just identified two different types of workouts that can meaningfully lower your blood pressure over time.<\/p>\n
This news is important since high blood pressure is linked<\/a> to a slew of serious health complications, including heart attack and stroke, making it important to do what you can to keep your numbers down. Not only that, high blood pressure doesn\u2019t usually cause symptoms, so it\u2019s hard to know if you\u2019re silently dealing with this health issue.<\/p>\n All forms of exercise are helpful for heart health and blood pressure to some degree. But if you want to get the best bang for your buck, this latest research suggests there are specific types worth considering more seriously. Here\u2019s why.<\/p>\n Meet the experts: Cheng-Han Chen, MD<\/a>, interventional cardiologist and medical director of the Structural Heart Program at MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center in Laguna Hills, CA; and Jessica Hennessey, MD, PhD<\/a>, cardiologist and cardiac electrophysiologist at New York-Presbyterian\/Columbia University Irving Medical Center.<\/p>\n What did the study find?<\/p>\n The study, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine<\/a>, reviewed and analyzed data from 31 randomized controlled trials involving more than 1,345 participants and 67 intervention arms.<\/p>\n Researchers found that a combination of aerobic exercise<\/a>, resistance training<\/a>, and high-intensity interval training (HIIT<\/a>) reduced blood pressure over 24 hours. Aerobic exercise was also linked to the most consistent decrease in ambulatory blood pressure. This is the measure of your continuous blood pressure over a 24-hour period.<\/p>\n When the researchers examined the impact on blood pressure of different forms of exercise compared with people who did not exercise, they found that combined aerobic and resistance training was linked with an average drop of 6.18 mmHg in systolic blood pressure over 24 hours. (Systolic blood pressure is the top number in a blood pressure reading and indicates<\/a> the maximum pressure of your blood pushing against your artery walls when your heart beats.) Aerobic exercise on its own was linked to a 4.73 mmHg drop, while HIIT led to a 5.71 mmHg reduction.<\/p>\n There were also drops in diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number in a blood pressure reading, which measures<\/a> the pressure your blood exerts against your artery walls while the heart rests between beats). There was a 3.94 mmHg drop associated with combined training, 2.76 mmHg for aerobic exercise, and 4.64 mmHg for HIIT over 24 hours. Also worth noting: Pilates<\/a>, a much lower-intensity form of exercise, also led to a 4.18 mmHg drop in diastolic blood pressure over 24 hours.<\/p>\n Why are these exercises so effective for lowering blood pressure?<\/p>\n It\u2019s important to call out a few caveats from the study first. Researchers included trials with small numbers of participants, and there wasn\u2019t much information on how long participants stuck with their workout routines. The types of exercise people did were also sometimes classified differently across studies, making it harder to parse everything. Still, doctors say there\u2019s likely something here.<\/p>\n While there\u2019s a lot that still needs to be explored, these forms of exercise tend to be a little more challenging, says Cheng-Han Chen, MD<\/a>, interventional cardiologist and medical director of the Structural Heart Program at MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center in Laguna Hills, CA. \u201cThe intensity of exercise helps with blood pressure,\u201d he says. \u201cWith moderate intensity exercise, getting the heart rate higher is training your heart to be more efficient and often training your blood pressure to be lower.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"Headshot](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/1779584592_276_ea27d1a6-ecd9-4da8-b2a7-049a03b4ab93_1528214135.file.png\" "\\"Headshot")
<\/p>\n