:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/Health-GettyImages-1739196791-83f04819be224f81bdea6c0172ca0a31.jpg "A man standing outdoors leaning forward with his hands on his knees wearing activewear.")
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- Running can naturally lower blood pressure, but other forms of exercise may be as effective, or even more effective.
- When performed consistently, handgrip exercise, strength training, and other types of exercise have been shown to lower blood pressure.
- Just 20 minutes a day of any heart-rate-elevating exercise can help improve high blood pressure.
While running can help lower blood pressure, not everyone wants to run or is physically able to do so. Luckily, other exercise options are just as effective—or, in some cases, potentially even better—at lowering blood pressure than running. Here are five to try.
1. Isometric Exercises
Isometric exercise involves contracting your muscles in a static position—this helps you build strength without moving your joints to lift weight, as you would in traditional strength training.
A 2023 analysis of over 270 existing trials found that isometric exercise training topped the list of blood pressure-lowering exercises, even outperforming aerobic exercise, like running.
Simple isometric exercises to add to your workout routine include:
- Planks
- Wall sits
- Hollow-body holds
- Flexed-arm (chin-up) hangs
2. Strength Training
Though isometric exercises performed best, that same 2023 analysis concluded that strength training was also better at lowering blood pressure than cardio.
Interestingly, the study authors noted that strength training combined with cardio (aerobic) exercise was more effective at lowering blood pressure than either activity on its own.
There are lots of ways to perform weight lifting or strength training, including with:
- Handheld weights, such as dumbbells, barbells, and kettlebells
- Resistance bands
- Weight machines you might find at a gym
- Your own bodyweight
Common strength-training exercises include squats, deadlifts, bench presses, and curls.
3. Handgrip Exercises
Those little spring-loaded grip strengtheners are tougher to squeeze than they look—and research shows that including them in your workout routine could help you lower your blood pressure.
In one 2026 study, researchers followed older adults with hypertension (high blood pressure) for eight weeks. Participants who performed four sets of two-minute grip holds three times per week saw significantly lower blood pressure.
4. Yoga
There's some evidence that yoga may be better at lowering blood pressure than aerobic exercise like running, though the question is still very much up for debate. Still, if you'd rather hit the mat than the track to manage your blood pressure, you're in luck.
One analysis of studies that included mostly middle-aged adults with high blood pressure found promising results—doing yoga that included breathing exercises and meditation three times per week lowered participants' blood pressure.
Simple yoga poses to get started include:
- Cat-cow
- Warrior I and II
- Downward-facing dog
- Child's pose
5. Cardio
Running is one form of cardio, but it's not the only option available to you. Most types of aerobic exercise—sustained, rhythmic exercise that elevates your heart rate—can lower blood pressure when done consistently.
Again, research shows that blood pressure benefits are greater when people combine cardio with strength training, so consider adding both to your routine.
Besides running, you can get your heart rate up by:
- Cycling
- Swimming
- Rowing
- Dancing
- Going for a brisk walk
Just aim to get a total of 150 minutes per week, as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
A 20-Minute Workout for Lower Blood Pressure
Though different types of exercise have varying effects on blood pressure, all physical activity can help. In fact, research shows that replacing other activities with about 20 minutes of exercise each day could lead to meaningful improvements in blood pressure.
Consider trying handgrip-strengthening exercises, yoga, or low-impact forms of cardio. Or, if you don't know where to start, here's a quick cardio and strength-building workout you can do pretty much anywhere:
- Jumping jacks: Stand with your feet together and your arms at your sides. Jump your feet apart and, as you do so, swing your arms up overhead and clap your hands together. Then, jump your feet together and bring your arms back down to your sides.
- Squats: Stand with your feet a little wider than hip-width apart. Keeping your chest up and your back flat, hinge at your hips, bend your knees, and lower your butt into a squat. Push up through your feet to return to standing.
- Burpees: From a standing position, hinge at your hips, bend your knees, and squat down to place your palms on the ground in front of your feet. Jump your feet back behind you so that you’re in a plank position, then lower your body to the ground. Push back up through your palms to lift up into your plank, then jump your feet forward to meet your hands. Jump up and clap your hands overhead.
- Reverse lunges: Stand with your feet together and your hands on your hips. Step one foot a couple of feet behind you and bend both knees to about 90 degrees. To return to standing, push up through your front foot and bring your back foot forward. Repeat on the opposite side.
- Plank hold: Assume a plank position. Keep your back flat, core engaged, and neck neutral. Make sure your shoulders and elbows are stacked over your wrists.
Do each exercise for 45 seconds, then rest for 15 seconds before starting the next. Repeat the circuit four times for a total of 20 minutes.
