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Isometric training lowers resting blood pressure and modulates autonomic control
Andrea C Taylor1, Neil McCartney, Markad V Kamath
1Departments of Kinesiology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
Purpose:
This study examined the effects of isometric handgrip training on resting arterial blood pressure, heart rate variability, and blood pressure variability in older adults with hypertension.
Methods:
Nine subjects performed four 2-min isometric handgrip contractions at 30% of the maximum voluntary contraction force, 3 d.wk(-1) for 10 wk, and eight subjects served as controls.
Results:
After training, there was a significant reduction in resting systolic pressure and mean arterial pressure. In addition, power spectral analysis of heart rate variability demonstrated that the low frequency: high frequency area ratio tended to decrease.
Conclusions:
It is concluded that isometric training at a moderate intensity elicits a hypotensive response and a simultaneous increase in vagal modulation in older adults with hypertension.