I’ve read numerous studies saying that isometric exercise increases blood pressure. Like anything else, you’ll find studies on both sides. A quick google search will find many. Baye has an article on Mike Mentzer .com about tsc which mentions it
I have found much bias and lack of credentials as regards Baye. Ymmv! He is a blogger! I prefer to get my medical information from credible sources. As an example, information from many reporters on COVID 19 vaccines is full of misinformation. Much information on the internet is misleading !
Well I’m glad you’re here to tell us this stuff , C3 PO! Stuff on the internet misleading? That can’t be?? By the way, this is on the internet! Ha ha!
Scott
Who gives a crap what “the HIT crowd “ thinks, if doing it that way works for you go for it.
Scott
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Depends on whether you are considering acute effects during exercise, or chronic changes that result from having trained. Blood pressure does rise during heavy lifting or isometrics. How much is influenced by how you brace (valsalva). But weight training (and isometrics) will reduce resting or baseline blood pressure.
Watching beautiful women will increase blood pressure! I don’t see too many men giving up beautiful women because of the resultant blood pressure spikes!
Does anyone have an idea on when the application of statics is most beneficial? I would have thought at the end of a regular set, as a set extender.
It probably depends on your objectives.
If you are trying to increase the depth of inroad, get to a deeper level of fatigue, doing them at the end of a set of regular reps would make some sense.
If you were a powerlifter trying to improve strength at a sticking point, or were trying to use isometrics to increase efficiency of muscle recruitment, you might want to train them separately.
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His writings though are influenced heavily by Hutchins was the reason for the reference
Also Hutchins has written extensively about valsalva, in the ss protocol and his heart book. Heart strong maybe? The title escapes me
I don’t see many healthy men giving up much of anything because a blood pressure spike might happen!
Scott
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I suffered a stroke at the age of 24, that was 20 years ago. I was advised by a neurologist not to use the VM or static holds in my training. I didn’t take his advise. Personally I like heavy, short 5-10 second holds…rest pause yielding isometrics. One long hold is a bit too tedious for me. Never had blood pressure issues. Resting BP was 124/80 last week when I got it measured.
In fairness, he does many good things as regards writing a
on resistance training!
However, he does parrot Ken Hutchins! That maybe a good thing!
You tell em Scott
Sirloin,
I practice breathing during isometrics! Of all training modalities, isometrics allow continued breathing without impeding the isometric hold! A little practice is all it takes. But the VM enables heavy lifting and prevents back injury
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As a sidenote Dr Darden advocates continuous breathing during HIT in general. In my opinion, the pattern of breathing corresponds to the rep cadence. Positive reps during or less than 1-2 secs makes valsalva breathing more functional. Isometrics as a prolonged phenomenon would never benefit from valsalva breathing thus the lack of oxygen would limit its use.
During the iso’s, BP goes super high, but it also helps lower basal BP later.
But to note, people with issues such as a possible coronary artery dissection are for sure not to do things like that.
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This rule applies to any weight based training. Lifting weights is dependant on blood pressure (and thus rises during lifting to being lowered afterwards - over time - as a secondary good effect). I guess you may compare this to a machine or tractor which lift objects as a result of building up oil pressure in the hoses.
Diet, long term, is the #1 key to managing blood pressure. Vegan MD (internal medicine), but the information on diet and BP is interesting. High Blood Pressure (Hypertension) - Dr. McDougall
If you want healthy cardiovascular blood vessels, dietary intervention may be prudent.
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