What to know about planking, the simple exercise experts swear by

Worried about the unhealthy impacts of too much celebrating this holiday season?

According to one large-scale study, there’s a quick and simple exercise you can do anywhere — even in the guest bathroom in the middle of a party — that’ll effectively lower your blood pressure and improve overall fitness.

Researchers from Canterbury Christ Church University in the United Kingdom analyzed the results of 270 trials conducted on almost 16,000 participants between 1990 and 2023, learning that isometric exercises, such as planking, help keep blood pressure low.

According to the Mayo Clinic, isometric exercises are defined as the “tightening (contractions) of a specific muscle or group of muscles” that are done in one position.” Planks, leg lifts, wall sits, and push-ups are frequently cited as isometric exercises.

The results of the Canterbury Christ Church University analysis were published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, with the researchers concluding: “Aerobic exercise training, dynamic resistance training, combined training, high-intensity interval training and isometric exercise training are all significantly effective in reducing resting systolic and diastolic blood pressure.”

However, they added: “Overall, isometric exercise training is the most effective mode in reducing both systolic and diastolic blood pressure.”

Systolic blood pressure is defined as the pressure in the arteries when the heart beats, while diastolic blood pressure refers to the pressure when the heart rests between beats.

Experts say that doing four two-minute planks per day can lower blood pressure in just two weeks, the Daily Mail reported.

But don’t fret if you feel you won’t be able to last on your elbows for that amount of time.

India Bailey, personal trainer at TechnoGym, told Stylist UK that you can become better at planking in a very short amount of time.

She recommends starting by holding the position for as long as you’re able and then adding 10 to 15 seconds each time. Thus, within weeks, a person should be able to build up to a two-minute plank.

Meanwhile, the exercise isn’t just effective for lowering blood pressure. Planks provide a myriad of other health benefits, according to experts.

Harvard Health Publishing claims planks are more effective than sit-ups, saying they “recruit a better balance of muscles on the front, sides, and back of the body than sit-ups, which target just a few muscles.”

“Plank exercises helps strengthen the entire set of core muscles you use every day, leaving you with a stronger and more balanced body,” they added.