Doing wall squats or planks just once a week can help lower and maintain blood pressure, according to the results of a new clinical trial.

Researchers explored whether specific forms of exercise could help maintain the blood pressure when working out less frequently.

They particularly researched the effects of isometric exercises, a form of strength training where your muscles contract without joint movement or changing length.

This is contrary to standard lifts like a bicep curl or squat, in which muscles shorten and lengthen as you move a weight through a full range of motion.

In the study, 100 participants with an average age of 37 followed interval endurance training (IET).

In IET, people alternate between high-intensity phases pushing one’s heart rate up to 85 per cent of its maximum capacity for up to five minutes, followed by shorter recovery or rest periods.

Participants perform abdominal plank over each other (AFP via Getty Images)

Participants gradually reduced how often they trained to see…