from today's new york times,
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/21/health/21real.html?_r=1&ref=health. of course, i cannot wait to see another study 5 years from now that says the opposite.
Its well known that regular aerobic exercise can improve circulation and reduce blood pressure. But what about weight lifting?
For years, people with hypertension were warned against it, because doctors feared that spikes in blood pressure during strenuous lifting might cause dangerous problems and, in the long term, raise blood pressure. But studies had not provided much evidence. And in recent years, large studies have found the opposite: that ultimately weight lifting reduces resting blood pressure, because with stronger muscles, there is less demand on the heart during everyday activities.
For example, an analysis in the journal Hypertension examined 11 clinical trials comparing 182 adults who lifted weights several times a week and 138 who did not. Over all, it found that weight training lowered resting systolic blood pressure (the top number in a pressure reading) by 2 percent, and diastolic pressure by about 4 percent small gains that can greatly improve cardiovascular health.
Another report by the American Heart Association, published in the journal Circulation, found that just two or three bouts of weight training a week with exercises like curls and presses were enough to lower blood pressure.
