The purpose of this RCT which will be performed in 60 healthy adults is I. To assess the training effects of 8 weeks of isometric handgrip exercise on BP; and to test whether it yields at least similar effects on BP compared to current exercise recommendations.

II. To assess whether isometric handgrip training yields larger BP reductions beyond the supervised training period at 6 months of follow-up.

III. To determine whether changes in BP following acute exercise and chronic training can be explained by changes in important physiological mechanisms known to mediate or to be associated with BP?

Inclusion Criteria:

• not physically active (< 3 hours of moderate to high levels of PA/week) low cardiovascular risk according to current guidelines (Mancia et al J Hypertens 2013) will be recruited through advertisements. The latter is defined as:
• >115 mmHg < systolic BP < 139 mmHg and/or 75 mmHg< diastolic BP<90mmHg in the presence of 0 to a maximum of three other cardiovascular risk factors, excluding diabetes Or
• 139 mmHg < systolic BP < 160 mmHg and/or 90 mmHg\