Although blood pressure goes up during any kind of exercise, the exact changes are different according to whether the exercise is static or dynamic.

• Static (or isometric) exercise is defined as a sustained contraction of a muscle group, and is typified by weight lifting.
• Dynamic exercise is characterized by intermittent and rhythmical contractions; examples are running, bicycling, and swimming.

During static exercise there is a marked increase of both systolic and diastolic pressure (up to 300/150 mm Hg in champion barbell lifters), whereas with dynamic exercise only the systolic pressure increases. Many activities involve a mixture of both types of exercise. Using a Nautilus machine produces the same changes as dynamic exercise.