Isometrics and the Benefits:

During contraction, when there is no visible change with the muscle length and joint angle, you are training isometrics! Simply put, isometrics have you train in static positions (i.e. pausing at the bottom of a squat, maintaining the “squeeze” position on a barbell row, etc…). Just remember, you should keep your muscles engaged the ENTIRE time as you perform your isometrics.

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Now let’s quickly talk about the two different types of isometric exercises:

1.) Overcoming Isometric:

This style of isometric exercise consists of you overloading the body to the point of a static contraction and maximum exertion. For example, think of loading up a chest press machine with as much weight as possible- then try as hard as you can to press the weight. What you will quickly notice is that the weight does not move, but what you will also notice is that all the muscles and muscle fibers associated with the chest press are fired up on your attempt to move the weight. Now to correctly fulfill the “overcoming isometric” attempt the chest press again, but this time- give all you can into moving the weight (with correct/proper form) for a duration of anywhere between 10-20 seconds. Rest for 45-60 seconds, and repeat. It sounds like a simple task, but when properly performing an overcoming isometric, your body will feel as if there is no energy left. Check out this Instagram post for a demonstration of an overcoming isometric: Click Here.

2.) Yielding Isometric:

Similar to the overcoming isometric, the yielding isometric will require an “all-out” effort at the desired contraction. To perform the yielding isometric, you want to focus on preventing the load of the weight to discontinue your contraction. For example, try performing a barbell curl at roughly 110-120% of your max barbell curl weight. Sure, you may need to “cheat” the weight up, however, once you’re at the top of the lift- you should be able to maintain a top-mid level contraction in which you are using all your might to prevent the weight from going back down (into the resting position). This is what’s known as a yielding isometric. Check out the following Instagram posts for demonstrations on the yielding isometric technique. Barbell Row Demonstration & Lat Pull Down Demonstration

Now that you know the two types of isometric trainings, here are my five personal favorite things regarding isometric training in general:

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1.) Muscle Activation:

Isometric exercises cause your body to recruit all of the respective muscle fibers used in your contraction, and as such- leads to a tremendous amount of activation in the muscle. If you are ever training a particular muscle group and you are having an issue feeling the actual contraction, try isometrics to fire up your activation and allow for a better “mind-muscle” connection.

2.) Muscle Strengthening:

You hear the phrase all the time from multiple different sources (bodybuilders, trainers, scientist, etc…), “time under tension”. I’ll leave the actual meaning for you to interpret, but tension on the muscles is normally regarding as good. Due to the fact that the weight bared on the bones can generate stronger bone density, and the muscles are forced to adapt to the tension via “shortening” of the fibers, which in turn leads to more break down of the muscles, and eventually into stronger and bigger muscles. Because isometrics force you to constantly be contracted (with maximal muscle activation- as described above), there is a great deal of tension placed on the muscle which leads to muscle strengthening.

3.) Very Little Time is Required:

Since this particular style of training requires an all-out effort, the amount of time you will be performing each exercise will be much less than your standard training session. Rationally speaking, it’s not realistic to expect someone to tax their central nervous system with isometrics movements for extended periods of time. Therefore, you can have a highly effective workout utilizing isometrics into your routine.

4.) Can Help with Age Related Muscle Loss:

According to recent studies conducted in 2016 from Harvard, age-related muscle loss (called Sarcopenia) takes place after the age of 30, and you may lose as much as 3-5% EACH DECADE. Keep in mind however, this study is mainly focused on men. See link here: https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/preserve-your-muscle-mass. What does this mean with regards to isometrics? Well another study (in 2015) provided by the US National Library of Medicine, National Health Institutes; shows that older men exhibited more rapid and pronounced recovery of strength capacities than young men, when introducing bouts of fatigue-inducing isometric intermittent contractions. Granted, this study was conducted for the muscle groups of the leg flexors, but I feel comfortable saying that isometric contractions could help with all other muscles groups as well. LINK HERE: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5005847/As you get older in age, performing work that can challenge and overload the body safely (via isometrics) could be a very useful tool in your workout arsenal.

5.) Muscle Rehabilitation:

Isometrics are a great way to strengthen/workout a previously injured muscle! Verywellhealth.com will point out the first two instances in which isometric contractions are preferred exercises is 1.) after surgery, and 2.) to help increase neuromuscular input to a specific muscle: https://www.verywellhealth.com/isometric-exercise-in-physical-therapy-2696510

The reason being that the isometric will allow for a safe contraction of the muscle within a very specific range of motion. For instance, if you are coming off of a shoulder injury (let’s say a rotator cuff injury), and you are physically limited from rotating/moving your arm, isometrics will help in your rehabilitation. For instance, you could place your hand against the wall and perform an isometric shoulder extension to strengthen the rotator cuff. No actual movement of the shoulder would be required in this example, as this sample is an overcoming isometric meant to recruit the muscle fibers and provide for better neuromuscular activation.

Author:

Ivan Varela – NASM CPT