Most people that work out are looking to get stronger, lose weight, or build muscle. Not too many people are trying to looking like the glossy body builders in Speedos you see in muscle building magazines in the checkout aisle at the supermarket. You probably don’t have 2 hours a day to invest in a rotissierie-golden tan and enough steroids to kill a horse to boot! But if you’re interested in getting stronger for sports, general fitness, or to be able to lift heavy objects, those magazines are not for you. Below is an excerpt from an article I read called “Isometrics For Powerlifters & Strongmen” by Dane C. Fletcher
Isometric training is a perfect thing to add to your work out program. It can help you improve strength levels in all essential lifts. For example, you might begin with the standard standing pectoral butterfly stretch against the cable machine. You are at full extension, and incapable of moving the rack, obviously. After holding that flex and pressing as hard as possible for 30 seconds, move to the middle range of the stretch. Add another 30 seconds of complete tension - pressing with everything you have against a weight you obviously know will not move. Finally, finish that “set” with another 30 seconds of the final locked out position.
The idea is that isometric training will give the muscle an infinite workload of resistance, recruiting all of your muscle fibers to accomplish the impossible task. You can emulate just about any lift you can imagine, simply by contorting your body against some equipment in the gym, or in your home or office, when time is short. Muscle coordination benefits tremendously, which allows for greater contraction, strength, and concentration when you’re actually conducting the movements the isometric stretching was designed to mirror. Mix isometric into your training following the three major lifts of deadlift, bench press and squats. You might just discover it allows you to break a plateau and increase your strength levels without resorting to steroid use or weight gains.
I love isometric exercises! I just started a great new workout today that kicked my butt. My legs are killing me already from squat holds and holding leg raises! Can’t wait for my next one saturday!
I like isometrics too, specifically because of the simplicity. I have a cable that I am going to attach handles to, and begin my stretches and holds. Unfortunately, there are no good books on the subject. I want to have a good solid foundation to work all the muscles in my body. I hope there could be an Isometrics machine-that would have a pressure meter or electronics gadget to evaluate your progress. I know there is a gripping device that meazures your pressure in lbs. for your hold.With all the technology available right now; I don’t know why there isn’t a company building an Isometrics Machine with springs, pneumatic/hydraulic, and/or pulleys. Imagine a sturdy resistance machine that weighs a lot less than weights and offers more resistance to work against your muscles, tendons, and joints!
After a lot of my friends started doing marathons, I decided I would aim to do one by next year and Isometric exercises were recommended by a friend because of my lack of wanting to go to an actual gym. It is the perfect thing to do in your own home with hardly any equipment!