Isometric training

[wildchild]

Can anyone shed any light on Isometric training. I go to the gym and do weights but does anyone know any isometric training techniques?

 

[Create Reality]

It's good if you want to be like Bruce Lee!

Doing isometrics puts alot of strain on your heart, more then conventional weightlifting.

 

[Laney]

More strain on your heart? As opposed to what normal weight training? What?! And please enlighten us... Is that a good or a bad thing?

Dont pay attention to the dumbass above.


Isometrics is basically tensing muscles as hard as you possibly can; either by pushing against say a wall, pressing your hands together or just tensing your entire body as hard as you can (Complete or sections, like arms). Or dynamic isometric training, in which you complete a movement while tensing your body (/body part) as strongly (as hard) as you can.


Now, isometrics are as hard as hell, BUT you get a number of benefits... Wont go over 'em, cause i cant be bothered to explain much

However, it does increase myofibrillar hypertrophy or muscle "tonus"... Basically it means that you get stronger muscles, but they will stay around the same size ie. DENSER MUSCLE MASS. And also it will teach your body to contract more of a muscle at once.



DO ISOMETRICS IF YOU'RE DOING SOME KIND OF BODYBUILDING PROGRAM!! (Or just lift REALLY heavy... 1-5 rep max range... 1 set).


Help ya?

Edit: "Wont go over them coz i can't be bothered...". Well... I just pissed on my own bonfire then didn't I? Ahh well, you get an explanation!

 

[Create Reality]

Your post has shed new light on training with isometrics Laney. Keep on pissing.

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[belividere]

One of the most knowledgable and experienced hobbiest at my old gym was doing isometrics for a bit. At the time I had no clue what he was up to and he explained to me the basics and concepts and that he was at a plateau. He was really experienced and had been lifting for several years before I meet him. From his explanation he considered isometric exercises as great ways to truly push past a hump and as a great way to introduce diversity in his training program.

From my personal experiences I have done some simple isometric movements when I changed my workout plan and have felt them for days afterwards. What I did was basic compound movements like chin ups, lat raises and dips. I would put these movements into shortened heavy lifting days. As an example I would do 5 sets for chest, 4 of them based on heavy pressing exercises then put in an isometric set of dips at the end where I would hold myself at the raised position for as long as I could while flexing my chest. What I did was not truly isometric but just a basic incorporation of isometric lifts. i would consider my usage equivalent to practising poses between sets. Most poses/strecthes actually are isometric movements and do more good than most people consider.

 

[Laney]

Heh. Sorry Create Reality

Can't blame a bloke for being a ****y son of a ***** though!




In other words... I think it's agreed that isometrics / dynamic isometrics are a GOOD thing. Just not to be used on their own, like any exercise it needs to be combined with other things!

 

[Create Reality]

Just for you guys I'm gonna post what I know about Isometric training. This is straight out of a 24-hour Fitness Certification Manual (yes, I know, and I do feel like a tool).

As with most forms of training, and with things that sound too good to be true, isometric training has its definite disadvantages. These include the fact that applying force at one specific angle will only serve to strengthen the muscle at that particualr angle. Therefore, the isometric contraction would have to be applied to many different angles on the muscle group being worked in order to strengthen it over a full range of motion. This would virtually eliminate the time advantage of isometric exercise. In addition, isometric exercise causes a signifigant increase in both systolic and diastolic blood pressures, which leads to an increased workload on the heart and its oxygen demands. The static contraction may also cause a respiratory effort to be made against a closed glottis, thereby potentially creating the Vasalva maneuver. Obviously, these physiological changes associated with isometric exercise are not very favorable, especially in older individuals, unfit individuals, and those who already have high blood pressure or risk factors for heart disease.

Isometric contractions may still be used to some degree of effectiveness either alone, or perhaps better in conjunction with concentric and eccentric contractions. For example, one could isometrically contract at the top of a movement, such as in a bicep curl, by holding the weightmomentarily before lowering the weight. Also, at the end of a set, isometric contractions could be used to try and overcome the resistance brought about by concentric, and even eccentric, muscular failure.

So basically this says Isometrics alone wouldn't do much unless you have the time. Unfit and elderly people, and smokers, might want to condition themselves first before going heavy on isometric lifts. Personally, whenever I do these I try to bend my torso at just the right angle to try and avoid the Valsalva maneuver.

 

[Levex]

I heard some good things about isometrics, but i think they have limited effectiveness because theres no range of motion and only the muscles used at that moment are stimulated.

 

[Laney]

Dynamic Strength by Harry Wong.


A book on DYNAMIC isometric training. A damned good one too, but aimed at mainly the martial artist. However, it being aimed at the martial artist basically means that it gives you methods to train almost EVERY range and angle and movement of the human body!


As for only using the muscles used at that moment... It's IMPOSSIBLE to isolate muscle groups when training. Tense your fist as TIGHT as you can, you tense you're entire arm, and some of your body too.

Yeah you can tense JUST your fist, but getting it as tight as possible means you have to tense other muscle groups too.

Laws of Irradiation!

I agree about limited effectiveness though. Isometrics make you better at tensing your muscles, recruiting more muscle fibres and give you better deffinition, doesn't make you better at running/singing/dancing etc... BEST RESULTS WHEN COMBINED WITH OTHER TRAINING METHODS! Like everything really


I'm gonna have to write a strength, conditioning, and flexibility ebook and post it on here or something. And include references!