Isometric exercises are a type of muscle strengthening exercise. You don't need to have a lot of time or extraordinary condition to start training. The practitioners use the method of isometric contractions, i.e. tensing the muscles without changing their length. Regular isometric training is an effective way to strengthen your muscles and increase strength, without making many movements.

Isometric exercises(strengthening) is a set of exercises that involve contracting and relaxing the muscles of the body. When doing them, the most important thing is the technique of the exercise, while the pace and number of repetitions do not play such an important role anymore. Isometric exercises can be done basically anywhere, they do not require special equipment and do not take much time.

Isometric (strengthening) exercises - rules

Isometric exercises are performed by keeping the muscles in a certain position for a designated number of seconds. Then you need to relax your body. It must be remembered that you cannot practice the so-called You should not go into intense tension with "jerks", i.e. from the state of complete rest.

It is also important not to reduce the resistance force with which you exert yourself while exercising. During the repetitions, you should breathe evenly and relatively calmly. A common mistake is to hold your breath while exerting yourself. By exercising in this way, we are not getting the right amount of oxygen to our muscles.

After the repetition, rest and the break must be twice as long as the exercise.

Isometric exercises - for whom?

Isometric exercises can be performed by almost everyone. Many popular trainings, such as callanetics, pilates or stretching, are based on the method of isometric contractions.

Isometric gymnastics is also recommended for convalescents recovering from partial immobilization. Muscles that require strengthening are subjected to isometric exercises that do not require a lot of mobility. It is the recommended form of activity for the elderly, with muscle wasting, and for those who cannot exercise that require more physical activity. This type of activity is also recommended for all those with limbswere or are immobilized. Exercising by contracting the muscles - under or over the immobilized place - prevents their atrophy. Therefore, isometric gymnastics can be performed not only when you are he althy, but also, for example, with a cast on.

Isometric exercises are also recommended for athletes, people who want to strengthen specific parts of the body and those who want to build muscle mass. Regular, correctly performed training increases muscle strength, mass and flexibility. The exercisers notice that the exercises are followed by the strengthening and development of those parts of the body that they cared most about.

See what exercises help to strengthen the muscles:>>Callanetics - what is it? <<

Do not perform isometric exercises if you are:pregnant, have high blood pressure, or have problems with your joints. Intense training raises blood pressure and may put strain on your joints.

3 types of isometric exercises:

  • Independent, they rely on muscle tension and its relaxation without the use of additional loads.
  • Self-weighting, when you overcome the resistance of your own body weight.
  • With mechanical load, i.e. with the use of loads such as: dumbbells, hoops, barbells, etc.

On the next page>>Sample isometric exercises <<

Sample isometric (strengthening) exercises

Exercise 1. Strengthening the cervical spine

You can do this exercise every day before getting up or going to sleep. Lie on your back, relax your body, put your arms along your body. Tighten your neck muscles and press your head firmly into the pillow. Hold for 5 seconds, rest for 10 seconds, and repeat the entire series 4 more times.

Exercise 2. Strengthening the abdominal muscles

Lying straight on the floor, raise your neck, shoulders and back, and do not forget to tense your muscles. Keep your body in a straight line, stop no more than 1 cm above the ground. Hold for 10 seconds in the raised position, then rest in the supine position and repeat the exercise 8 times.

Exercise 3. Strengthening the leg muscles

Sit on a chair, your legs hip-width apart. Place both limbs on the inside of the chair legs and press against them, trying to move your legs as far as possible. You can do the same exercise by folding your legs against the outside of the chair legs, then pressing against the chair legs, trying to join the legs together with your resistance. Keep your muscles tense for as long as you can, but for no more than 30 seconds. Then rest and repeatexercise.

Exercise 4. Strengthening the hand muscles

Sit on a chair, put your arms down alongside your body, grab both sides of the seat of the chair. At the same time, pressing your body firmly into the chair, try to pull in the seat. Hold for 5 seconds and rest, repeat the series at least 5 times.

Exercise 5. Strengthening the back muscles

Stand up straight, put your hands on the doorframe. Try to press your hands hard against the door frame and use your body weight to cross the door line. Contract your muscles for 10 seconds, then lower your arms, rest. Repeat the exercise several times.

Isometric exercises with weights

Exercise 1. Hand exercises with dumbbells

Take a dumbbell in your hands, stand in a straight position, raise both hands to shoulder height, and hold the position for 10 seconds. Try not to move your chest. If you don't have dumbbells, have two 1.5 liter bottles of water in your hand. Do 8 repetitions.

Exercise 2. Leg and buttocks exercise with a hoop

Put the exercise hoop between your legs at knee level, squeeze your knees as if you want to join them together. Squeeze the hoop for 10 seconds, do 8 repetitions. Remember about breaks between sets!

Exercise 3. Self-weighting exercise

Lie on your left side, place your left foot under your right one. Try to lift your entire body on your left hand, resting only on the edge of your foot. If you manage to keep your balance, you can open a position by extending your right arm straight up. Look ahead, keep your body in a straight line. Do 8 sets, hold yourself up for at least 10 seconds, then switch sides and repeat the repetitions while lifting your body on your right arm.

Check it out>>Isometric exercises at work <<

Advantages of isometric exercises

  • They strengthen the muscles of specific parts of the body. You can build up the muscles in the part of your body you care about the most.
  • They can be performed basically anywhere, they do not require any special equipment or preparation.
  • Regular exercise increases muscle flexibility and performance.
  • After the exercises, you feel a clear relaxation of the part of the body that was exercised.
  • Isometric exercises teach participants how to properly control their breathing.
  • They do not require a lot of mobility, so they can be a support in rehabilitation procedures.

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ABC of exercises