Isometric exercises are a form of strength training. During repetitions, you should alternately contract and relax your muscles. The advantage of strengthening exercises is that you practically do not make any movements while training, so you can exercise without fear at your desk at work. Check how to properly perform isometric exercises.

Isometric exercisesconsist in alternating muscle tension in a specific part of the body and relaxing them. Gymnastics does not require special preparation from the exercising person, it allows you to regenerate the body, and the effect of relaxing tense muscles is felt after a few repetitions.

Isometric exercises - how to start exercising?

You don't need a special exercise room, equipment or clothes to start exercising. All you need to do is learn the isometric exercise technique and try to make the resistance you put on the muscles as strong as possible. The exercises consist of tensing and relaxing specific parts of the muscles. You can exercise alone, with your own weight or a mechanical load in the form of dumbbells, barbells, etc.

Basic principles of isometric exercises:

1. Regular breathing. Keep your breathing calm and regular both during exercise and during the recovery phase.

2. The muscle tension should be as strong as possible.

3. The tension should be constant during exercise, don't start with the strongest tension, and don't reduce it when you don't have any strength left.

4. The rest phase should last at least as long as the tension phase. In the beginning, it may take up to twice as long.

5. The voltage time at the beginning can be short, from 5 to 10 seconds, then it can be extended. If you are unable to hold 5-10 seconds in a tense state, you can start with 3-6 seconds and try to increase this time on subsequent repetitions.

Find out more:>>Set of isometric exercises <<

Examples of isometric exercises that you can do at work:

Exercise 1. Relaxing the cervical spine

You can do this exercise both at home and at work. All you have to do is rest your elbows on the desk, place your hands around your neck, and look at the table. Now withwith steady pressure, with your hands, try to overcome the resistance of the hands with the muscles of the neck. Hold for 5 seconds and let your muscles relax. Do a few repetitions.

Exercise 2. Strengthening the abdominal muscles

Tighten and relax your abs by drawing in your stomach and letting out air.

Exercise 3. Strengthening the leg muscles

Put your legs under the desk, try to keep a right angle between your knees and the ground, put your legs hip-width apart, put your hands on your knees and press your feet firmly to the ground, while engaging all the muscles of your body in this movement. Hold for 5 seconds, rest 10 seconds, and repeat the exercise 2 more times, remembering to rest.

Exercise 4. Strengthening the hand muscles

Bend your elbows and rest them on the desk top, with even muscle tension try to press your hands against the desk top. Stay tense for 5 seconds, rest and repeat the exercise 3 times.

Isometric exercises - why is it worth exercising at work?

You should do isometric exercises at work, if you sit at your desk all day, because untrained muscles weaken. In addition, they require rest, so after a few repetitions, you will feel the relaxation of the tense muscles that you have been exercising.

Strengthening exercises do not require physical strength or above-average condition. After a few workouts, the muscles become stronger, more elastic and more flexible. Isometric exercises should be performed regularly, so we recommend them to busy people. By tightening the muscles under the desk, you don't waste any time and you can combine this activity with other activities. In addition, you can do them every day, and in the case of this type of exercise it is really important.

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ABC of exercises