Isometric Exercises

The Importance of Isometrics

"Be still and know that I am God" -Psalms 46:10

Life can be very busy.  We rush down the halls, speed through traffic, and scarf down our dinners.  It is important to not only slow down, but come to a complete stop.  Remember the impacting words of Ferris Bueller: "Life moves pretty fast.  If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it."  Stopping our movement is also beneficial for our physical bodies.

There is more than one way to increase your maximal strength.  One often neglected way of getting stronger is with the use of isometrics.  Isometric exercises are those static movements (or lack of) that involve the length of the muscle to remain constant.  In the great book Science and Practice of Strength Training, Zatsiorsky and Kraemer add this, "Isometric training requires no expensive equipment, can be performed anywhere, and if the number of trained postures are few, takes little time" (124).  Sounds pretty good for a Strength Nomader.

Isometrics: A Great Addition

In the RKC system of strength, tension=force.  In other words, the more tension a muscle can generate, the more motor units that can be recruited, the stronger the muscle is.  Pavel goes in to great detail in his book Power to the People, a great resource for getting stronger.  Isometrics allow us to really activate our motor units.  Ross Enamait in his book Infinite Intensity explains, "One can recruit almost all motor units during a maximal isometric contraction.  Furthermore, one is able to maintain maximal tension for several seconds."

Even though static strength should only be a piece of the puzzle when it comes to our strength training, it does not make it any less important.  It is a good idea to work multiple angles for a muscle group because usually the strength benefit covers about 15 to 20 degrees on each side of the angle.  When performing maximal effort contractions, it is recommended to keep the duration around 5 to 6 seconds due to the increases in blood pressure that can occur.

Static Muscular Endurance for Firefighters

The above photos are isometric exercises that can be used to enhance static muscular endurance.  These exercises (farmers carry, rack hold, and overhead hold) are not maximal strength movements but are great isometric exercises for increasing posture stability.  This is necessary in many sport movements, but the one that is most applicable to me is firefighting.  For instances, a firefighter may have to hold a static position for a long duration while overcoming the reaction force from a nozzle.

Don't forget to add isometrics to your arsenal.

Get Strong Anywhere,

C.J. Brown, RKC