I also agree that the longer hold with modest muscle tension would be more beneficial than short maximal one for older people. Continuous multipoint holding might be a good variant to keep long tension without the loss of attention to the isometric exercise.

i agree with you michael

Good points Bob. Slastonecold that's a great way to rotate those, Nice! Nothing wrong with trying to age well. I think most guys on here want the same thing.

Even for aging well isometrics is a good tool. When I talk about intensity that even goes for people that want to just be healthy. Probably the more appropriate word would be tension.

Tension doesn't have to be all out. I personally think alot of people using isometrics would be better off using longer holds with less tension. Try doing an isometric exercise with less tension for a longer hold. Take 3-6 breaths while holding it. Depending on how much tension you use, you will get a feel good feeling and get a sweat going. Do a whole workout like this and (I know this may not be politically correct) get cardio benefits.

at my age i do isometrics one day self resistence and other day powerflexes.probablynwith moderate tension.i do them everyday for 1o minutes.its a mind-body meditation thing.i am not really concerned anymore about measuring results.also walk and rebound.fitness to me is to aged well.

I believe that isometrics, as a self resistance training, has important advantage because, as Michael has written, "the intensity will change from day to day." It helps us to prevent our over-training since our body will naturally limits the intensity of our self-resistance/isometric tension.

Thanks for sharing your experiences Dmoates! Funny stuff. I've done yielding isometrics with cables which are pretty fun. Also with weights in the past but did not know they were called that back then.

I really like doing them with an isometric strap. I know the running thing is You can't measure Your progress. For me, number one should be how you feel. Honestly there are plenty of ways to see Your progress.

Some ways that I use is tape measure, weight change, strength and mirror. Another thing you could do is take a couple of strength exercises and test yourself.

When you do isometrics that aren't yielding the intensity will change from day to day. You may think you're doing the same intensity. One thing I'll say is I personally prefer longer holds with less intensity.

I started using isos in 1962 as a college freshman weighing 150 lbs. at 5'10". I kept at it regularly until Christmas '62. (became a party boy and general idiot for some time thereafter) I do clearly remember the results though, most markedly in the curl: in the four months subsequent to my beginning the three point seven seconds Hoffman inspired isometric lifts my curl went from 110 lbs. one rep max to 125 two reps strict lift max with a third nearly strict rep as well. I became something of a celebrity in the dorm as no one else near my slender (OK, skinny) frame could come near me. My roomie, a street fightin' dude from Hartford Connecticut wh0 was a sizeable 6'1" 215 couldn't come close. While I had previously lifted weights regularly my isotonic workouts while I used upper body isos were irregular. So, for me the value and legitimacy of isometric work was unquestioned and remains so.

The difference as I see it between yielding and overcoming has to do with the certainty of having held 100 lbs. or whatever in a fixed position for a measureable length of time. The problem arises in the certainty that applies to the weight itself as to how near to muscular and nervous system failure that 100 lbs. represents for the trainee. If he could do 150 lbs. in the standing curl for seven seconds 67% of rep max isn't going to get it done re: a strength and/or size increase. I acknowledge that this shortcoming could be overcome in a gym where equipment could satisfy the measurement of force generation but for basement/garage lifters like me that isn't a real option. Pushing/pulling on a homemade iso device allows a sort of rule of thumb kind of measurement where the trainee satisfies himself that he gave it his all on today's iso workout but that is hit or miss.

This comes to my final point. (please hold your applause) which is that most of us are cellar/garage/backyard trainees who can live with all this. I always have. Never tried to measure an overcoming iso. Never tried to measure a yielding iso either although I did get my sorry butt trapped under a bar going for 1RM benches back when I was younger. And this is why I believe most lifters

or strength trainees don't stay with it - the imprecision of measuring the force generated and therefore the strength increase verification the trainee hoped to achieve. For me isos worked - I use them now on a regular basis at age 73. I don't hold my breath or do any of those other things mentioned earlier and subjectively I feel stronger and objectively I can see muscular improvement from doing this. This, in combination with my long ago curl (and press and situps and grip work) keep me coming back for more in the conviction that isos work if you work with them with consistency and conviction. Sermon over.

agreed

Slastonecold,

1. Isometric fatigues the nervous system

2. Isometrics have a harmful influence on the cardiovascular system

Just a couple of years younger than you are and also have as you have labeled it "generic high blood pressure". As a teenager back in the 30s mother was skinny as a model and had high blood pressure then. I've spent most of my adult life trying every crazy diet, supplement, exercise, meditation method, bio feedback and hypnotism with little or no results. I continue to search and experiment. I also consult my doctor regularly monitoring my cardio health. And like you isometric exercises are a part of my personal fitness / wellness program. Although isometrics have not lowered my BP they do add to my overall fitness in other ways so I continue to practice them. So I applaud your common sense use of isometric exercising as part of you fitness program and agree any exercise over done exhausts the nervous and muscular skeleton systems. And for "most" people will not have a harmful influence on the cardiovascular system. That doesn't mean that for some people isometrics or others forms of exercise is not the right thing to do.

GB

the only one i agree on is number 1.......anything will drain you if you over do it.i am 69 years old and been doing iso for quite a while.i have generic high blood pressure and now i take half the medicine i took before starting isos.i just had a heart check up from a cardilogist,told me i had a very good heart.last i am as strong as i have ever been.case close hahaha.

What I felt was burnt out and tired. As soon as I sat down after my first session of isometrics I was out like a light. Believe me, you'll be able to tell.

Guys,

What are symptoms of CNS fatigue evoked by isometrics? It looks as a common issue for any hard workout.

When I first started this post I was waiting for someone to give their opinions on these.

Isometric fatigues the nervous system

Isometrics have a harmful influence on the cardiovascular system

Isometrics decrease coordination and speed of movement

Isometrics worsen the elasticity of the muscle

Number 1 I have to admit gave me a had time with isometrics. For this not to be a factor you definitely have to ease into isometrics. Number 2 I agree with Greg also. My opinion is all that pressurized breathing and people holding their breath. Breath normal and your cardovascular system will benefit. Number 3 I agree with Greg also. Matter of fact, any training that doesn't injury you will improve this. Number 4 I don't believe this either. I understand isometrics make muscles more dense. Maybe because some just do one position in the range of motion. I don't know.

I'm late to the party on this one, but I wanted to discuss the percieved flaws in isometrics.

1. Isometric fatigues the nervous system

2. Isometrics have a harmful influence on the cardiovascular system

3. Isometrics decrease coordination and speed of movement

4. Isometrics worsen the elasticity of the muscle

The first one I found to be true, and I stayed away from isometrics for awhile because I had gotten burned out on them. The second one I disagree with. I think any cv issues comes from creating tension and not breathing. The third one I have found to definitely be false. If anything, isometrics increases coordination and speed of movement because you learn to control your muscle fibers and contract them at will. The same with number four. The problem has to do with not learning to relax the muscles completely after a contraction.

Overall this was a well researched article. My additional take is that isometrics are more helpful if combined with isotonic exercise such as bodyweight exercises, kettlebells or weights. It can be done in the same workout, or on different days. Lou Reicke when he did his Olympic Weightlifting gains by using isometrics, did isometrics through the week and trained the lifts on Saturday.

That was definitely worth reading. There are many ways to apply isometrics. I think using isometrics and a movement type exercise would be the best of both worlds. But definitely nothing wrong with exploring with Isometrics themselves, I have.

I think it's worth reading:

http://blog.trainheroic.com/power-through-plateaus

Your Welcome Bob! If it's working for you than it's all good. Let me know what results you receive from this, I'd be interested in hearing.

Thanks, Michael, for your advice. I believe this attempt will be more successful because I do multiple positions (5 or 6) ISO through a full ROM, each tension for ~6 sec, and I feel good after these exercises.

Bob if you don't like what you're doing in your training you tend to not stick to training. It's always better to do what you like no matter what someone else says.

The breath counting thing was Greg's idea not mine. But I'm glad it is helping you. I just breath normal and don't worry about time. This all depends on intensity.

When it comes to people not liking Isometrics I get it. When I first did them I went all out for 6-10 seconds on each movement. I payed down and woke up hours later. It took me a couple days to recover. I went way to hard. People have to ease into it.

Another thing, is people try that pressurized breathing when doing them. I do believe this raises the blood pressure. I say just breath normal and isometrics will feel much better.

I am not a big in ISO training. Several years ago, I tried ISO but stopped it because I felt not good. Now, I started again. Thanks, Michael, for your idea to count breathes. It is much better because does not distract attention. After several sessions daily, I've begun to feel the increase of static strength and the improvement of my mind-muscle connection/coordination. I will continue ISO and post my results later.

It took a while to read because I had to read it in bits. I don't have a problem with the science of things. Sometimes you can find bits and pieces that are interesting. But sometimes they over complicate things.

Somethings make sense and some of the science I don't understand. One thing I can't understand is how can anyone can put a percentage on some of this stuff. I just go by feel and breath normal. I'm more of a try it and see guy then a science guy.

Like I said there's nothing wrong with the science part if that's your thing.

The STS is what I would consider overcoming isometrics. They talk about using machines but you can use a strap for these. Drew Baye has a book where he uses some kind of strap for these.

The SH is what I think is more of yielding isometrics. I would not personally attempt these with weights but to each his own. You really have to trust your training partner. To think about it you have to have a training partner. Again the percentage thing for that doesn't make sense. Yielding isometrics can be done with rubber cables or bands. They are much safer and no training partner needed or worry about trusting.

I think it is a good paper on isometrics:

http://www.mikementzer.com/isometrics.html

The supersetting Iso with movement exercise ive have done. its good but very hard work.

Definetly Aaron. I think most training would be better with some recovery time anyhow. The recovery doesn't alway have to be complete rest. This is something I want to experiment with isometrics. I do find when doing isometrics that I have an urge after a couple of weeks to do something isotonic. I think something Fred use to talk about with movement and isometrics would be a fun experiment.

Once you get the thickness of the tendons and the groove of enchanced recruitment of muscle fibres from Isometrics i dont think its something that goes quickly. It may be quite literally once you build up that foundation you can get away with one Iso session a week or a month. My opinion but one shouldnt generalise for others. People must learn for themselves what works, ive generally come to conclusion Isos do workbest with dynamic exercises. Also Isos like everything else require recovery. As Michael knows i went on a mad Iso binge for a while. These days my Iso training is condensed to a few movements to aid my combatives striking and Isos for grip fingers and neck, 2 days a week.

I also agree that one day missing ISO is not important. But for SR ISO, several days of missing decrease the mind-muscle connection/coordination. That is feeling and driving tension in muscles are slightly worse. At least, it is true for me.

Gary I agree. I'm also a believer in isometrics. One thing I do disagree with is if you miss a day doing isometrics you lose benefits from it.

Thanks, Michael. Great article!. I've gotten the additional confirmation of the right way that I follow. Quotation below about Static Dynamic Isometric training resembles what I do with a stick where I add the SR ISO phase (3-4 sec) with ~max tension before starting the full SR ROM:

" This method involves supersets of isometric and dynamic work. This is done by beginning with a 3-6 second hold, followed by explosive dynamic work, for example, pressing the bar in bench-press as hard as you can into pins then doing explosive bench-press with full range of motion.             Verkhoshansky (1977) found that static dynamic method of training is superior for developing speed and strength than dynamic training alone. The effectiveness of dynamic training improves when combined with preliminary static tension by up to 20%. When this training is being used, one must perform the dynamic aspect immediately following the static."

That was "interesting".

"With the incredible benefits of isometric training outlined in literature, it is difficult to understand how it could be so rarely used." I agree with that.

"Isometric training is a fantastic tool that has been underutilized. That being said one must not form their routine around isometric training, rather it should be supplemented into 3-4 days a week of your training routine." Back in the 60s when I was first introduced to Isometrics it was believed - taught in many of the mail order courses such as Dynaflex - that you must do your isometric exercises 7 days a week. If you skip a day you would lose all that you gained over the past 6 days. That was one of the things that was confusing and discouraging to me and several others. It's an idea / belief that still hangs on and that comes up from time to time in conversations about isometrics.

I've mentioned this before, for me one of the proofs that isometric exercise is valid is that it is used so much in rehab, after injury and after surgery.

I'm a believer - isometric exercising is beneficial. Let the exerciser decide just how much, how often, and what version works best for him or her.

GB