Other/Mixed New training block, Isometrics as primary resistance training

[JoseGonzales]

Good post, I'm intrigued

 

[LukeV]

If I’m understanding correctly this is more of a yielding isometric - using a submax load and holding it motionless.

To get your toes wet I might recommend using leg extension machine with the full stack or the stack locked in place, and try to straighten your legs. Work up to some form of leg press or squat with a fixed position on the bar a la using the safety pins as a stop with thighs just a touch above parallel. That progression might take a few weeks. It won’t feel as rewarding from a muscle training standpoint but it has a much better chance of improving your knee(s). The squats will do a solid job of hypertrophy and the extensions isolate quads and will IMHO do a better job of helping your knees.

All the recommendations just as presented in the above post. Don’t get hung up to start, test it out and see how your knees hold up.

Working against an absolute fixed resistance will give you 100 % control (ramp up to a max output, or not depending how the knees feels) without having to train the muscle at shorter length or worry about getting it back to the brake. I am not a fan of yielding isometrics unless they are combined with full-blown traditional resistance work. And even then I don’t think much of them compared to other sub-max overload strategies.

If you can load the leg press like that, then go for it, but I’d still start on a leg extension of some sort to pressure test the knee and wake the quads up.


I’d start with 3-4 sets of 8-15 second holds, 60 second rests. Lead in at 30% and then fire rapidly, work up to a max effort or the most you’re comfortable with and hold it for the full time, remember to breathe just like regular lifting - exert on exhale, hold tension on inhale. “As hard as possible”. At the end of the last set immediately do a long set of pulse efforts. Start with contact on the pads at about 30% effort and then fire as rapidly as possible, relax rapidly, repeat, repeat, repeat. You don’t need to break contact with the pads or impact/strike them. Just a string of rapid pulses with as near complete relax between efforts. These help with power output and produce some blood occlusion.

Try to get the knee to 90° or less. Again, if that is painful to start then go with a sorter muscle, but the goal is to train the muscle somewhat stretched/lengthened.

When working with a fixed resistance, you technically start off at failure, but the real deal is when the muscles tell you to get bent and either stop on their own, force generation tanks so precipitously there is no doubt you’re done, or the pulses generate enough of a burn you throw in the towel.

Hope this helps!

I'm mucking around to see what my knee will tolerate (or not tolerate). At the moment it's early days but it seems to prefer a high angle leg press to leg extension and longer pulses (30s) to shorter pulses. I'm getting noticeably stronger which is understandable given my newness at the exercise (at the moment loaded with 200kg I'm getting 4x30s pulses with 30s rest and about another 15s). My question is what significance if anything does lactic acid "burn" have if my goal is hypertrophy? I'm finishing with a strong "burn" sensation. Thanks in advance mate, Luke PS I can't tell you how relieved I am to have at least the sensation of an intense lower body workout after so many months of inactivity

 

[North Coast Miller]

I'm mucking around to see what my knee will tolerate (or not tolerate). At the moment it's early days but it seems to prefer a high angle leg press to leg extension and longer pulses (30s) to shorter pulses. I'm getting noticeably stronger which is understandable given my newness at the exercise (at the moment loaded with 200kg I'm getting 4x30s pulses with 30s rest and about another 15s). My question is what significance if anything does lactic acid "burn" have if my goal is hypertrophy? I'm finishing with a strong "burn" sensation. Thanks in advance mate, Luke PS I can't tell you how relieved I am to have at least the sensation of an intense lower body workout after so many months of inactivity

Sounds very promising!

To my understanding, the burn is caused more by blood occlusion than lactic acid or any other metabolite. Either way I tend to view it as a positive if gunning for hypertrophy.

Burn from duration of hold, and short term soreness from the muscle being stretched and contracted (generally more pronounced at origin and insertion points) are both good sensations in this case.

 

[Alexlev]

I created an account just for this thread. It is very complicated to get advice on isometry in the main exercise. I've been doing bodysuits for 13 years and have been doing isometry since confinement and I've literally exploded my barriers. I have been exclusively on isometry for several weeks and I felt really alone. Your last article is very helpful
I personally did 1 set of 3 angles of 10 seconds each with this myth I read of 15 to 30 degrees so I recently switched to the long tension holds. Which makes sense because I was also doing extreme stretching and feeling the benefits of it (doggcrapp), I also included the 20 jerks at the end of the series which burn well following your videos.

I had also tried to do at the end of my isometric series to do movements with the full range of motion by moving my body. (bend and unbend the knees for example on an overhead press),
For the legs, what I like to do is hang my weighted belt on my board to do isometrics, it saves me pressure on my back and it's more pleasant to change the tension angles.
I don't know if this is all very clear with google trad. Anyway, thank you and I'll follow this thread.

 

[North Coast Miller]

I don't know if this is all very clear with google trad. Anyway, thank you and I'll follow this thread.

Welcome to SF!

Yes, good actionable info regarding isometrics is tough to come by. As a result of this, a lot of questionable info gets accepted without pressure testing.

 

[StuKE]

Great thread, only found it a couple of days ago. I am a big fan of both Steve Justa's books, your ideas have many similarities to those in Iron Isometrics, though of course you have taken some things further such as focus on close to stretch position. I like the dynamic movements you do, Steve woukd do something similar and it makea good sense.
I made a simple board with central fixing for a chain a few years back, which I use fairly often to assist my movements with weights. I will definitely be making a new one with two fixings so I can simulate bench etc (currently I have an upright version I can do using a frame I made).

I know the importance of breathing lightly - certainly not holding the breath - but do you ever suffer with headaches or worry about large spikes in blood pressure?

 

[North Coast Miller]

I know the importance of breathing lightly - certainly not holding the breath - but do you ever suffer with headaches or worry about large spikes in blood pressure?

No headaches. As someone who is officially “pre-hypertensive” I do consider these issues. Probably the single most important thing is to continue breathing and pin the effort to the exhale.
When I was less discerning re this I would find my Isometric sessions to be downright exhausting, only capable of two high-effort sessions per week. I believe a great deal of this was due to not breathing through, and training at shorter muscle length. Combined, these two factors lead to a somewhat indiscriminate straining that primarily stresses the abs and diaphragm - a pointless Valsalva.

In the past I have hooked up a BP cuff when training and it simply verified that ALL resistance training generates large spikes in BP. I assume the ones from Iso with continuous breathing are similar - it is the long hold Valsalva that needs to be addressed/eliminated. I believe in SF this would be looked at as “breathing behind the shield”.

 

[StuKE]

No headaches. As someone who is officially “pre-hypertensive” I do consider these issues. Probably the single most important thing is to continue breathing and pin the effort to the exhale.
When I was less discerning re this I would find my Isometric sessions to be downright exhausting, only capable of two high-effort sessions per week. I believe a great deal of this was due to not breathing through, and training at shorter muscle length. Combined, these two factors lead to a somewhat indiscriminate straining that primarily stresses the abs and diaphragm - a pointless Valsalva.

In the past I have hooked up a BP cuff when training and it simply verified that ALL resistance training generates large spikes in BP. I assume the ones from Iso with continuous breathing are similar - it is the long hold Valsalva that needs to be addressed/eliminated. I believe in SF this would be looked at as “breathing behind the shield”.

Thanks for the reply, needless to say I knew you would have looked into this aspect. So it would logically seem that itcreally doss just come down to due care and focus on the breath.

 

[North Coast Miller]

Thanks for the reply, needless to say I knew you would have looked into this aspect. So it would logically seem that itcreally doss just come down to due care and focus on the breath

Disclaimer, using a cuff, I have no good way to track BP real time across a variety of lifts and holds at the highest level of output. Anecdotally I watched it go over 300 systolic doing moderately loaded back squats, presumably (much) higher under serious effort based on loading.

The value most often cited is double your resting BP under heavy load, I assume that’s about where it lands when doing isometrics. Systolic values as high as 400 are apparently not uncommon IIRC.

Interesting studies that illustrate my recommendation:

Effect of breathing instruction on blood pressure responses during isometric exercise - PubMed

Twenty-seven normotensive, college-aged, female subjects were studied to assess the effects of training in breathing techniques on blood pressure during isometric contractions. Subjects were randomly and equally assigned to one of three training groups: 1) a group that was taught to perform a...

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The effect of short-term isometric muscle contraction and the Valsalva maneuver on systemic and pulmonary hemodynamics in patients with severe heart failure - PubMed

A short maximum voluntary contraction of the muscles of the lower extremities with persistent physiologic breathing did not have an abnormal effect on the systemic and pulmonary hemodynamics in patients with severe chronic heart failure. The Valsalva maneuver caused significantly higher...

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

And another:

The valsalva maneuver revisited: the influence of voluntary breathing on isometric muscle strength - PubMed

We assessed the effects of 4 voluntary breathing conditions on maximal voluntary isometric force of large muscle groups. Ten subjects performed maximum voluntary isometric contractions (MVICs) of knee flexion and extension, shoulder abduction and adduction, and elbow flexion and extension under...

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

 

[StuKE]

Thanks, though I had to look up what the valsalva manouver actually is. Turns put I knew it, just not by name.

 

[StuKE]

I incorporated some of your techniques in my workout this evening. I have a heavy frame for chin ups which also allows bars to be placed at various heights. I found I could put my bench under a bar which allowed me to just squeeze inbetween in a decline position. This put me in a stretch position and worked quite well. I also used the frame for stretch position flyes (standing). My board with single fixing and chains plus handle allowed me to do single arm overhead press (stretch position), bent over rows and curls. Triceps were done by attaching chain and bar to a higher overhead bar.
I didn't just do isometrics, there was also rope climbs and dumbbell bench press. Afterwards I did 10 mins of rapid Panaerobic Long strength type movements and fast punching on a punchbag.

I am not a stranger to isometrics by any means and I did enjoy it though many tweaks would have to be made.

Despite my best attempts to breathe properly, which I believe I did, I still had a weird pressure in my head, the remnants of which I still have, a couple of hours later.

A few decades ago I had a bad scare on a heavily loaded 45 degree legpress, basically I must have been holding my breath at some point because mid rep I felt a bang in my head, immediately followed by loss of sight (vision was fully grey and snowy), ringjng in ears, pain in head dizzyness and nausea. I had to lay on a bench while it subsided. I believe it was likely a very mild stroke. Really a scary time.

I only mention this as I have been very conscious of the need to be really mindul of correct breathing since then, and anything which causes worrying pressure etc, I am very wary of.

 

[StuKE]

Not to try and cast a shadow over what you do, it is probably just me and I am sure I coild still improve breathing whilst doing isometrics. To be fair, I have had similar when I go heavy and low reps, close to failure on exercises like squats, deadlifts and even when I have cycled with heavy rocks in my backpack.

 

[North Coast Miller]

Not to try and cast a shadow over what you do, it is probably just me and I am sure I coild still improve breathing whilst doing isometrics. To be fair, I have had similar when I go heavy and low reps, close to failure on exercises like squats, deadlifts and even when I have cycled with heavy rocks in my backpack.

As with all exercise and any strenuous activity, use care when working into it - shorter holds, slower ramp ups to maximum effort, let the tension drop a little on the inhale if needed, above all make sure the breathing is on a count with the effort.

As mentioned, when I first started making a study of this I was wiped to point that 2 sessions per week were all I could do. Not a headache, but an overall fatigue that was quite profound with perhaps a bit of light headedness on heavier exertions no different from heavy traditional lifts.

Taking it up with more thought in ‘21 it was nearly two months before everything really gelled, the last bit of joint compression discomfort fell away.
Currently it is less fatiguing than traditional resistance work, even with dynamic tension included.

 

[Stephen B.]

I’m using isometric wall sits to rebuild some strength while I recover from a severe knee bursitis. Doing 5x10seconds, 1 minute rest, flexing the knee as much as is comfortable.

Feels like good training, pretty taxing. I can feel the stress on my knee ligaments. I will probably include overcoming isometrics long term for knee health.

 

[Ricky01]

Yesterday:
One set max bottom of pushup and one set max hang (after a long day of coaching - decided to do this last minute).

Pushup - 2.44 (2 second PB)
Hang - 1.45 (3 second PB).

I'll take it. I have been away and last time I tried this a few weeks ago and was 10 seconds shy of each of my PB's.

I had planned to do this weekly (along with a day of multiple max duration sets aiming to hit a total 5 minutes under tension), but life somewhat got in the way (which is fine).

Richard

 

[GovernorSilver]

I’m using isometric wall sits to rebuild some strength while I recover from a severe knee bursitis. Doing 5x10seconds, 1 minute rest, flexing the knee as much as is comfortable.

Feels like good training, pretty taxing. I can feel the stress on my knee ligaments. I will probably include overcoming isometrics long term for knee health.

There's something about high intensity overcoming isometrics that tendons and ligaments really like. I've been making excellent progress in restoring my shoulder to 100% with overcoming isometric shoulder press.

 

[Rophan]

Just wanted to say thanks for the great information here. I don't have a history with strength training, or much exercise of any kind, having recently turned 40 I slipped a disc and starting having back pain. I have found the Foundation training program (from Eric Goodman) has helped a lot with this - and I was fascinated by how the isometric standing postures of foundation training seemed so much more effective (almost immediately from 1 session) compared to the exercises recommended by the physio that I had been doing for some time (glute bridges, bird dog, rack pulls with light weight etc.). Simiarly the isometric exercises from Foundation (pushing hands together) seem to be doing more for scapula problems (and more quickly) than physio exercises with bands did. Searching for isometric training led me here (so you are now high Google result for this topic!)

I can see the focus here is on people working at a high level and serious about strength training, but wanted to say I think it would be really useful if you could suggest a more beginner oriented program and equipment or some pointers to these. You mentioned stuff using doorways and said antagonistic isometrics could work OK for beginners, so any program or pointers to exercises for those would be great. I have a set of TRX type straps with door stop mounts that usually go over the top of the door, but I guess I could put these at the bottom of the door. But probably the 8 exercise A,B split is a bit much for my level, and if I was going to do like 3-4 exercises once or twice a week, what would be the best for that.

 

[North Coast Miller]

Just wanted to say thanks for the great information here. I don't have a history with strength training, or much exercise of any kind, having recently turned 40 I slipped a disc and starting having back pain. I have found the Foundation training program (from Eric Goodman) has helped a lot with this - and I was fascinated by how the isometric standing postures of foundation training seemed so much more effective (almost immediately from 1 session) compared to the exercises recommended by the physio that I had been doing for some time (glute bridges, bird dog, rack pulls with light weight etc.). Simiarly the isometric exercises from Foundation (pushing hands together) seem to be doing more for scapula problems (and more quickly) than physio exercises with bands did. Searching for isometric training led me here (so you are now high Google result for this topic!)

I can see the focus here is on people working at a high level and serious about strength training, but wanted to say I think it would be really useful if you could suggest a more beginner oriented program and equipment or some pointers to these. You mentioned stuff using doorways and said antagonistic isometrics could work OK for beginners, so any program or pointers to exercises for those would be great. I have a set of TRX type straps with door stop mounts that usually go over the top of the door, but I guess I could put these at the bottom of the door. But probably the 8 exercise A,B split is a bit much for my level, and if I was going to do like 3-4 exercises once or twice a week, what would be the best for that.

Since you already have them, I would use your straps and stand on a board or small piece of plywood. It doesn’t even need the knockouts or indents although they are handy. I did mention that one can get good results with more improvised approaches, but if you compare them the difference is profound, and again - you already own straps.

Instead of an 8+ daily split, just use a variation of the same 4 basics every session:
- squat
- bent row
- deadlift
- overhead press

Per the recommendations, don’t worry about getting super low, longest muscle length. Do shoot for about the midpoint and over time work progressively lower.

For the squat, use a hold that approximates a double kettlebell front squat, that will keep you from needing a bar.

For the bent row, if your back doesn’t appreciate bracing in a bent posture, do more of a dumbell lateral where you pull up and out instead of up and back.

And it really just comes down to doing it. Use 3-4 “sets” of 10 seconds or so on the minute, and finish the last set with a string of 30 pulses. Initiate the holds with a gentle ramp-up.

Take a few minutes between exercises.

Feel free to experiment with other holds, doorways, what have you, but make the basic four your anchor holds and use a similar pattern for how you apply the effort.

 

[Ricky01]

Since you already have them, I would use your straps and stand on a board or small piece of plywood. It doesn’t even need the knockouts or indents although they are handy. I did mention that one can get good results with more improvised approaches, but if you compare them the difference is profound, and again - you already own straps.

Instead of an 8+ daily split, just use a variation of the same 4 basics every session:
- squat
- bent row
- deadlift
- overhead press

Per the recommendations, don’t worry about getting super low, longest muscle length. Do shoot for about the midpoint and over time work progressively lower.

For the squat, use a hold that approximates a double kettlebell front squat, that will keep you from needing a bar.

For the bent row, if your back doesn’t appreciate bracing in a bent posture, do more of a dumbell lateral where you pull up and out instead of up and back.

And it really just comes down to doing it. Use 3-4 “sets” of 10 seconds or so on the minute, and finish the last set with a string of 30 pulses. Initiate the holds with a gentle ramp-up.

Take a few minutes between exercises.

Feel free to experiment with other holds, doorways, what have you, but make the basic four your anchor holds and use a similar pattern for how you apply the effort.

That right there is gold.

 

[onlyisometrics]

Hi Miller and everyone else!

I wanted to contribute my experience with isometric training.

Here's my 'Simple Isometric Strength' routine that I've been doing for about half a year now - it's actually pretty similar to what Miller posted above...

1) Deadlift 3 x 20 seconds

2) Overhead press 3 x 20 seconds

3) Bent over row (but I'm sat on the floor) 3 x 20 seconds

I also do (alternating them in pairs)...

4) Finger pulls (climbing block looped under feet) 3 x 20 seconds

5) Hanging on pull up bar (gentle knee raises just to feel good) 3 x 20 seconds

6) Ab wheel 3 x 30 second (or whatever, really) holds

7) Loaded carries with two 25 liter jerry cans full of water (new addition to the routine)

Few notes...

- I just use a resistance strap with handles and stand on it with shoes on

- I rest between sets for as long as it takes my heart rate to come back down

- In fact, I think that could be good advice for beginners: rather than a countdown timer, use a metronome counter and rest for as long as you need to between sets

- I upped my hold time to 20 seconds seeing Miller's advice and, like him, I find I can sustain a high output throughout

- I haven't started doing jolts or moving tension like Miller does yet

- Like Miller I just use one joint angle: the point of least leverage (or somewhere comfortable near there)

- I'm 35, 5 foot 7 inches, probably around 67kg, lean build - light but strong for my weight (I think, anyway! )

- I do this routine every day I'm not climbing or skateboarding, so usually 4 to 6 days per week (I just prefer to do some kind of exercise every day)

- I also do some breath work at the beginning of the workout

- I don't do squats because my body has never agreed with them (as per Stuart McGill's teaching I have deep-set hips)

Why I keep using isometrics (benefits):

- My posture feels good

- My body feels more 'integrated' - e.g. things like irritated knees or hip discomfort have pretty much gone

- I have lots of energy for my hobbies, even though I don't really take a day off

- I feel strong and fast (how you feel strength-wise is underrated, I think!)

- I feel better after my workouts than before them (a lot of training I did in the past eventually started to run me down or even injure me - my fault, but still!)

- I can workout when I travel for work (minimal equipment)

- I just really enjoy working out like this!

Thoughts on equipment:

- I would like to make an iso-deck like Miller's but smaller so I can travel with it for work

- There are some cool force measuring devices - like the Tindeq 300 - but I'm not sure if they're more hassle than they're worth in terms of set up, and I care more about feeling good than hitting numbers

Negative isometric things:

- It's hard to measure strength improvements (but I think there's a lot to be said for subjective feeling too!)

- You have to get your form right because you're putting immense and sustained pressure on your body

I've also been reading quite a lot about isometric use in various fields - like climbing and sprint training - if anyone's interested in that let me know.

I'm a copywriter by trade so if anyone has any isometric topics / questions they'd like me to research and write about just let me know and I'll share what I come up with!

Thanks for everyone who's contributed here - especially Miller.