Other/Mixed The ‘Chopping Board Workout’ // ‘Simple Isometric Strength’ // only isometrics

[North Coast Miller]

supposedly shorter holds are better for peak force… but i kind of feel like my body likes the longer holds of 10 or even 20 seconds better. they give you more time to breath into it and create tension.

I have become not a fan of very short holds except when done in a pulse format. I suspect if combined with isotonics in various programs I might feel differently, but for a max effort I find 5-6 seconds is the absolute bare minimum even if my intent is to "hit it".

I've recently defaulted back to inserting some jumprope or sprint in place after every hold, the effect on hypertrophy has been almost immediate. This really cements my views on tension + metabolic stress for hypertrophic response, and is the same approach I used back in autumn of '21 to make good mass gain.

 

[onlyisometrics]

I have become not a fan of very short holds except when done in a pulse format. I suspect if combined with isotonics in various programs I might feel differently, but for a max effort I find 5-6 seconds is the absolute bare minimum even if my intent is to "hit it".

I've recently defaulted back to inserting some jumprope or sprint in place after every hold, the effect on hypertrophy has been almost immediate. This really cements my views on tension + metabolic stress for hypertrophic response, and is the same approach I used back in autumn of '21 to make good mass gain.

I’m with you on the hold times, think i’m gonna bump them back up next session.

Really interesting about the metabolic stuff after holds - are you doing that instead of the unloaded / body weight reps you were trialing?

thinking about it isometrics have always made me feel like i could just burst into a sprint - actually doing that might be fun!

 

[North Coast Miller]

I’m with you on the hold times, think i’m gonna bump them back up next session.

Really interesting about the metabolic stuff after holds - are you doing that instead of the unloaded / body weight reps you were trialing?

thinking about it isometrics have always made me feel like i could just burst into a sprint - actually doing that might be fun!

Yep. I went back to a 10 "rep" MVC followed by 15 "reps" relax/lean accented jolts, about a 2 second exertion, followed by 20 second sprint in place. The holds are all "timed" by the exhale count, I no longer use a timer.

It shifts the isometrics from a tension dominant exercise to a real oxygen sucking tussle.

 

[GreenSoup]

I've recently defaulted back to inserting some jumprope or sprint in place after every hold, the effect on hypertrophy has been almost immediate. This really cements my views on tension + metabolic stress for hypertrophic response, and is the same approach I used back in autumn of '21 to make good mass gain.

This sounds similar to the "Swing Sandwich" article from a while back where KB swings were used between presses. I don't understand *why* there would be hypertrophy from sprinting right after a hold. Fantastic that it is working though.

 

[North Coast Miller]

This sounds similar to the "Swing Sandwich" article from a while back where KB swings were used between presses. I don't understand *why* there would be hypertrophy from sprinting right after a hold. Fantastic that it is working though.

My working theory is that it checks the 'metabolic stress' box - depletes glucose in the muscles and increases lactate concentration, by quite a bit I imagine.

It also increases blood flow throughout the extremeties while/due to giving virtually every muscle in the body a dynamic change of length.

 

[GreenSoup]

That explanation works for me. It just occurs to me that cardio also very quickly reverses the blood flow restriction that occurs in isos. Have you seen any use to that additional possible benefit in your reading of the research? The speed of blood flow restriction and reintroduction seems like a pretty novel workout stimulus that is unique to the combination of isos and cardio-style work.

 

[North Coast Miller]

That explanation works for me. It just occurs to me that cardio also very quickly reverses the blood flow restriction that occurs in isos. Have you seen any use to that additional possible benefit in your reading of the research? The speed of blood flow restriction and reintroduction seems like a pretty novel workout stimulus that is unique to the combination of isos and cardio-style work.

Yep, that is one of the two reasons to combine the two. Years ago I noticed if I did HIIT within 24-48hrs of a full body isometric session it would trigger a pretty good pump, far more than a HIIT session normally would.

Am still unsure of the mechanism, but it is present to some extent with any dynamic work the day after a demanding isometric session, will become more pumped from yardwork etc than I am from the isos. The response fades within a day or two.

Am unsure what this does to the expected response to HIIT (combining with isometrics), will test against some stand-alone HIIT in a few more weeks to see if it doesn't help or hinder my wind.

 

[Ian CL]

Hi,

For the last 8 or so months I’ve been exercising (training?) using only isometrics.

I call what I’ve been doing the ‘Simple Isometric Strength’ routine…

Or - you’ll see why - the ‘Chopping Board Workout’.

Here are the deets…

Equipment

For Part 1 - ‘BOD’

• Suspension trainer (WorldFit ISO Trainer)
• Chopping board (kind of optional)

For Part 2 - ‘HAL’

• Pull up bar (or something else to hang on)
• Ab wheel
• 2 x 25-litre jerry cans - ‘Loaded Jerry Cans’ (or something else to carrY)

Routine

Part 1 - ‘BOD’

• Bent over row, 3 x 20 seconds
• Overhead press, 3 x 20 seconds
• Deadlift, 3 x 20 seconds

Note: started with 3 x 10 seconds

Part 2 - ‘HAL’

• Hangs, 3 x 30 seconds (with some leg raises and scapular pulls)
• Ab wheel, 3 x 40 seconds
• Loaded carries , 3 x laps around my flat

Why isometrics?

• Great (the best??) way to develop pure strength
• Makes your joints feel good
• Very safe as you’re not moving
• Quick to recover from (not damaging muscles with eccentric part of lift), so you can work out more often or do other stuff
• Self-regulating / self-limiting - you can only exert as much force as your energy levels allow
• Great for developing ‘Iron Man’ (or person) posture

Note: See The Ultimate Isometric Manual by Paul Wade for an in-depth look at some of the research

Why not isometrics?

• Less good for developing muscle - at least with overcoming isometrics (no eccentric part of lift)
• Your form has to be spot on because you’re generating so much force
• Some people find it boring

Who else uses isometrics?

• A bunch of old-school strongmen
• Internet fitness peeps like Paul Wade, Red Delta Project and Ross Enamait
• Modern athletic coaches like Danny Lum and Alex Natera
• Old-school Russian athletic trainers / sports scientists
• A bunch of other people (I have a list somewhere!)

What kind of isometrics do you use?

• ‘BOD’ uses overcoming isometrics - I call them ‘Try To Move It’ isometrics because you’re trying to move an immovable thing
• ‘Hal’ - mostly - uses yielding isometrics - I call them ‘Try Not To Move’ isometrics because you’re trying to be the immovable thing

Why ‘Simple Isometric Strength’?

• Efficient / simple - 3 Bang for your buck whole-body exercises (mostly copies Dan John’s ‘Easy Strength’ exercise selection)
• Efficient / simple - 1 joint angle with the most carry over - the longest muscle length / the ‘Point Of Least Leverage’ (some research, plus people like Red Delta Project and Paul Wade, support this)
• Repeatable / low stress - same workout every time, so it doesn’t matter if you miss a day!

Why use a chopping board?

• More ‘immovable’ than your feet…
• …so you can create more force
• Cheaper than a Isochain or IsoMax

How do you measure progress?

• Trust subjective feeling
• Reprioritise your goals to be about feeling good
• Buy an Isochain or IsoMax
• Buy a crane scale and make your own DIY Isochain or IsoMax

Is isometrics alactic + aerobic (A+A) training?

I think it could be, based on this description from here…

"In practice—what you do in the gym or your garage—is choose a high-powered movement and execute it with a purpose for 6-12 seconds, depending upon your current fitness. You then rest and recover for as long as is required so that you can again work at a high output."

I’m interested in what others think!

Is isometrics ‘pure strength’?

When thinking about strength vs skill…

If generating force = strength…

Then, arguably, isometrics is the purest form of this as it requires less skill than…

Lifting a barbell…

Throwing around a sandbag…

Or swinging a kettlebell!

Again, I’m interested in what others think!

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I'm just getting into isometrics thanks to this and @North Coast Miller thread.

I've been playing around with one-arm hangs on a gymnastics ring from the bottom position. I'm actively trying to do a one arm pull-up to make it an overcoming isometric. I'm managing about 6 sets of 5-6 seconds per hang right now with a goal to increase duration.

I thought this article was pretty good. It's geared towards climbing and using a fingerboard but the principals are the same.

https://www.trainingbeta.com/to-pull-or-hang/

 

[onlyisometrics]

I'm just getting into isometrics thanks to this and @North Coast Miller thread.

I've been playing around with one-arm hangs on a gymnastics ring from the bottom position. I'm actively trying to do a one arm pull-up to make it an overcoming isometric. I'm managing about 6 sets of 5-6 seconds per hang right now with a goal to increase duration.

I thought this article was pretty good. It's geared towards climbing and using a fingerboard but the principals are the same.

https://www.trainingbeta.com/to-pull-or-hang/

that’s a great idea for a climbing / body weight iso. i thought it might be tyler nelson when you said climbing an isos in the same sentence! i thought his stuff on the subtle difference between pulling with the fingers vs yielding with them was helpful, and also some of his injury prevention stuff around overarching finger joints. although i’m very much just a hobbyist climber!

 

[onlyisometrics]

At some point, give it a try on the same day. Use the iso hold as an intro and finish with the kettlebell - eg an iso deadlift followed by swings. You'll need more recovery, but the two are a potent combination that really seem to improve the other's response.

I gave this a go yesterday and really enjoyed it - and my body / joints really liked being back on the longer isos of 20 seconds.

I like that I could use isos more frequently mixing the two disciplines (iso and kb) rather than alternating.

here’s what I did:

carries and ab wheel to warm up

deadlift iso x 20 second hold
swings 20kg kb x 20
3 rounds

overhead press iso x 20 second hold
push press (little bend) 20kg kb x 3 each arm
3 rounds

bent over row iso x 20 second hold
pull up x 4
3 rounds

hang for a bit to finish

rest across all was enough to keep breathing and heart rate under control… so i’d guess a minute between things.

anyone think of a cool name for mixing isos and dynamic work?

…pavel makes coming up with good names for stuff look easy!

 

[GreenSoup]

anyone think of a cool name for mixing isos and dynamic work?

…pavel makes coming up with good names for stuff look easy!

"Isometric pre-fatigue"
"Iso super sets"
"Iso prep setted dynamic glory sets"
I also considered checking the top terms on Google or Twitter and seeing if they might work. That would sell any new exercise program that results from these names.

 

[onlyisometrics]

"Isometric pre-fatigue"
"Iso super sets"
"Iso prep setted dynamic glory sets"
I also considered checking the top terms on Google or Twitter and seeing if they might work. That would sell any new exercise program that results from these names.

get those copyrighted immediately

 

[GreenSoup]

get those copyrighted immediately

To increase the marketing potential with some of those Google terms things like this will REALLY make isometrics big business:
"Taylor Swift Sets: Avoid Thrown Objects on Stage Without Moving a Muscle!"
"Ukraine War Super Victory Sets!"
"Northeast Flood Defense Weather Domination Sets!"

Change the name of the project every week and we will dominate the fitness industry.

 

[SamTX]

Piggybacking on this thread simply to get a starting point from those who know....

Where would one start with isometric training? What's the on-ramp?

Dealing with an injury and it may be all that is available to me for awhile...

 

[North Coast Miller]

Piggybacking on this thread simply to get a starting point from those who know....

Where would one start with isometric training? What's the on-ramp?

Dealing with an injury and it may be all that is available to me for awhile...

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

Shoulder press as currently executed. These are probably the most tinkered with hold.

www.strongfirst.com

The entire thread is a real long read. This description along with the first entry in the thread are probably more info than you need, but have a lot of content as my use of iso has evolved in some respects and not in others.

Use an adjustable cargo strap and a board to run it under. If working with an injury, start by finding some point in the ROM and using isometric holds there. Try to expand into a longer muscle length / posture as you improve. Eg if working with quad or knee, attempt an iso leg extension. Gradually work on getting the knee bent more as it heals up. If a bad lower back, start out with a shallow deadlift and work down to where you're pulling from just off the floor.
Start out with a slow rampup and leave off if you reach a level where it hurts, otherwise use a maximal effort.

 

[SamTX]

For those that use isometric training, is it the exclusive modality that you use?

Note: I know where OP stands.

 

[North Coast Miller]

For those that use isometric training, is it the exclusive modality that you use?

Note: I know where OP stands.

Currently yes, but have used with traditional resistance work as well. Am going on 2 years now.
I have tried a few times to get back to traditional work and it doesn't play so well with some of my joint issues compared to isometrics. If it did, I would probably use a blend of 1/3 iso to 2/3 trad.