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Bodyweight Why 10% isometrics?

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Meghan O'Connell

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Hello. I know that the StrongFirst rule of thumb is a maximum of 10% of training should be isometrics, but can anyone explain the actual reasoning why behind this? (I am assuming specificity of training / being able to move well instead of just staying still, type thing, but just checking.)

Thank you
 
Hello. I know that the StrongFirst rule of thumb is a maximum of 10% of training should be isometrics, but can anyone explain the actual reasoning why behind this? (I am assuming specificity of training / being able to move well instead of just staying still, type thing, but just checking.)

Thank you

I don't recall that. Where did you read it?

But if I had to guess, I would bet it comes from the idea that isometrics are very "CNS taxing".

Steven Low talks about this in Overcoming Gravity.
 
Thank you! Much appreciated.

It was told to us verbally when I took the SFG2 course last year, and I believe I read it somewhere as a recommendation of Pavel's, in a podcast or something, but I don't know where anymore.
 
Hello. I know that the StrongFirst rule of thumb is a maximum of 10% of training should be isometrics, but can anyone explain the actual reasoning why behind this? (I am assuming specificity of training / being able to move well instead of just staying still, type thing, but just checking.)

Secretes of Soviet Sports Fitness and Training

One the source on the use of 10% in a training program with Isometrics comes from Dr Michael Yessis book, listed above.

Yessis is one of the leaders in the strength field. Yessis speaks Russian and translated the Soviet's training research into a magazine, "The Soviet Sports Review". Some universities have copies of the magazine in their archives. Those are still referenced in research.

The 10% Isometric Training Recommendation?

That is a good question. There nothing that I have seen on the reason for the 10% Isometric recommendation.

With that said, very few lifters every use Isometric and Eccentric Training in their training program or understand how to use it.

Two of the most knowledgeable Strength Coaches understand how to program Isometrics are...

Josh Bryant

and

Chris Thibaudeau

Interesting Aspects of Isometrics

1) Isometrics allow you to increase Maximum Strength around 15% above and below the position of the movement.

Thibaudeau goes into how this allows you to increase strength where you sticking point is in a movement is.

With that in mind, where the bar stop moving isn't your sticking point.

Car Analogy

Think of your sticking point as a car that you are diving that runs out of gas. The car will keep rolling until it stops.

That means where the car stops isn't where you ran out of gas. The same applies to your sticking point.

Thus, with Isometric Sticking Point Training in a movement, in let's say a Power Rack, the Isometric needs to be performed an inch or two below where the bar stopped moving.

2) Training Percentage

Many competitive lifter base their training percentage off their Competition Max, their personal best on that particular day.

The issue with that is that your 1 Repetition Max varies from training session to training session. Your personal competition best on that one day is not the same when you go back to training.

A great example of that is...

The Russian Training Percentage Method

The Russians based their training on their 1 Repetition Max; which was unobtainable with higher training percentages. Thus, their volume of High Training Percentage appeared to be much lower than the Bulgarians.

The Bulgarian Training Percentages

The Bulgarian Training Percentages were much more realistic. The Bulgarian Training Percentages were based on their "Daily Training Max". As we know strength fluctuates from week to week and day to day.

Thus, the Bulgarian success was incorrectly view as a result of their greater volume of training with High 1 Repetition Max Training Percentage based on their Competition Max; not so.

With that said, I am not quite sure how they were able to determined their "Daily 1 Repetition Max" to program their training for each particular day.

My guess is that they probably used some type of early "Velocity Based Training" or "Auto-Regulation" to determine their 1 Repetition Max for each training session.

The Same Training Percentages

What the research shows is the Russians and Bulgarians Training Percentage were essentially the same.

The confusion that continues is the belief that the Bulgarian's 1 Repetition Max Percentage Training was based on their Competition Max like the Russians; it Was Not!

Unfortunately, that misinformation continue to be perpetuated.

This bring us back to...

Isometric Maximum Strength Training

One of the primary benefits of Isometric Training is that it allows you to perform the Isometric Action with your Maximum Strength in each training session; there is no guess work on what part of the Training Percentage Scale your are in.

Less Taxing

Isometric, as well as Eccentric Training, is less taxing than exercises composed of an Eccentric-Concentric Action, like a Squat.

Isometric Training allows for faster recovery from training sessions.

While Eccentric Training is less taxing that Eccentric-Concentric Movements, Eccentric Training produces greater muscle damage, which require a longer recovery period.

As per...,

"Wound Healing"

The greater the damage to the body, via training, surgery, sickness, etc, the longer the recovery time required.
 
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I'd have to read up on the 10% source material to understand better why more than 10% becomes redundant or detrimental.

You can use longer duration holds that are very CNS taxing and effect limit strength mostly, or short pulses with a quick full ROM movement of the joint between to induce more of a pump type effect.

Isometric is a pretty broad term.
 
I'd have to read up on the 10% source material to understand better why more than 10% becomes redundant or detrimental.

You can use longer duration holds that are very CNS taxing and effect limit strength mostly, or short pulses with a quick full ROM movement of the joint between to induce more of a pump type effect.

Isometric is a pretty broad term.

Also, in a gymnastics context, the isometrics are held not just for S&C purposes, but for practical purposes in order to be able to make a support hold as part of a move or routine.

Examples:

gymnastic-ring-exercises-l-sit.jpg


maxresdefault.jpg



(I can't do the ring support hold yet)


When it comes to programming bodyweight isometrics, I really look to gymnastic coaches and athletes for knowledge.
 
Hello,

Isometrics are highly depedent on the context,as @watchnerd said. For core is important in boxing to transfer the force from the legs, but this contraction is vert short (close to a fast and loose)

Kind regards,

Pet'
 
Kenny

Thank you so much for all of this! Starting with the source of the 10% rule. I had already read the Thibaudeau article, but it was a long time ago so good to have a refresher, and I didn't know about Bryant. And the analogy of a car helps understand why we need the iso work *before* the actual sticking point occurs. Very helpful.
 
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