{"id":3456,"date":"2025-03-08T18:34:33","date_gmt":"2025-03-08T18:34:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/movewithnicole.com.au\/blog\/isometrics-build-strength-without-moving-a-muscle.html"},"modified":"2025-03-08T18:34:33","modified_gmt":"2025-03-08T18:34:33","slug":"isometrics-build-strength-without-moving-a-muscle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ozhelp.org.au\/blog\/health\/isometrics-build-strength-without-moving-a-muscle.html","title":{"rendered":"Isometrics: Build Strength Without Moving a Muscle"},"content":{"rendered":"

If your workouts always have you moving, it may be time to add some isometric exercises to take your results to the next level.<\/p>\n

\u201cIsometric exercises increase the target muscle\u2019s time under tension, which is a key growth stimulus,\u201d explains Trevor Thieme, C.S.C.S.<\/p>\n

What Is Isometric Exercise?<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n

Put simply, an isometric exercise is one that engages muscle without movement. Instead, you pick one position and hold it.<\/p>\n

One example of isometric exercise that immediately comes to mind for most people is the\u00a0plank. And that exercise alone proves that even if isometric exercises look easy, they\u2019re anything but.<\/p>\n

Holding a position for 5 to 30 seconds or more takes a lot of work and, unlike your traditional up-and-down exercise, they don\u2019t give you a break.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s part of what makes isometric exercises so great for people with tight schedules or anyone looking to be\u00a0as time-efficient as possible. Isometric exercises allow you to train your body, hard, in minimal time with little to no equipment.<\/p>\n

Another perk for those\u00a0working out at home\u00a0is that the lack of movement makes isometric exercises easier to perform in tight quarters \u2014 without bumping into or knocking over anything.<\/p>\n

Isometric vs. Isotonic Exercise<\/h2>\n

They sound similar, but isometric and isotonic exercises involve different forms of muscle actions. Obviously they share the same prefix, \u201ciso,\u201d meaning \u201csame.\u201d<\/p>\n

Isometric\u00a0exercises<\/strong> describe those in which a muscle\u2019s length remains constant. For example, in a plank or wall sit, the muscles are working, but not actively changing lengths.<\/p>\n

Isotonic\u00a0exercises<\/strong>, however, require the shortening and lengthening of muscles \u2014 but while maintaining the same tension.<\/p>\n

For example, when you lower into a\u00a0squat, muscles lengthen or act eccentrically. As you stand back up, the muscles shorten, acting concentrically or contracting, explains Layne Nordquist, C.P.T., a master trainer with\u00a0VASA Fitness\u00a0in Denver.<\/p>\n

The resistance placed on the body is another critical component of isometric vs. isotonic exercises. In isometric exercises, the load placed on a given muscle is equal to the force the muscle generates \u2014 hence the \u201chold it right there\u201d stalemate.<\/p>\n

In isotonic exercises, however, the amount of force generated by the muscle changes \u2014 even if the tension stays the same.<\/p>\n

In the eccentric phase, the force placed on the muscle is greater than what\u2019s generated by the muscle. In the concentric phase, the force placed on the muscle is less than what the muscle generates.<\/p>\n

Interestingly, your body\u2019s muscles are\u00a0stronger acting isometrically\u00a0than they are concentrically, according to Nordquist. Think about it: It\u2019s easier to hang out at the bottom of a\u00a0lunge\u00a0than it is to get up out of it.<\/p>\n

11 Isometric Exercises for Total-Body Strength<\/h2>\n

These isometric exercise examples are great foundational moves to add to any\u00a0strength-training routine. When performing these and any isometric exercises, it\u2019s important to emphasize form first and foremost.<\/p>\n

Even if you can hold a plank for one minute, what really matters is the time spent holding it with full-body tension and good form, even if it\u2019s for only 15 seconds.<\/p>\n

The same goes for all of the following isometric exercises. Aim to bring yourself to fatigue, but not failure, with each.<\/p>\n

1. Forearm plank<\/h3>\n

\"Woman<\/p>\n

    \n
  • Assume a\u00a0push-up\u00a0position, aligning your shoulders over your wrists, and drop down to your elbows, resting on your forearms. Your arms should be parallel, with your palms facing down.<\/li>\n
  • Extend your legs behind you, engaging your hamstrings and quads. Balancing on the balls of your feet, push through your heels to further activate your leg muscles.<\/li>\n
  • Press through your shoulders to dome your upper back. This move will protect your joints. Avoid arching your low back by pulling in your belly to engage your core. Squeeze your glutes.<\/li>\n
  • Isometrically pull your elbows toward your toes. Take deep breaths to oxygenate your muscles so that they can work hard to hold your body in a static position.<\/li>\n
  • Hold until fatigued. (Can also be performed on your hands as a high plank and on each side as a side plank.)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    2. Low squat<\/h3>\n

    \"Man<\/p>\n

      \n
    • Stand tall with your feet hip- to shoulder-width apart and your hands by your sides, toes pointed forward.<\/li>\n
    • Keeping your back flat and core braced, push your hips back, bend your knees, extend your arms forward, and lower your body as far as possible while still maintaining tension in your lower body.<\/li>\n
    • Hold for time.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      3. Wall sit<\/h3>\n

      \"Man<\/p>\n

        \n
      • Stand with your back against a wall, your feet hip-width apart and your hands by your sides.<\/li>\n
      • Slide down the wall until your hips and knees are 90 degrees, with your shoulders and butt touching the wall.<\/li>\n
      • Hold until fatigued.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        4. Isometric push-up<\/h3>\n

        \"Man<\/p>\n

          \n
        • Get on all fours with your feet together, your body straight from head to heels, and your hands stacked under (but slightly wider than) your shoulders.<\/li>\n
        • Bend your elbows so that your upper arms flare out diagonally from your torso (you should form an arrow when viewed from above).<\/li>\n
        • Lower your body until your elbows form 90-degree angles, and hold until fatigued.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

          5. Static lunge<\/h3>\n

          \"Man<\/p>\n

            \n
          • Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart and your hands at your sides.<\/li>\n
          • Keeping your chest up, shoulders back, back flat, and core engaged, take a large step forward with your right foot. Lower your body until your front thigh is parallel with the ground and your left knee is bent 90 degrees.<\/li>\n
          • Hold until fatigued, performing equal reps on both sides.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

            6. Dumbbell curl with static hold<\/h3>\n

            \"Man<\/p>\n

              \n
            • Stand holding a pair of dumbbells at arm\u2019s length by your sides, palms facing forward.<\/li>\n
            • Keeping your elbows tucked in and your upper arms locked in place, curl the dumbbells until your forearms are parallel to the floor.<\/li>\n
            • Hold until fatigued.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

              7. Isometric bench press<\/h3>\n

              \"Man<\/p>\n

                \n
              • Lie on a flat bench holding a pair of dumbbells directly above your chest with your palms facing forward. Your head, upper back, and butt should touch the bench, and your feet should be flat on the floor.<\/li>\n
              • Slowly lower the dumbbells to the sides of your chest, keeping your elbows close to your body.<\/li>\n
              • Stop when the weights are a few inches above your chest, and hold until fatigued.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                8. Dead hang<\/h3>\n

                \"Man<\/p>\n

                  \n
                • Grab a pull-up bar with an over- or underhand grip, your hands shoulder-width apart.<\/li>\n
                • Allow your body to hang with your legs crossed behind you or toes pointed toward the floor.<\/li>\n
                • Hold until fatigued.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                  9. Scapular retraction<\/h3>\n

                  \"Man<\/p>\n

                    \n
                  • Grab a pull-up bar with an overhand grip, your hands shoulder-width apart, and let your body hang.<\/li>\n
                  • Draw your shoulders down and back to raise your shoulders just slightly toward the bar.<\/li>\n
                  • Hold until fatigued.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                    10. Flexed-arm hang<\/h3>\n

                    \"Man<\/p>\n

                      \n
                    • Grab a pull-up bar with an underhand grip, your hands shoulder-width apart, and let your body hang.<\/li>\n
                    • Pinch your shoulder blades down, then bend your elbows until your upper arms are parallel to the floor.<\/li>\n
                    • Hold until fatigued.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                      11. Hanging hollow-body hold<\/h3>\n

                      \"Man<\/p>\n

                        \n
                      • Grab a pull-up bar with an overhand grip, your hands shoulder-width apart, and let your body hang.<\/li>\n
                      • Pinch your shoulder blades down, and position your feet just in front of your body, with your legs straight. Engage your core. Your body should form a gentle C shape.<\/li>\n
                      • Hold until fatigued.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                        Benefits of Isometric Exercise<\/h2>\n

                        \"Woman<\/p>\n

                        Isometric exercises allow you to perform muscle actions in which you\u2019re naturally strong. And because your body is physically able to hold these positions, you\u2019re able to add more time under tension than you could by performing isotonic sets for the same amount of time.<\/p>\n

                        However, there are limitations to not working your body through concentric and eccentric muscle actions as well.<\/p>\n

                        \u201cBecause isometric exercises require you to hold a specific position, they build strength only in that position,\u201d Thieme says. \u201cThat can be beneficial if you\u2019re trying to overcome a sticking point (i.e., the toughest part of an exercise, such as the bottom of a bench press).\u201d<\/p>\n

                        It can also come in handy when you\u2019re recovering from an injury or if you have musculoskeletal issues in which moving through full range of motion is painful or contraindicated.<\/p>\n

                        However, you would have to perform countless reps \u2014 each at an ever-so-slightly different joint angle \u2014 to build strength through your full range of motion with isometric exercises. It\u2019s much more functional and practical to use isotonic exercises to develop strength through the full range of motion.<\/p>\n

                        \u201cAlso, because they\u2019re performed in a static position, they also won\u2019t help you improve speed, explosive power, or athletic performance,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

                        For that reason, it\u2019s best to use isometric exercises as a complement to your current exercise routine, rather than as a replacement for all isotonic exercises. By combining isometric and isotonic exercises, you can best reap the benefits of both training styles, Nordquist says.<\/p>\n

                        Here are some of the benefits of isometric exercises.<\/p>\n

                        1. Overcoming sticking points<\/h3>\n

                        By training the hardest part of each exercise, you remove bottlenecks to better performance.<\/p>\n

                        2. Injury recovery<\/h3>\n

                        Strengthen your muscles while avoiding painful movements.<\/p>\n

                        3. Better blood pressure<\/h3>\n

                        Research\u00a0suggests that isometric exercises improve blood pressure as well as, if not better than, aerobic and isotonic exercises.<\/p>\n

                        4. Stability<\/h3>\n

                        Work your body\u2019s stabilizer muscles to improve joint health and function.<\/p>\n

                        5. Core strength<\/h3>\n

                        Train your core to resist movement and keep your spine in healthy alignment.<\/p>\n

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