Isometrics: Critical for long term strength gains

Isometric training is used to produce maximum overload to muscles and to the central nervous system. This is essential to keep making progress and prevent a long gradual slide in strength.

Since being introduced to the US weightlifting community in the late 1950s, isometrics has never been widely popular despite being a means to produce big grains.

This is in part because it involves almost no dynamic movement but requires extreme exertion.

 

Isometrics is an advanced form of conditioning that should never be used by anyone with less than a year of lifting heavy weights.

Isometric training should never be performed if you have a heart condition or have high blood pressure.

However, for those who have the durability built from at least a year of heavy lifting (preferably more), isometrics can be a great methodology for making progress.

 

There are two variations of isometrics that can be practiced in most gyms. One requires a power cage with holes for both safety bar and restraint pin settings. These are not always available in gyms.

The good news is that basic isometric training can be done using most new power racks so long as they are firmly attached to the floor.

There is also one new product (Isochain) that is extremely flexible and can be used anywhere. It is great for all training involving pulling. However, it cannot be used for squat training or bench press training without elaborate modification.

 

Two variations: Functional Isometric Training and Static Contractions

Functional Isometric Training involves moving a loaded barbell roughly 3 inches set at different positions on the power rack. The intent is to handle a weight and then create extreme overload by placing restraints on how far the bar can be lifted.

For example, in the upper position of the squat a bar loaded to 125% (or more) of 1 rep max would be placed at a position where the lifter had maximum leverage. This would be when the weight is about a foot below lockout.

The weight rests on safety bars. The restraint pins would be set roughly 3 inches above the safety bars.

The lifter gets in position, creates full body tension and then lifts the weight off the safety bars and pushes it against the restraining pins with as much force as possible for 3-5 seconds.

At the end of this maximum exertion, the bar is lowered back to the safety bars.

Because the exertion is so extreme, recovery may take 1-3 minutes between reps. The maximum overload is very taxing so typically only 3-5 lifts are done at any given position.

Isometric training requires full recovery between sessions, so typically it is used no more than 2 times per week with one day heavy and another day light.

Static contraction isometrics employs an empty lifting bar that is pulled or pushed against a static restraint with maximum force for 3-5 seconds. This is the version of isometrics that is done when the power rack does not permit safely lifting a heavy bar and pushing against restraints.

A 5-second trick to help overcome physical weaknesses.

As longtime lifters we gradually move into a mindset that divides the day into time when we work out, and time when we do everything else.

However, during the time when we are not working out, it is possible to do a few things that are invisible to the people around us and can help a lot in overcoming specific weak spots that we may have.

This technique is very useful when recovering from an injury as an additional form of physical therapy.

It is also useful to work on stubborn weak points in our lifts.

 

Example: Weak parts in the bench press

Everyone is familiar with the dreaded sticking point in the bench press when the bar is a few inches off your chest and you encounter a major point of weakness at the point where the lift transitions from one set of muscles to another.

This is the spot where most bench presses fail.

Building strength at this point is difficult when doing a full lift since momentum is used to break past the sticking point.

In the gym you can try to set a bar on rack pins at the sticking point and isolate the area where you are weakest.

Outside the gym you can build up your strength a bit at the sticking point by doing an isometric pose and generating maximum muscle tension for 5 seconds.

You can do this sitting at your desk.

Put your arms in the position where the sticking point occurs. Arrange the pose as if you were pressing off a bench.

Generate as much muscular tension in your arms, shoulders, neck and back as possible for 5 seconds.

Then relax.

You can do this neuro-muscular tension drill multiple times during the day and 98% of the time no nearby will have any idea you are doing it.

 

Isometric poses to work on weak spots

Doing isometric poses and generating muscular tension can be used to work on weak areas of lifts when you are alone at home or out doing some errand.

For example, you can practice mobilizing muscular tension in some part of your body when walking your dog, shopping in the grocery store or riding as a passenger in a car.

The key is working on developing neuro-muscular control so that you can more readily summon strength when doing heavy lifting.

This practice was one that old time strong men used regularly.

The more muscle control you have, the more force you can voluntarily produce.

Lift Big!

Richard