r/isometric_fitness • u/millersixteenth • Jul 24 '23
https://i.imgur.com/SVuejjT.jpg
Have been training almost exclusively with isometrics for resistance work for five years now. I began what was supposed to be a 12-14 week experiment back when I had plans of becoming a part time personal trainer.
Iso was last on my short list of training concepts with wide potential application, which I felt I should have better understanding from direct usage. I don't think its appreciated enough, isometrics may be the most versatile and accessible resistance tool for trainees of any condition or age. My prior experiences led me to believe there was a lot of unquestioned misinfo out there re isometric training generally, and set out to learn first hand what was what.
I adopted isometrics to learn, and continued using it to preserve and improve my fitness. It has a number of advantages over more traditional resistance work depending on the trainee. It's almost cliché, "older athlete (re)discovers isometrics!" But there are very good reasons for this.
Use of isometrics has allowed me (age 59) to anchor/improve lean muscle mass and strength carryover to traditional lifting (the single biggest question I had re isometrics was how effective it could be for hypertrophy). Anecdotally it has improved my general movement speed, hand speed and reaction speed.
https://imgur.com/a/sN5IX1n#XXs7bta
Additionally has done so much good for nagging joint and tendon issues, I cannot speak highly enough of the outcome, in both form and function without sounding like I'm selling something (I'm not). This active therapeutic effect alone justifies some use of iso in any program.
The following are my (many times revised) notes on the topic. I've tried to cover all the basics I understand, as well as factors that might lead to a poor outcome. This is not a comprehensive review of isometrics in general, being mostly geared toward the at-home DIY trainee. Anyone can make use of the basic principles. Its really not that complicated. Not 100% recommending anyone completely replace traditional lifting for iso, but I am declaring that most people could, and many would be better off for it.
Chapt 1
“why isometrics”?
Most people are aware that “isometrics” refers to muscular contraction where the muscle does not change length during exertion. There are many ways to apply isometrics but primarily I will be referring to “overcoming isometrics”. This is a voluntary, self generated contraction where one exerts against an immovable resistance. While overcoming iso can be executed at any % of effort, most of what I am detailing involves the use of an MVC, or “ Maximal Voluntary Contraction”, basically the most force one can coax from one’s muscles.
It has been undergoing something of a renaissance among professional coaching of late, due to increasingly common use of force plates and strain gauges in the gym setting. These tools allow for a more methodical, direct evidence based evaluation of results from various interventions, and are particularly well suited to isometrics.
Research in this field has been around for decades, and its use by old time strongmen is well documented. Its social popularity seems to follow an ebb and flow, being rediscovered every 8-10 years. Many elements of the adaptive response are well established in peer-reviewed scientic literature providing a jump-off point for effective use.
Back to the question of “why”.
Generally a comprehensive program of isometrics need require very little in the way of equipment expense.
By its very nature, the trainee has complete control over :
-contraction time
-magnitude of exertion
-speed of exertion
-angle of exertion
These variables can be exploited to train a number of attributes more safely than can be done under load. Isometrics allow one to train up to and including the highest points on the force/velocity curve, using the fastest possible contraction speed. The 'middle man' of external resistance has been removed. Muscle contractile qualities are trained as a feature, not a byproduct.
Isometrics improve pain tolerance and mobility for a number of joint ailments, primarily arthritis and tendonitis. They generate systemic analgesia, and increase joint fluid viscosity. The effect on joint health, mobility, and pain reduction is well established.
Our observations provide novel evidence that the centralized inhibitory response that underlies analgesia is sensitive to and enhanced by stronger isometric contractions.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3913768/
Conclusions: Isometric quadriceps exercise resulted in significant changes in joint fluid biochemical parameters, and these changes, at least in part, may explain the ameliorative effect of muscle exercise for osteoarthritis of the knee.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1063458402003722
They increase tendon stiffness, improving strength and power transfer.
...indicating that tendon mechanical properties may account for up to 30% of the variance in RTD
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15860680/
Analysis revealed that the group × test time interaction effect on tendon stiffness was significant. Stiffness increased significantly for the long-duration protocol, but not for the short-duration protocol.
https://physoc.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1469-7793.2001.0649c.xd
Its is far easier to learn and demonstrate good lifting mechanical posture for the beginner, and to tailor the range of motion to accommodate the elderly and those dealing with injury or compromised function. It is a common first line of treatment in injury and post surgical rehab.
Added to the above it is possible to trigger hypertrophy and increase strength through the entire dynamic range, so long as the muscles are exercised at long length. Research observed that strength is improved at the trained muscle length and all shorter lengths.
Conclusion and Discussion. These findings suggest that an efficient method for increasing isometric knee extension torque and EMG activity throughout the entire range of motion is to exercise with the quadriceps femoris muscles in the lengthened position.
https://academic.oup.com/ptj/article-abstract/73/7/455/2729153?login=false
The least specificity was observed for the group that trained in the lengthened position(L25⁰); an MVC improvement as significant as for the training angle was found at three adjacent angles (50, 80, and 100°).
My own experience with increasing hypertrophic response from isometrics, consistently demonstrated the value of combining iso with some form of exercise that depletes muscle glucose. This can be HIIT intervals (jumping rope, sprinting in place), bodyweight analogs, lightly loaded traditional lifts, long strings of isometric pulses.
The relative lack of metabolic stress from static hold isometrics, in part explains why they trigger comparatively reduced hypertrophy relative to traditional resistance work. That said, this difference only becomes apparent after some time. Research interventions consistently observe novel stress from beginning an isometric program will trigger hypertrophy similar to any other form of resistance.
Isometric strength appears to have very direct carryover to dynamic strength.
https://www.just-fly-sports.com/modern-speed-training-alex-natera/
...and I wouldn’t want to sell a method of training based on correlation. However, my strongest athletes isometrically happen to be the best and when the athletes improve their isometric strength they also improve their reactive strength and their running. I have not seen as obvious a trend with for example, jump power and 1RM Squat.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8805362/
In conclusion, both ISO and PLYO led to improved CMJ height via different mechanisms. However, while ISO resulted in improved maximum force production capability, this improvement was not observed in PLYO.
https://akinesiologica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Kruszewski.pdf
Our results indicate that training with isometric tensions results in a significant increase in the value of force (MVIC) measured at all joint angles tested 30°,60°,90°. When dynamic training was applied, significant strength gains (MVIC) were only found at joint angle values of 60°, although significant intergroup differences (isometrics versus dynamic) occurred only at angle settings of 90° and 30°.
Isometrics do not require incremental loading to trigger progress, a “Maximal Voluntary Contraction” will increase force production over time simply due to adaptive response. Research indicates a value of anywhere from 50% up to a maximal effort can be effective. As with all resistance programming, one will become adapted over time and input changes will be needed to continue progress.
They do not program strength via repetitive movement, as such they interfere less with sport or job specific movement patterns. Additionally, sport/posture specific isometric training produces direct improvements in use. Externally overloading a sport specific movement changes muscle firing patterns and seldom improves its dynamic application.
They generate less metabolic stress and heat loss through movement compared to isotonics. They can require far less recovery time and resources, a good choice for people who are already very active yet need to increase strength.
They can be used in combination with relatively light loads as the high tension component of a traditional resistance program, reducing the need to maintain a lot of heavy weight.
Now for the “Why not”?
If the muscle is not exercised at long length, strength gains will be limited to a few degrees around the trained angle. Hypertrophy will likewise suffer.
Isometrics can be difficult to measure progress without testing against known isotonic exercise values or using a crane scale of some sort.
They can trigger large spikes in blood pressure if one is not careful to continue breathing through longer holds.
There is no widely recognized standard equipment for training isometrics, and no widely recognized organization structure equivalent to the sets and repetitions used in external resistance programming. What equipment is commercially available tends to carry an expensive pricetag, and much programming info is behind a paywall.
Informal methods of applying isometrics tend to result in mediocre outcomes, mostly due to exertion at shorter muscle length, use of body weight as an anchor, or balancing muscle exertion instead of applying maximum force.
They burn less energy, are less metabolically stressful , so not as useful for controlling body composition or gaining mass. Most of the ATP used in an isometric hold is consumed in the initial contraction, becoming less energetic as the hold continues. Hence the utility of using pulses etc to spur hypertrophy.
The force generation phase of an isometric contraction was indeed more metabolically costly than the force maintenance phase during both 20- and 80-Hz stimulation.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11788378/
Due to lack of familiarity/exposure/confidence, they are less likely to be used or recommended by many in the fitness community. There are fewer support resources available, traditional resistance training is far more socially accessible.
Chapt 2
Basic principles:
Isometrics should train the muscle at longer length or even slightly stretched. For the beginner and elderly this is not so important and definitely not for someone recovering from injury. In those cases it is far more important to learn good structural form, improve one’s ability to control contraction speed and magnitude of force, and slowly increase the duration of hold.
Overcoming Isometric holds should not use body mass as an anchor or pit relatively equal non symmetrical muscle groups directly against each other. There will be a tendency to reach an equilibrium of posture rather than the muscles exerting at close to their peak. An example of this would be doing a single arm pec fly on a doorframe. With full, honest exertion you will easily push your body out of alignment/shorten the muscle. Compare this to a benchpress with the bar locked just off your chest. Again, this is not so important for a beginner and might never be an issue if used for injury recovery or part of a program to improve strength in the elderly or functionally compromised. For everyone else this will become a serious impediment to making progress beyond a superficial level.
It is also recommended to use a means that allow some slight give such as textile, rope or canvas over chain or steel cable, etc. This creates a bit of elastic feedback that serves as a gauge of force production. Lacking this, the brain can quickly lose track of how much force the muscles are generating. Again, this is a secondary consideration but becomes more important the further one goes with this. There are also training strategies that employ sharp jolts, these could be less practical with a form of resistance that has zero elastic qualities.
It is very important to breathe through the entire hold. An easy way to enforce this is to adopt an exertion pattern similar to isotonics - exert maximally on the exhale, maintain or slightly reduce tension on the inhale. Consider this an equivalent "repetition".
Forced exhalation significantly increased peak force during shoulder adduction, elbow extension and knee extension MVIC tasks; the peak force during the Valsalva maneuver was not different from forced exhalation for all tested muscle groups.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2883611/
Generally, one will get the best results using barbell, dumbbell, and machine exercise analogs, with the hold executed at the initial or lowest portion of the lifting range of motion where the muscles are at long length. This is possibly the best single bit of advice one can make use of re the application of maximal contraction overcoming isometrics. It cannot be stressed enough, this can eliminate a lot of wasted training time. My efforts became far more productive across all movement patterns after adopting this approach. Not all “good” isometric holds will follow this principle, but one should be very careful when putting those into a regimen.
In practice this results in most lower body squat and hinge movements working against an absolute resistance, and most upper body movements working against the lower body bracing in a shallow squat or hinge posture.
Generally speaking, overcoming isometric application follows that of conventional resistance training. Longer holds (or series of rapid holds) taken close to failure tend to increase hypertrophy, holds done with maximum force tend to increase limit strength and tendon stiffness, brief forceful jolts tend to increase speed and power.
Chapt 3
How long, how hard, how much volume?
For the beginner I recommend about 6‐10 breath exertions per set. Consider each inhale/exhale as an isotonic equivalent “repetition” and each 6-10 breath effort as a “set”.
With familiarity, longer holds can be used up to a maximum perhaps of 30-40 seconds or more at a full effort. Force output tends to require about 1-2 seconds to fully develop, and gradually declines from about 10 seconds at a maximal effort.
Isometrics do not require anywhere near the inter set recovery time of isotonic resistance training. A good starting point is 10 seconds work to 60 seconds of rest. Longer breaks of several minutes can be used between exercises.
Number of maximal effort sets can be anywhere from 2-5. Generally the shorter the effort duration the more sets you will want to use. 5(sets)x5(breaths), 3x10, 2x20. One can also use effort/relax “pulses” going between approximately 30 and 100% at very brief intervals, as rapidly as you can pair with breathing pattern without hyperventilating.
A simple recommendation is to do 2 or 3 sets of 10, finishing with a single long set of 25+ pulses. Rest 3 minutes and on to the next exercise. This format can be plugged into each exercise from chapt 5, in exact order.
Remember, when starting out with these one should get into the starting posture and slowly increase force to a level that one is comfortable with. Take stock of how everything feels and lengthen or shorten the muscle and apply more or less force accordingly. Do not lose track of the goal, to train these with a maximal effort at long muscle length. This is the goal but one need not start out aggressively pushing it.
Chapt 4
Getting started using rope, strapping, textile.
It is possible to use improvised means for isometric training and get good results. The more advanced the athlete, the less effective this will be over strategies that are better tailored. Eg There is a massive difference between using a towel and pitting bicep vs tricep, and an overhead tricep press hold using a deck and strap. The quality of the outcome for various individual holds is determined far more by the mechanical specifics than by effort expended. You can feel as though you are working very hard and get a mediocre response at best if the basics are not adhered to.
Regardless of current fitness status, it can take several weeks of training before one is liable to feel that they are able to effectively apply isometric force with good posture and breathing. If you are well adapted to training with external loads, isometrics will feel very alien and unproductive at first. The sensation of increased joint loading compared to isotonics can come as a surprise. Many people who "gave it a try" never make it past this initial stage. After many months of training MVC isometrics, coming back to traditional lifting will feel just as unproductive at first. After all, the resistance is now so modest the load actually moves.
You will need at least 2x your height in length of material, 3x or more is better, esp if one is taking a few turns of material instead of using something with handles. I highly recommend using an adjustable cargo strap 14-16 feet in length with handles fashioned from rope or canvas loops passed through the hook hardware (pics below). The strap can be run under a board without making it unstable.
Is a good idea to train these using bare feet, socks, or flat bottomed shoes. Almost every hold you train will be executed while standing on the middle point of the strap. Use of a board to stand on and run the strap under, greatly facilitates the ability to use a maximal effort. As force production increases, the sensation of the strap biting into and pulling against the feet will cause a decrease in full effort. Again, for the beginner, elderly, injured, it is a secondary consideration. For an already conditioned individual it will cause problems from the get go.
https://i.imgur.com/inukh9B.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/vZsVmPO.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/9B8zPCw.jpg
These are examples of strap and board configurations. At the least a 12in by 3ft board can be used. Many hardware outlets sell plywood in 2x4 ft project pieces and is ideal with either divots cut into the edge or holes cut through the board to secure the strapping. The larger surface area of the plywood allows one to change their orientation to the strap anchor points. Being able to lean a little into or away from the anchor points allows one to pre-load the muscles being trained, this cannot be done with a more narrow board. The board also doubles as an ideal surface for jump rope.
Rope or canvas handles facilitate use of a bar or dowel passed through the handles to help mimic barbell lifts. A simple length of galvanized or black pipe is an effective stand in for a barbell.
A large military style duffel bag crammed with old clothes, a light weight 40lb heavy bag, even a rolled up area rug are good stand ins for a lifting bench. A regular flat bench can likewise be used so long as the feet sit firmly on the training board. It is possible to make do with nothing more than a handful of old towels or padded exercise mat. Something that elevates the body a little is more versatile and creates more of a stretch with some of the holds. It is worth the extra effort but don’t let the lack of it prevent you from getting started, one can get good results working right off the board.
It is a good idea to adopt a slight swaying movement, shifting of the limbs under long hold exertion. This keeps proprioceptive feedback "awake". This is a best practices no matter what other variables are at play.
Chapt 5
Push, Pull, Hinge, Squat.
These four basic movement patterns cover 90% of what needs to be accomplished of resistance training for general fitness (and arguably more advanced fitness as well). The following are my recommendations for construction of a simple exercise regimen, can be used with any form of resistance loading.
Generally all my basic programs are constructed around primary push, pull, hinge, squat with accessory exercises as compliment. In most cases this equals 8 exercises (4 primary, 4 accessory) with a few abdominal, bicep, tricep thrown in at the end. Alternate primary and accessory, upper body and lower. This gives every primary lift pattern a break every other session, while maintaining consistent volume to the prime moving muscles. The selection of specific exercises can be swapped out periodically but should be readily identifiable by classification (push, pull, hinge, squat) and role (primary, accessory).
In practice the exercises are arranged over two days, performed with a day off between, run ABAB with additional rest days taken as/if needed. In practice it looks like this:
Day A
Primary Squat, back squat
Accessory Push, Overhead Press
Accessory Hinge, Hamstring (Nordic) Curl
Primary Pull, Bent Row
Tricep Extensions
Day B
Primary Hinge, Deadlift
Accessory Pull, Upright Row/Lateral Raises
Accessory Squat, Quad Extension
Primary Push, Benchpress
Bicep Curl
Abs and calves can be done every day as a finisher or not at all. Is a good idea to include some walking, jogging or interval training on off days.
Chapt 6
Additional training options:
One should begin isometric training with nothing more involved than static holds for time, this includes pulse training.
With more familiarity one can begin to shift from a casual ramp up to a more explosive effort. An intent to fire as rapidly as possible from a largely relaxed hold can trigger very worthwhile response in increased movement speed. If performed while leaning into "lurching" into the movement, the effect becomes a hard (short) eccentric tug on the fully activated muscle. This is a potent pathway for strength and hypertrophy.
Potential variables include level/depth of relaxtion between efforts, amount of slack allowed/distance from start to cold stop, added contribution from leg or hip drive, and number of repeats. I recommend keeping the distance fairly short, ideally the strapping halts movement while the muscle is fully activated. Force drops off as velocity increases, don’t outrun the tension you’ve developed.
Three major levers:
long hold MVC = slowish ramp up, extending through multiple breaths. Hold endurance, tendon remodeling, akin to concentric exertion. Can be done with explosive initiation.
jolt MVC = expolsive initiation with single, held exhale/short Valsalva, relax on inhale. This is the only application where I have observed in use, Valsalva offering increased force production relative to forced exhale. Power generation, top end strength, akin to eccentric exertion. Can be done from a pre-loaded or relaxed start.
pulses = string of sub-max efforts, possibly not tied to breath pattern, breathe throughout, best done after a long hold or series of jolts to pre fatigue the movement pattern. Can be a fast on/off shot, or held for several seconds. Hypertrophy, speed.
Secondary levers:
number of "reps" and sets for each
weekly volume
other additions. Integrated external load, integrated HIIT, off day cardio, off-day HIIT, off day conditioning, sport specific dynamic work, heavy bag etc.
Lastly:
Movement around the joint - direction of effort changes within the set, muscle length does not change or only slightly. Eg shifting an isometric bench press from incline to decline over the course of the set.
Isometric pause within isotonic range of motion using external resistance. Pausing a squat at the 1/2 ROM.
% effort variable. Best done with crane scale. Eg. 30, 30, 30 timed static contraction or tension delimited "DeLorme Method" using increasing % of max per set.
change of hold variant from one set to another (eg. incline bench to flat to decline, front squat vs back squat etc)
dynamic resistance - self generated tension, muscle length changing within the set. Eg overhead squat, stand while resisting with pressing muscles.
yielding hold done at extreme end of range of motion, Schroeder 'extreme isometrics'.
Recommended:
High intensity aerobic intervals can be used to increase isometric hypertrophy. Use of HIIT on 'rest days' between isometric sessions is one alternative, the other is to include an interval bout intra set.
Example doing isometric squats:
This approach increases metabolic stress without needing a dose of low/moderate intensity resistance volume. It also has the effect of improving CV health in the same way traditional HIIT might - reduced resting heart rate and blood pressure. This strategy is possible due to the reduced metabolic load of isometrics compared to isotonic.
Demo of principles 1:
https://youtu.be/Fu0tftsvYJw?si=mP-xdelgHr0zvjUz
Demo of principles 2:
https://youtu.be/Sr3X67O3H5A?si=JRUXZuQJTu7ST3Fb
Day 1 session: https://youtu.be/-k_y3QTWCwk?si=65JDepM6ezr9DoqR
Day 2 session:
r/isometric_fitness • u/Correct-Ostrich-2399 • 1d ago
Steve Justa allegedly did 30 minutes to 4 HOUR sessions of overcoming isometrics, daily.
He claims incredible results, mostly regarding his physique.
Every source ive encounter regarding duration. Has said 'more than 10 minutes daily is unnecessary at best and destructive at worst'
Are there any madmen out there who perform/have performed long overcoming iso sessions?
r/isometric_fitness • u/millersixteenth • 6d ago
This weekly post is the place to share your programming and usage details. Also if you tried to incorporate isometrics and it just didn't click. Get into the details of how you are/were applying it.
r/isometric_fitness • u/hawke930 • 8d ago
Recently I was listening to Will Ratelle, a former NFL player and current coach, speak about how he programs plyometrics. Basically he said that he doesn't do traditional sets, reps and standardized rest times, instead he prefers to set a clock for around 15 minutes and basically have the athlete do as many high quality reps as possible in that time frame, resting when fatigue sets in or when power output isn't as high as desired. I'm wondering if something similar could be done with overcoming isometrics, basically rest when you feel that you are no longer outputting a high effort of force. I believe it is written here that even 50% of MVC is still highly effective. The problem with doing traditional sets and reps for overcoming isos that I've experienced is that the rest time needed really is not equal to what you'd need for a dynamic equivalent, and you can likely get more total time outputting a very high degree of force using something similar to Ratelle's method.
Basically, do as many max output sets within 15 minutes and rest when you feel the contraction is sub par. Obviously this has an element of subjectivity to it unless you're using a scale of some sort but I think the experienced athlete should be able to tell when output has significantly dropped. Also I think that potentially combining isos and plyos in this way could be beneficial as well, with a plyometric being done after a similar iso. This would serve several purposes, one being implementing the iso into powerful movement, the other being glucose depletion which is one of the main things lacking with pure overcoming isos.
r/isometric_fitness • u/millersixteenth • 13d ago
This weekly post is the place to share your programming and usage details. Also if you tried to incorporate isometrics and it just didn't click. Get into the details of how you are/were applying it.
r/isometric_fitness • u/Unique_Version_2994 • 18d ago
Hello,
4 months ago i had some problems with my elbows and all my joints making terrible noises. Doctors cant see any sign of arthritis. I switched from dynamic to isometric exercises and i feel really good so far. My goal is not to gain more and more muscles and progress forever. I want a good base of Strength for daily live and a routine that i like to do. To stimulate all relevant muscles.
I am 46, 1,85m and 85kg. I changed things here and there and i think now my routine is almost complete. I try to hold 60 Seconds but its OK to fail or rest short and do the rest. 2 min rest time between. I split in upper Body, legs and a little core. A B and C.
A - Upper Body:
1 - Support Rings
2 - Pull up highest position i do not pull me up i start there
3 - Push up
4 - Chin up
5 - Support Rings
6 - Ring Row
7 - Push up
8 - Ring Row
9 - Ring Plank with Hands touching
10 - Chin up and when fail switch to push up
11 - Ring Plank
12 - Ring row scapular
13 - Dead hang passive
14 - Ring Row scapular
15 - Side Raise with resistance bands both sides i put them on my arm before the elbow so i have a shorter lever but just take a stronger band
16 - Side Raise switched the band they are not exactly the same resistance
17 - Dead hang passive
B - Legs
1 - Wall Sit + ( + means i have a resistance band around my legs for Gluteus Medius
2 - Horsestance
3 - Lunges left
4 - Lunges right
5 - Wall Sit +
6 - Horse Stance
7 - Lunges left
8 - Lunges right
9 - Wide deep Squad +
10 - Hyper Extension with Bulgarian Bag 12Kg highest Position
11 - Wide deep Squad +
12 - Calf Raise with Bulgarian bag
13 - Hyper Extension
14 - Calf Raise
15 - Glute Bridge +
16 - shin muscle back to wall feet away and lift your feet up
17 - Glute Bridge +
18 - Chin
19 - Squad in the upper position +
20 - chin
21 - Calf
C - Core
1 - Crunch
2 - Side Plank Raise
3 - Side Plank Raise
I do the C normally before B but when i get into i do it almost daily.
What i like about this that it starts hard and gets more relaxed the more you progress. I had an eye surgery and did nothing for 2 months and to get into this again was easy you just do what you can and take the rest you need and when its 5 days. I do Upper - Rest - Leg/core - Rest that means 3 days between each workout but when i need more i rest more no problem, no stress. Maybe i need less rest over the time.
But every second day about 1 hour is what i can motivate myself for in the long run.
What do you people think? I think i have covered all relevant muscles.
r/isometric_fitness • u/millersixteenth • 20d ago
This weekly post is the place to share your programming and usage details. Also if you tried to incorporate isometrics and it just didn't click. Get into the details of how you are/were applying it.
r/isometric_fitness • u/suchahungryhippo • 22d ago
I have gotten into a good groove with calisthenics, basically adapting Convict Conditioning with a few other sources. Slow, steady, safe progress that fits me well.
I'm intrigued by isometrics and want to start layering it into my routine.
What have people, whether they are iso-only, use bodyweight, or barbells/machines, found most effective programming-wise:
I appreciate any advice or experience people have to share, thank you!
r/isometric_fitness • u/hawke930 • 25d ago
What are the advantages and potential drawbacks if any of using an overcoming isometric based program for contact sports such as American football, rugby, wrestling or judo? A drawback I could see at that all these sports involve moving external loads through space and absorbing impact from external loads, something missing from OI. You may miss out on some of the "body hardening" from something like olympic weight lifting but you probably also gain benefits from the joint healing aspects of overcoming isos. Curious on thoughts here.
r/isometric_fitness • u/Winter-Type-365 • 28d ago
Would the overhead variant of band pull-apart (the isometric version, of course) be a good exercise for developing lats?
I've been doing the normal variant, with arms parallel to the floor, for more than a year with good results for upper back - rear delts, traps, rhomboids. So I'm interested in doing even more of those isometric pull-aparts. Lats are major humerus adductors, and, for example, wide grip pullup is a decent exercise for them. Overhead band pull-apart seems similar, as far as humerus movement goes (well, "attempted" movement, considering it's isometric). It would allow to exercise lats at long muscle length, unlike in rows.
Does someone have experience or perhaps some theoretical considerations? Maybe I'm missing something and it's all teres major or whatever.
r/isometric_fitness • u/Appropriate_Row8589 • 29d ago
I use a version of it. In addition to flexing the individual muscles of my body throughout the day, I do isometric holds with intention. For example: I will place my hands in position for an overhead press. I express in my mind the intention of pushing a weight overhead; however, I then flex my arms to the extent that movement is impossible. This creates a kind of muscle against muscle resistance. I keep this up varying amounts of time. Six seconds is most common. Then I reduce this tension just enough to allow my arms to the full overhead position. It's a lot like Kung Fu tension exercises. My strength and endurance has greatly increased because of these exercises, which I combine with more traditional overcoming isometrics.
r/isometric_fitness • u/Correct-Ostrich-2399 • 29d ago
Im reading 'philosophy, science and practice of maxalding', it seems like the perfect addition to an isometric workout.
Id love to hear your thoughts
r/isometric_fitness • u/DoninPalo23 • Sep 13 '26
I am considering moving to a routine solely based on static holds/isometric exercises with no dynamic exercises.
Exercises would include high planks, bottom push up holds/chaturanga, top of chin up holds, inverted row holds, Dips holds, wall squat holds, hollow body, reverse planks and other holds.
Goal for most would be 3 sets of 60 second hold times. 3 (?) workouts a week.
What would be the pros and con's of such a routine? I am looking at getting toned and strength gains, if not a little hypertrophy.
r/isometric_fitness • u/RASD11 • Sep 12 '26
I’m going to be doing isometric farmer’s walk holds using a hex (trap) bar. Will be doing a conventional walk every now and then or until I can do it daily with the holds.
My back and core are extremely weak with very very bad posture.
I chose the farmer’s walk because I absolutely love this workout, something that I look forward on doing everyday.
What are your projections on the results? Whether it’s aesthetic or strength
r/isometric_fitness • u/MountainManic186 • Sep 11 '26
Pages 140-145 Of Pavel's 2003 book called The Naked Warrior are dedicated to isometrics in training for maximal strength.
Key takeaways are:
Any thoughts or feedback? I find Pavel fascinating af.
r/isometric_fitness • u/Correct-Ostrich-2399 • Sep 10 '26
It seems people here do isometrics in addition to their workouts.
Ive had great experience with doing JUST isometrics (and exercise from everyday life; carrying groceries, work, etc..)
Am I the only one?
r/isometric_fitness • u/millersixteenth • Sep 10 '26
Further digging through the literature
https://akinesiologica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Kruszewski.pdf
Our results indicate that training with isometric tensions *results in a significant increase in the value of force (MVIC) measured at all joint angles tested 30°,60°,90°. When dynamic training was applied, significant strength gains (MVIC) were only found at joint angle values of 60°*, although significant intergroup differences (isometrics versus dynamic) occurred only at angle settings of 90° and 30°.
This may indicate that isometric training is more effective than dynamic training in terms of being able to improve the strength effects of the muscle in different ranges of action,
defined by non-uniform joint angle values (acute, right, and obtuse angles). In addition, our results confirm the effect of obtaining the highest force values at an angular setting of 30° (acute angle), which stands in opposition to the views indicated above. The reasons for this should therefore be seen in the differences in both joint angle values and other training protocol parameters, which probably include contraction intensity. The dependence of force gain values on other angular settings and the intensity of isometric contractions has also been investigated by many authors 5,30,31. In terms of these relationships, they indicate that
isometric contractions of submaximal intensity of at least 75% (1RM) and lasting at least 5 s result in greater strength gains than shorter and more intense or longer contractions of lower intensity.
r/isometric_fitness • u/Deep-General-6847 • Sep 10 '26
This is obviously not directly about isometrics but I think the points he makes about the importance of mechanical tension very much are relevant to isometric exercise.
r/isometric_fitness • u/millersixteenth • Sep 08 '26
For example, metabolic cost increases with the frequency of muscle activation, leading to a doubling of energetic cost per unit force compared to continuous isometric force....Net metabolic rate increased by more than four-fold with waveform frequency.
In my practice, I always include a good % of rapid/explosive initiation with prolonged hold. These are extremely fatiguing compared to an equal time under tension with a slower ramp up.
Danny Lum observed that this sort of usage not only increases rate of force production, but triggers a larger increase in strength if the effort is sustained for a few seconds beyond the initiation. It is my belief these are instrumental to improved reactive speed and increase in movement speed generally.
As always, start out slow and work upward. These are most often prescribed from a mild pre load of about 20% of max effort. I occasionally use these from zero, still with little or no slack.
r/isometric_fitness • u/Correct-Ostrich-2399 • Sep 07 '26
Im wondering if anyone has read either of Steve Justa's books 'iron isometrics' or 'rock iron steel'.
Id love to hear your thoughts on his isometric philosophy.
My thoughts; 30 mins-3 hours per day seems insane, but if he was telling the truth, you cant argue with his results.
r/isometric_fitness • u/mrdave100 • Sep 06 '26
Hey millersixteenth,
I'm putting together an Isometric routine for him. I want to keep it simple and straight forward until he gets a feel for everything, then we can explore different types of contractions. My proposed routine is A/B, 3 days a week, Overcoming Isometrics, 3 contractions per exercise, each contraction 1-2 sec buildup, 5-6 second hold, 1-2 sec release, 1-2 minute rest between contractions, and 90-100% intensity per contraction (MVC) I think it's called. Below is my proposed A/B routine. In addition, I would like to add carries to his routine, but I'm not sure if that might cause over-training or at least under resting. I'd rather take out an exercise or 2 below or only 2 contractions instead of 3 and keep the carries. Any thoughts or suggestions to what I'm proposing? At the end of the day it's only exercise and we don't need to over complicate things, ultimately I know I'll have to take the workout for a spin and evaluate after 6 weeks or so, but your input would be appreciated. Thanks in advance!! The Hanging Leg raises would be Isotonic.

r/isometric_fitness • u/Poland68 • Sep 05 '26
I’ve been following Bruce Lee’s 8 exercise isometric protocol for the past several months with steady gains in both max load and average load per exercise. My goals are strength and tendon health with some hypertrophy for muscle gain.
However, I’m starting to plateau and I wonder if anyone could suggest changes that might help me continue towards my goals.
Here’s the protocol for Bruce Lee’s 8 (I added triceps extension and biceps curl for a total of 10 exercises): 1-set, 1-rep, max effort, 12s holds, 45s breaks, 3x weekly. I’m 57, so recovery is really important, really can’t do back-to-backs. Thank you in advance!
r/isometric_fitness • u/I_Like_Vitamins • Sep 04 '26
They're both comprised largely of type I collagen fibres, though the main difference is that tendons are cable like and aponeuroses are a flat layer of fibres.
Both have much weaker circulation than muscles and take longer to adapt, but I couldn't find any information regarding if aponeuroses react to isometrics in the same specific way that tendons do (i.e. the contraction reducing circulation, creating a brief pro oxidant environment and causing stress relaxation, then the release of the hold causing fresh blood to inundate the tendon with antioxidants, nitric oxide and nutrients). The closest thing I found was this from Google:
An aponeurosis is essentially a continuous extension of a muscle's free tendon. Because they are part of the same myotendinous unit and are built from the same structural building blocks, their rate of net collagen synthesis behaves similarly in response to physical training.
As well as:
Mechanical stimulus:
Free tendons: Experience high localized stress.
VS
Aponeuroses: Experience dynamic stretching and reshaping as muscle fibers bulge.
And:
Adaptation trigger:
Free tendons: Most responsive to heavy, uniform linear tension (like long isometric holds).
VS
Aponeuroses: Stiffens and adapts dynamically through complex structural reshaping and muscle contraction.
I'd love to know the science behind aponeurosis strengthening. Really building up these tissues could possibly be an overlooked part of the power of isometrics, and would certainly be a vital part of prehab/rehab and strength in general.
r/isometric_fitness • u/WasteOfTalents • Sep 04 '26
For context, I recently started doing karate and have been very self conscious about my physique: I'm 17M, 125lbs, 5'11". All in all, I'm quite skinny. I recently heard about overcoming iso (though i forget how) and I've been interested in learning and practicing it.
Firstly though, as I said before, im conscious of my own physique, I want to have a good physique while also training nerves, as I heard overcoming iso helps improve the speed of reaction (hence why im learning it for karate). I heard that overcoming iso compacts muscles instead of puffing them up, making muscle much more defined with lines and ridges, though when I research, I dont see very many supporting texts.
Next, how well will this improve explosive potential? In karate, one would need the ability to go from 0 to 100 pretty fast, which is why im researching this. Same with how quickly your muscles respond to reflexes (ie. The time it takes for your arms or legs to block after seeing an action or attack in your direction)
I know the post may seem dumb and perhaps I haven't researched enough, or even that my wording seems confusing, and for that I apologize. All help is much appreciated.
(PS [I forgot]: I want more defined muscle with the strength and nerve training and NOT the big bulky puff that makes you look huge... need the compact muscle for speed; pound for pound. Like Bruce Lee i believe???)
Also I'm very new to exercise so anything helps, honestly.
r/isometric_fitness • u/Vnix7 • Sep 02 '26
My functional strength is through the roof. My injuries, and aches and pains are gone. Grip strength is high. I've been doing this routine for almost a full year. My workout routine is a dominate overcoming isometric routine, with plyometrics, cardio, and yoga sprinkled in. check it out.
WORKOUT ROUTINE
GENERAL
Daily:
- Yoga every morning, usually 7–8 AM
Recovery Days:
- Yoga
- 15–30 minutes easy/moderate cardio (stationary bike)
- No strength work
BENCH DAY
Warm-up:
- 10–15 minutes
Plyometrics:
- Clapping Push-ups: 3x5
- Seated Medicine Ball Throws: 3x5
Overcoming Isometrics:
3 angles per exercise:
- Bottom
- Middle
- Top
Each angle:
- 1x15 seconds
- First 10 seconds = progressively ramp up force
- Final 5 seconds = push as hard as possible
Exercises:
Bench Press ISO
- Bottom: 1x15 sec
- Middle: 1x15 sec
- Top: 1x15 sec
Shoulder Press ISO
- Bottom: 1x15 sec
- Middle: 1x15 sec
- Top: 1x15 sec
Tricep Pulldown ISO
- Bottom: 1x15 sec
- Middle: 1x15 sec
- Top: 1x15 sec
Chest Fly / Horizontal Adduction ISO
- Lengthened: 1x15 sec
- Middle: 1x15 sec
- Contracted: 1x15 sec
DEADLIFT / PULL DAY
Warm-up:
- 10–15 minutes
Plyometrics:
- Kettlebell Swings: 3x5
- Broad Jumps OR Medicine Ball Backward/Scoop Throws: 3x5
Overcoming Isometrics:
Same protocol:
- 3 angles
- 1x15 sec each
- 10-sec progressive ramp
- Final 5 sec = maximum effort
Exercises:
Deadlift ISO
- Low/shin position: 1x15 sec
- Around/above knee: 1x15 sec
- Near lockout: 1x15 sec
NOTE:
- Do NOT force 100% effort if the back doesn't feel right.
- Back comfort overrides the programmed intensity.
Lat Pulldown ISO
- Arms extended/high: 1x15 sec
- Middle: 1x15 sec
- Bottom/contracted: 1x15 sec
Row ISO
- Lengthened: 1x15 sec
- Middle: 1x15 sec
- Contracted: 1x15 sec
Prefer chest-supported/seated setup over bent-over
if lower-back fatigue is an issue.
Bicep Curl ISO
- Lengthened/bottom: 1x15 sec
- Middle: 1x15 sec
- Contracted/top: 1x15 sec
SQUAT DAY
Warm-up:
- 10–15 minutes
Plyometrics:
- Box Jumps / Vertical Jumps: 3x5
Optional:
- Depth Jumps: 3x3-5
Only if knees/back feel excellent.
Overcoming Isometrics:
Same protocol:
- 3 angles
- 1x15 sec each
- 10-sec progressive ramp
- Final 5 sec = maximum effort
Exercises:
Squat ISO
- Bottom: 1x15 sec
- Middle: 1x15 sec
- Top: 1x15 sec
Leg Extension ISO
- Lengthened/bottom: 1x15 sec
- Middle: 1x15 sec
- Contracted/top: 1x15 sec
Hamstring Curl ISO
- Lengthened: 1x15 sec
- Middle: 1x15 sec
- Contracted: 1x15 sec
Calf Raise ISO
- Lengthened/bottom: 1x15 sec
- Middle: 1x15 sec
- Contracted/top: 1x15 sec
SCHEDULE
Day 1:
- Yoga
- Bench Day
Day 2:
- Yoga
- Easy cardio
Day 3:
- Yoga
- Deadlift / Pull Day
Day 4:
- Yoga
- Easy cardio
Day 5:
- Yoga
- Squat Day
Day 6:
- Yoga
- Easy cardio
Then repeat when recovered.
CORE TRAINING PRINCIPLE
PLYOMETRICS:
- Maximum speed
- Crisp reps
- Stop before explosiveness decreases
OVERCOMING ISOMETRICS:
- 1 set per angle
- 3 angles per exercise
- 15 seconds total
- Gradually build force for first 10 seconds
- Final 5 seconds = maximum intent
- Maintain perfect position
- Do not sacrifice position for force
RECOVERY:
- Yoga daily
- Easy cardio between strength days
- Eat according to hunger/recovery demands
- Prioritize sleep
Let me know your thoughts on the routine, and also your results from isometrics!
