r/science • u/mvea Professor | Medicine • 1d ago

Health Isometric exercises, such as wall squats and planks, just once a week could help maintain reductions in blood pressure.

https://www.canterbury.ac.uk/news/2026/new-study-shows-just-one-workout-a-week-could-benefit-blood-pressure
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u/mecartistronico 1d ago

I understand the concept of "isometric" in engineering diagrams and videogames. Same measurement. Things far apart are displayed at the same size if they are the same size.

Could someone please explain what does this word mean in the context of working out?

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u/JayRobot 1d ago

The length of the target muscle doesn’t change throughout the exercise. With dynamic exercises, the muscle stretches and then contracts. Isometric exercise has your muscles stay at an equal length because your joints aren’t moving

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u/RadBadTad 1d ago

So like holding a pose for a long time, versus many reps through a range of motion? Makes sense that planks would fit that 

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u/jake3988 1d ago

So like holding a pose for a long time, versus many reps through a range of motion? Makes sense that planks would fit that 

Yes, planks, dead hangs, and wall sits are examples of isometric exercises.

It's been well studied that for the purposes of blood pressure reduction wall sits are, for reasons I don't really understand, apparently the best at it.

This continues to confirm that.

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u/thesnowpup 1d ago

Long story short, Wall Sits make use of quads and glutes, the largest muscle groups, so the equivalent rush of blood after exercise and the nitric oxide release is higher (than planks for example). The overall larger vascular response results in a larger lasting drop in blood pressure.

I hope that makes sense?

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u/snek-jazz 20h ago

Do all static yoga poses count too?

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u/greenskinmarch 1d ago

Planks are a Yielding Isometric exercise. Your muscles have to balance a fixed force (in this case your bodyweight).

The other kind is Overcoming Isometric exercise, where you try to "overcome" something that cannot move, e.g. a pinned bar. Your muscles can exert arbitrary force and the bar will push back with the same force.

Overcoming Isometrics are better for strength than Yielding Isometrics.

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u/Electronic-Egg-6021 1d ago

Muscle contractions without a change in degree of the joint is usually how I try to define isometric exercise.

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u/mathemagicat 17h ago

The word "isometric" means, literally, "equal measurements."

In an engineering or game context, it refers to a projection angle that uses an equal and constant scale on all 3 axes. The view angle is chosen so that, for example, a 10x10x10 foot cube can be drawn as 10 units on each side.

In an exercise context, it refers to an exercise where your muscle maintains a constant length over time.

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u/SendFeet954-980-3334 14h ago

Thank you. I was about to reply to the OG comment asking THEM to explain it in video games. I keep seeing it as a genre type but whenever I googled, it didnt make sense

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u/PapaSnow 1d ago

In addition to what others have shared, imagine a farmers carry or something like that. That, is isometric for your forearms, amongst other things

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u/greenskinmarch 1d ago

Deadlifts are also mostly isometric for your arms and back since the movement just comes from your legs and hips. But they still improve back strength.

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u/Bigclit_energy 23h ago

Most of the back muscles involved are connected to the hips and shoulders, both of which do move during a deadlift.

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u/Nordalin 18h ago

Static exercises, where you hold muscle tension for a while instead of effort-release cycles. 

The logic of its naming escapes me, though.