Isometric Exercises & Training Guide

Can you get leaner, stronger, and faster without moving a muscle? The answer is yes. We’re talking about static strength training, or isometric exercises. 

Take the plank, for example. This static movement engages nearly every muscle in your body, including the abs, erector spinae, delts, pecs, quads, and glutes. Over time, it builds core strength and physical endurance. 

Earlier this year, veteran Marine officer George Hood has entered the Guinness Book of World Records for the longest time in an abdominal plank position. Hood was able to hold a plank for eight hours, 15 minutes, and 15 seconds. 

How many gym-goers can do that — or at least come close to it? Probably none.

Isometrics won’t help you bulk up, but they have other benefits. 

Increased flexibility, improved balance, lower blood pressure, and faster recovery from exercise are just a few to mention. Plus, you can use isometric exercises to pre-exhaust your muscles and challenge them into growth. 

Eager to find out more? Here’s what you should know about isometric training and how it benefits your workouts! 

The Science behind Isometric Training

Back in the 20th century, strongman Alexander Zass was able to break chains, bend iron bars, and lift huge amounts of weight with his bare hands. He attributed his performance to isometrics, which were a major part of his training routine. 

According to Zass, exercising against very strong resistance helps build up stamina and preserves your energy. Additionally, it’s a great way to hit your muscles from new angles that can’t be replicated by lifting weights. 

Isometric training has long been used by MMA fighters, strongmen, and gymnasts. Yet, it’s one of the most understand training methods in the bodybuilding community. The reason why it works so well is that it increases the time under tension (TUT), leading to mass gains. 

This training method consists of exercises that cause your muscles to contract without changing their length and the angle of the joint. 

Muscle tissue can contract in three ways. Bicep curls, for example, cause your muscles to shorten. That’s a concentric contraction. 

When you’re lifting weights, your muscles lengthen during the lowering phase of the motion. That’s an eccentric contraction. 

Planks, static lunges, and other similar movements cause your muscles to tense up. This time, their length remains unchained. That’s an isometric contraction. 

An earlier study published in the Journal of Physiology suggests that isometric exercises are just as effective as strength training for hypertrophy. 

This training method also allows athletes to recruit at least 95.2% of their contractile tissue during training, which is significantly more compared to maximal eccentric (88.3%) and maximal concentric contractions (89.7%). 

Over time, isometrics can help your other heavy lifts, like presses, pull-ups, chin-ups, and squats. Let’s take a closer look at their benefits!

What Are the Benefits of Isometric Exercises?

This training method is rapidly gaining popularity among gym-goers and bodybuilders — and for good reason. 

When used as part of a workout plan, it can make you stronger and take off inches around your waist (assuming that your diet is in check). 

Isometric training also speeds up recovery from exercise and injuries, helping your muscles heal faster. At the same time, it helps build strength in movements that engage large muscle groups, making it easier to break through plateaus. 

With isometrics, you can get a challenging workout at home or on the go. Most exercises require little or no equipment and can be done pretty much anywhere. 

As the Mayo Clinic notes, these movements may benefit those with arthritis or injuries. For example, if you have knee pain, you can still do wall sits, low squats, and other isometric exercises that strengthen the muscles around your knees. 

A five-week study featured in the Journal of Physical Therapy Science suggests that isometric quadriceps training may help improve muscle strength and function in people with knee osteoarthritis. 

Subjects who performed isometrics experienced a 33% greater increase in muscle strength compared to the control group. They also reported less pain in the knees. 

In another study, this training method increased muscle activity and reduced pain in patients with low back pain. Since isometric exercises are low impact, they put less strain on the spine and joints compared to weight lifting or cardio. 

Furthermore, research suggests that isometrics might be just as effective as weight training for strength gains. 

In a 2005 study, 33 men performed isometric exercises with one leg and conventional dynamic training with the other leg. After nine weeks, the isometrically trained leg was 5% stronger than the dynamically trained leg. 

Strengthen Your Bones and Core Muscles

This training method may also improve your posture and prevent back pain by strengthening your core. If you perform leg raises, hollow holds, squats, and planks, you’re already doing isometric exercises.

Crunches, sit-ups, and torso rotations can build core strength, but they’re harsh on your back. Isometrics, on the other hand, increases core stiffness while keeping your spine in proper alignment. In the long run, they may lower your risk of back and knee injuries. 

According to a 2017 study in the Journal of Sports Sciences, the effects of isometric training on core strength are noticeable after just one session. Certain exercises, such as isometric shoulder extensions, are particularly effective at activating and stabilizing the trunk muscles, 

Isometrics also promotes bone formation, states a 2000 study published in the Journal of Rheumatology. 

Women who performed isometric exercises for just 10 minutes daily experienced a modest increase in muscle strength and bone mass. Obviously, if you put more time and effort into your workouts, the benefits will be greater. 

Build Mass with Isometric Training

This form of exercise won’t add pounds of mass to your frame, but it can boost your strength and endurance. The stronger you are, the heavier you can lift. Eat clean, stick to your workouts, and the gains will come. 

When you perform isometrics, your muscles are trying to apply maximal force. As a result, they become stronger. Furthermore, isometric training prepares your body for heavy lifts, allowing you to generate more force. 

Clinical evidence shows that isometric exercises may increase muscle bulk, bone density, and total-body strength. They also protect against fractures and may reduce blood pressure. 

With strength training, you can achieve maximum intramuscular tension only for a short period. Isometrics, on the other hand, allow you to sustain maximal intramuscular tension for an extended time. 

Take bicep curls, for instance. 

Under normal conditions, you sustain that maximal tension for a second or less when lifting the barbell. With isometric training, you’ll keep your muscles under tension for three seconds or longer during the concentric phase. 

Additionally, this workout method isn’t energy expensive. Cardio, for example, leaves you feeling drained and can affect the rest of your training routine. That’s not the case with isometrics.

Below we’ll show you the best isometric exercises and how to incorporate them into your workouts for mass and strength gains. 

Let’s get into it! 

Isometric Squats and Lunges 

Depending on what equipment you have available, you can do isometric exercises with weights or bodyweight only. If you’re new to this training method, start with bodyweight isometrics and add resistance as you progress. 

Both squats and lunges can be performed with or without weights. 

For any of the two, stop midway through the range of movement and squeeze your muscles as hard as you can. Hold the contraction for about 30 seconds, perform the movement, and repeat. 

Breathe deeply from the lower belly and focus on activating the muscle you’re trying to work. This will help you develop a strong mind-muscle connection and maximize hypertrophy. 

Trust us, keeping your muscles tense for so long is more challenging than it seems. If you do it right, you’ll feel your quads and glutes burning. This type of exercise requires a lot of balance and body control. 

We’ve already discussed how to do squats like a pro, so check out our guide to perfect your form. You can also sign up for the squat clinic and motivational seminars hosted by Tom Platz. 

Whether you’re doing isometric squats, push-ups, or lunges, the key is to tighten up your muscles really hard so you achieve maximal voluntary contraction. 

Plank Variations 

The plank isn’t just for yogis. It’s actually one of the best isometric exercises out there. This movement not only builds core strength but also engages your traps, shoulders, glutes, quads, and back muscles. 

Harvard Medical School recommends holding a plank for 10 to 30 seconds or longer. If you really want to challenge yourself, do it for about two minutes. 

According to the same source, planks activate the trunk muscles to a greater extent than sit-ups. Strong trunk muscles may help prevent lower back pain and reduce injury risk by stabilizing your spine. 

Follow these steps to do a plank with perfect form:

1. Get on all fours, extend your legs, and bring your feet together. Rest on your forearms. Your body should form a straight line. 
2. Brace your core and squeeze your glutes as hard as you can. 
3. Maintain this position for at least 10 seconds. Repeat. 

Doing a plank correctly isn’t as easy as it seems. Common mistakes, such as raising your hips or looking up at the ceiling, can affect your form and lead to back pain. 

As you get stronger, try different plank variations, like the side plank, medicine ball planks, BOSU ball planks, and reverse planks.

Isometric Pull-ups 

Also known as static hold pull-ups, this strength-building exercise hits your back muscles from all angles while improving your balance. For best results, do it at the end of your workouts to reach muscle failure. 

Here’s how to perform an isometric pull-up: 

1. Grasp the pull-up bar with an overhand grip. 
2. Pull yourself up until your chin is above the bar. 
3. Squeeze your core muscles and take deep breaths. 
4. Hold the contraction for about 30 seconds. 

Raise your knees or strap some extra weight to your body to make the isometric pull-up more difficult. 

Isometric Bicep Curls

When you’re doing curls, squeeze your biceps and hold the contraction when the weight is at your chest level. Likewise, you can perform isometric curls with a towel or resistance bands.

Holding the barbell or dumbbells in a fixed position for at least 30 seconds increases the time your biceps are under tension. Use this technique for hammer curls, barbell curls, or preacher curls at the beginning of your training routine. 

Before getting started, see our guide on hammer curls versus bicep curls. We’ll show you the differences between the two and how to execute them correctly.

Supercharge Your Workouts with Isometric Exercises 

The beauty of isometric training is that you can use it for most exercises, from push-ups and chin-ups to squats and deadlifts. You can even get a total-body isometric workout at home or in your backyard! 

As a rule of thumb, aim for 20- to 30-second contractions. Squeeze every muscle in your body, relax when you’re done, and then start all over. Perform at least two or three sets of isometrics to reap the benefits. 

When done right, isometrics can help you get past your sticking points and supercharge your biggest lifts. Over time, they can lead to serious gains, greater flexibility, and a stronger mind-muscle connection. 

As we mentioned, isometric training offers a distinct kind of challenge to your endurance. For this, we always recommend our pre-workout Vintage Blast. Not only does it taste great, but its unique two-stage formula delivers steady energy and hydration that helps against the grueling burn from these exercises.

What’s your take on isometric exercises? Try this training method and let us know how you feel about it!