Isometrics - Easy Senior
Exercises for Building Strength?
by Donovan Baldwin
First of all, what are isometric exercises.
Simply put, they are exercises that are done by, instead of moving
things, by trying to move things...that don't move.
In fact, that's what isometric means essentially..."not moving".
Years ago, a guy named Angelo Siciliano, created an exercise program
built around these exercises, which he called "Dynamic
Tension". If you have heard of him, you probably
heard of him by his professional name, Charles Atlas, which he legally
changed his name to in 1922. Millions of people from around
the world have participated in his program, and many of his pupils have
sworn as to their efficacy.
However, even more important, is that many years ago, research done at
the Max Planck Institute, demonstrated that muscle strength could be
increased optimally by following a certain method using isometric exercises.
In short, it was found that if a muscle fiber is stressed (tensed) to
three-quarters of its optimum ability daily for seven seconds, it would
grow at an optimum rate. Different figures have been thrown
out there, including one that "muscle strength could be increased as
much as 300% in only 30 days".
While what I have read, studied, and personally experienced over the
years convinces me that isometric exercises can be of particular value
to the senior exerciser, I don't really believe that you are going to
increase your strength by 300% in 30 days, no matter how hard you train
with ANY exercise method.
THE FACTS
ABOUT ISOMETRIC EXERCISE
They do work, but not to the degree that many, most of whom are trying
to sell some product or course would have you believe.
Remember that part above about "if a muscle fiber"? Well, a
muscle, such as the bicep, the pectoral muscle, or the quadriceps, is
made up of "bundles" of muscle fibers. When you exercise a
muscle, while the fibers ARE participating, you are probably NOT
working all to the same degree at the same time!
Additionally, many "muscles" are actually made up of two, or more,
muscle groups tasked with performing specific actions. For
example, if you do a bicep curl with your palm up, you are exercising a
specific portion of the "biceps muscle". If, however, you do
the same exercise with your palm down, you will find that you are not
able to move as much weight, and a different portion of the bicep
muscle group will be doing the work.
Add to this the fact that, as your muscle, again, let's think about the
biceps muscle, moves through the curl, different bundles of muscle
fibers will be stressed.
One common isometric exercise to develop the upper arm, biceps and
triceps, involves holding your hands in front of your body and trying
to curl one arm up (biceps - front of arm) while the other trys to keep
it from moving (triceps - back of arm). To effectively exercise all the
muscle fibers involved in actually moving either arm, you would have to
perform the exercise with the hands at different positions throughout
the possible arc of the curl...
...and then switch the positions of your hands and do it again.
The good news is that you only have to hold each resisting movement for
seven seconds. This is what many use to sell their exercise
program.
The bad news is that you will have to do this for the entire body, and,
to tell the truth, I would rather dig out my dumbbells and resistance
bands, do a few pushups and crunches, take a walk, and call it a day.
Now, keep in mind that isometric exercises DO WORK TO DEVELOPE MUSCLE
STRENGTH. You can use them to help you get
started with an
exercise program, fill in spots in a exercise program where you have
few other options, or as a means of getting certain aspects of exercise
in situations where you might not normally have the opportunity to do a
formal exerise program.
After all, NASA has taught astronauts how to use isometric exercises to
help maintain muscle tone and bone density while in a zero gravity
environment. Discplines such as yoga
and Pilates make use of
isometrics as a part of their conditioning process.
It's just that relying on them for all your exercise needs is not too
realistic.
DRAWBACKS
TO ISOMETRIC EXERCISES
You mean those weren't the drawbacks?
Well, you do need three different kinds of exercise
to be healthy and
physically fit...flexibility exercises, strength building exercises,
and endurance, or good cardio, exercises. Unfortunately,
isometric exercises only tend to build strength, so, if you are serious
about weight loss, for example, or simply want to be healthier, you
still need to do the other types of exercise anyway.
Also, static exercise such as isometrics is only an exact science in a
controlled environment. As you push one hand against the
other, you have no way of knowing if you are doing three-quarters,
one-fifth, or nine-tenths of what the muscle could do. You
cannot tell if you are doing as much as you did yesterday, less, or
more!
In fact, you could conceivably try so hard to move an immovable object
that you could injure yourself badly.
There's a lot more you could say about isometrics, both positive and
negative, but I'm going to stop here.
MY THOUGHTS
ON ISOMETRIC EXERCISE
I do isometrics in one form or another, including yoga, almost every
day. However, I have found that I get the most benefits from
them by making them a part of my overall exercise program. I
have also found that I seem to get results without having to "go for
the gusto" every time. Simply putting the muscle into a
stressed situation, contracted against resistance, for seven seconds
seems to work just fine. It will never get me to the
Olympics, but it does help to keep me in shape.
USING
ISOMETRICS TO START A SENIOR EXERCISE PROGRAM
This is where I believe that they can shine for the senior exerciser,
particularly if he or she has not been exercising regularly.
One site I have found which teaches both isometric exercises and
bodyweight exercises is a rather unique site called Animal
Kingdom Workouts, run by David Nordmark. If you go
to his website, you will have to sit through an interesting, or boring,
video show, depending on your point of view. Hang with the
video, and you will eventually get to see what David has to
offer. However, if you are one who is falling asleep watching
the video, just try to close the page and it will take you to another
page where you can browse David's products at leisure.
I looked at a lot of possible resources to refer you too, and, while it
is probably NOT the ultimate reference on the subject, Charles Atlas
being dead for many years, David's was the most comprehensive and
realistic that I found. If you find a better site on the
subject, please let me know.
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