Underrated Workout Technique: Isometric Exercises

Isometric Exercises are gross. No one really likes them, so most of us just avoid them. But don't sleep on this less travelled route to gainzville!

Isometric exercises are done when you hold a position statically for a certain amount of time. The most common iso exercise you will see in the gym is the plank. You can turn any exercise into an isometric movement by holding it still at the point of most tension: holding a squat at 90 degrees, holding the bottom of a push-up with chest just off floor, etc..

Benefits of Isometric Exercises:

1. Strengthen and reinforce postures and joint stability

2. Effective for injury prevention and rehab

3. Improved exercise technique

4. Stronger in the weakest point of a lift

5. Muscle hypertrophy due to increased time under tension

2 Ways to add in isometrics to your workouts:

1. hold the exercise for a prescribed duration (no movement) Ex: 3-4 sets of a 30-60 second hold

2. Pause Reps (my go to) Do 3-4 sets of 5-8 reps with a 3 count pause on each rep. Ex: on your squats hold the bottom position of each rep for 3 "Mississippi"

Check out my tutorial below via YouTube and subscribe to my daily workout program!