Should you use your workout time to perform some isometric exercises? Actually, isometrics are quite versatile, easy to perform, and have a variety of benefits regardless of your fitness level.
In fact, depending on your physical limitations, they may be more ideal than many other types of workouts. This includes conditions such as arthritis, hypermobility, and various types of injuries and joint pain.
All it takes is a bit of time, keeping your muscles flexed.
What Are Isometric Exercises?
Isometric exercises are those that engage the muscles without actually moving them. Tension is used to build and strengthen those muscles over time.
An example of an isometric is holding a plank position. Although there is no movement in your core, your muscles are constantly flexed, burning energy and conditioning them. Instead of repetitions being used to strengthen the muscle, it comes down to time under tension (keeping them flexed).
Isometric workouts won’t necessarily improve athleticism, but they will strengthen the muscles as your body builds fibers to adapt. In other words, your body will condition itself to hold the position for longer durations, keeping joints protected while increasing overall strength.
For example, you could start with a set of three 30-second planks, three to four times per week. Over the course of less than a month, you may find that you’re able to hold the position for longer than a minute. This is because the body builds those muscle fibers to sustain the recurring and consistent activity.
Of course, strength conditioning is subjective to the individual. What works best for one person may not be effective for another. Create a routine that best suits your needs and fitness goals.
This includes speaking with your physician, especially if you already have physical limitations, injuries, or illnesses.
5 Examples of Isometric Activities without Weights
First, we’ll take a look at isometric exercises without using weights. A lot of folks will call these “bodyweight exercises,” as you are using your body without added resistance from dumbbells and the like.
However, you can always dial up the difficulty by mixing weights safely into any one of these exercises.
Plank
The plank is a relatively easy isometric exercise you can do just about anywhere. As long as you’re able to stretch your body across the floor, you can do a plank.
While holding a plank, it will affect your shoulders, core, quads, hamstrings, glutes, back, and triceps. Of course, this is the basic plank, as different variations will affect various other muscle groups. For instance, a side plank focuses more on obliques.
If you’re a beginner, perhaps it’s a good idea to alter the plank slightly. Instead of holding position from arms to toes, use your knees against the floor. This greatly reduces the amount of tension and is better for those with subluxing joints, at least until you build up strength and endurance.
Common variations of the plank include:
- Forearm
The “forearm” plank is perhaps the most common. This is when you rest on your elbows while holding the position for as long as possible. - Straight Arm (High Plank)
A “high” or “straight arm” plank is similar to push-ups. Instead of resting on your elbows, you’re in the up position of a push while holding steady. - Side
A “side” plank is just that. One side faces the floor, and the other faces up. You’ll use an arm to brace yourself, and most people lift the other arm up to the sky.
Wall Sit
The wall sit is another easy exercise that you can do almost anywhere, as long as you have a wall or a firm surface to lean against. Essentially, you maneuver yourself into the sitting position while pushing yourself into the wall. Then, you simply hold that position for as long as you can.
The wall sit will mostly activate your quads, but will also put pressure on the glutes, hamstrings, and calves. Your core and obliques will also activate to a lesser degree to keep your body firm against the wall.
There are many ways you can add more to this exercise to work on other muscle groups. For instance, I’ve seen people hold dumbbells straight in front of them for shoulder and arm development.
If you’re unable to pull yourself up from the wall when you’re done, simply let yourself slide down the wall to the floor safely.
Glute Bridge
The glute bridge is a very common exercise as it is effective in firming the rear. Essentially, you lie on your back, placing your feet on the floor, and lifting your butt up so that your body forms a straight, diagonal line from knees to shoulders. You can also do these anywhere, but it might be more comfortable on a carpeted floor or an exercise mat.
As the name suggests, the glute bridge focuses effort on the glutes. However, it’ll also work on the core, lower back, and hamstrings. You can do the Glute Bridge with repetitions, squeezing your glutes when going up, or you can sustain the up posture for as long as you can. It’s up to you and what works best.
If you want to add a bit more to the workout, you can always add weights. A lot of people will rest a dumbbell or plate weight across their hips to offer greater resistance. You can also add resistance bands to your legs or knees and push slightly outward while lifting your butt off the ground. This will add pressure to the thigh abductors and improve hip connectivity.
Squats
Squats are a decent exercise, but they come with a bit of a caveat. For one thing, your knees will need to be in great shape. If you have problems with your knees, you’re going to have severe problems holding a squat position for any meaningful amount of time. That is, until your knees adapt and strengthen through various exercises.
In reality, squats are probably not the best isometric exercise, as it’s very difficult to hold the position for an extended period of time. This is especially true if you have connective tissue disorders. Don’t get me wrong, they’re great for a lot of folks wanting to work out the lower half of the body. But in the beginning, those who have EDS and similar diseases might experience dislocations or extreme discomfort until they build up supporting muscle mass.
Squats are popular as they work out the quads, glutes, and hamstrings. But they’ll also engage your core, calves, and inner thigh, mostly for stability. The bottom line is that they are great for strengthening and firming a lot of muscle groups below the waist.
There are a lot of variations of squats, depending on individual needs. In fact, Healthline demonstrates 45 variations depending on your fitness goals. You could go further and hold on to dumbbells while performing the Squats, ramping up the difficulty and total workout. Yet, not all of these are going to be ideal for every person, as you’ll find some of them to be insanely difficult in the beginning.
Chair Pose
Out of the many isometric exercises you can do, the chair pose (utkatasana) is probably among the easiest. It’s often used in yoga practices due to its strengthening and conditioning. The pose is similar to a squat, but you don’t go down nearly as far, and it is sustainable for longer periods. The chair pose is also gentler on joints while providing similar results to the squat.
Essentially, you’re moving your body into a position just before you’re sitting in a chair, hence the name. In fact, for beginners and those with joint issues, it’s probably not a bad idea to do the exercise above a chair in the event you can’t hold yourself up. Then, it’s a short trip to a sitting position instead of on the floor.
So, this exercise is kind of like a cross between a squat and a wall sit. In fact, both are variations of the chair pose with slight variations of body positioning. And if you want to increase the difficulty or deliver more of a workout, hold on to dumbbells while reaching up or out.
The chair pose helps tone the quads, glutes, and calves while also helping the spine and abdominal muscles to keep you balanced. Of course, this also depends on how far forward you lean. You want to lean enough to work out the core, but not too much as to tip yourself over.
5 Examples of Isometric Activities with Weights
Now, let’s take a look at some isometric exercises that will utilize weights. Keep in mind that most of these are often used as repetitive exercises. However, just holding the weight in position will offer tension over time, which is what we’re looking for at the moment.
Lateral Raises
Lateral raises are when you lift weights to either side while holding your arms out, as if you’re flapping wings. However, you can turn these into isometric workouts by lifting the weight and then holding it in position for 20 to 30 seconds.
This exercise focuses on conditioning the lateral deltoids, which are the center muscles of your shoulders. You’ll also activate the posterior and anterior deltoids for both lifting and stability. To a lesser degree, the exercise also activates the traps, serratus anterior muscles (under the chest, near the armpit), and your core while keeping balance.
The lateral raise is often one of the go-to exercises for building bigger and wider shoulders. You can do them with either dumbbells or you can use one of the cable machines at your local gym. Either way, turn it into an isometric workout by keeping the position flexed.
Military Press
A military press is when you hold your arms up, out to your sides at a 90-degree angle, while holding onto a weight. Then, you push up toward the sky, and then back down to the starting position for a single rep. It’s a common exercise that I’ve seen a lot of folks perform at the gym.
To make it an isometric exercise, hold the position about halfway as you’re reaching up. This puts tension on the deltoids (shoulder), upper chest, and triceps. To a lesser degree, the military press will also work out your core (stability) and traps.
Since you want to work on time under tension, it’s best that you use a lighter weight. You don’t want your muscles to give in while holding something heavy above your head. Remember, we’re trying to be healthy and safe while working out. So, just say no to ego lifting!
Bicep Curl
The bicep curl is probably one of the most common exercises out there. Essentially, you hold onto a weight, holding it in front of you. Then, you lift the weight up toward your shoulder and back down again for a single repetition.
Turning this into an isometric workout is relatively simple: just hold the weight at the halfway mark to your shoulder. Your arm should be bent at about a 90-degree angle, which is roughly the apogee of the flex.
I usually do an isometric bicep curl while using resistance bands. Mine are set to simulate 45 pounds, but you can get them in a variety of “weights” for relatively cheap from places like Five Below or even on Amazon. Some resistance sets allow you to add even more weight if you want to dial up the effort later on.
Tricep Kickback
As the name implies, the tricep kickback is a great exercise for those looking to improve arm strength. In fact, I’ve seen a lot of folks use the tricep kickback in conjunction with bicep curls to promote an overall workout for the arms.
Placing your upper arm at a horizontal angle from the floor, you lift the weight backward. This puts focus on the triceps as you’re trying to keep your arm completely straight. Instead of a repetition, hold the weight in place for your preferred time.
As we’re working on an isometric activity in this post, I suggest starting with lighter weights until you feel comfortable enough to dial it up a bit. Even one pound can seem like an awful lot to beginners when holding it for 60 seconds.
Hip Abduction with Bands
Hip abductions are great for those who need to improve the support of the hip joints. By using a band, you essentially spread your legs and hold the position. You can find various styles of bands to add greater resistance while flexing your abductors.
Hip abductions strengthen the outer hip, pelvis, and glute muscles. Essentially, the abductors stabilize the pelvis while performing various activities that involve movement, such as walking or running. So, for those who have joint subluxation in their hips, abductions are great for enhancing mobility.
There are many ways you can do hip abductions with a band. You can lie on your side on the floor and lift one leg up off the ground. You can sit in your favorite chair and spread both legs, some will incorporate them during glute bridges (as I mentioned earlier), and you can incorporate them into a myriad of exercises that I haven’t mentioned in this post.
As long as you can safely move your legs outward with the band, you can add abductions to just about anything. Why not perform an isometric bicep curl while also doing hip abductions while sitting in a chair?
Benefits of Isometric Exercises
Although you’re not focusing on repetitions, a static hold has a lot of benefits for health and fitness. As I said earlier, you’re not going to Hulk out with isometrics. However, they will contribute to a variety of developments in your body.
Some of the benefits of isometric workouts include:
- Improving overall strength and definition
- Enhancing muscle endurance
- Improving joint health and mobility
- Being gentler on those who have arthritis, injuries, or diseases that promote joint subluxation
- Boosting stability through core strengthening
- Promoting lower blood pressure
- Being generally safer compared to repetitive workouts
- Being easily scalable according to your specific needs and wants
- Enhancing bone density
- Reducing chronic pain issues
Use Gym Machines for Isometric Exercises
If you don’t have weights at home, you can always use the exercise machines at your local gym. This is actually a bit of a safer environment for isometric workouts, as the machines will help you retain proper posture when using them while reducing the risk of dropping weights.
For instance, you’re not going to hurt yourself should you lose your grip on the handles of a bicep curl machine. The worst that will happen is that the weights will slam together, which will be quite loud. Nonetheless, you won’t be injured or break any of your furniture using a machine at the gym.
Exercise machines are also great for beginners, as you can reduce the weight all the way to zero to start. You’ll develop muscle memory for proper posture for the workout, and you can increase the weight at your leisure. The best part is that most of the mainstream gyms have a wide assortment of weight machines that you can use for isometric exercises. This includes everything from your traps to your calves (virtually, head to toe).
When using a new machine, make sure you’re using it properly. Look up the machine on Google or YouTube to see how to use the unit. Places like Planet Fitness will have QR codes on the machine itself that take you to videos you can watch on your phone.
The bottom line is that using a machine improperly can lead to severe injury. You’re not an ego lifter. Be mindful of what you’re doing and understand how the machines work.
Almost Any Exercise Can Be an Isometric Activity
In reality, almost any exercise can turn into an isometric workout. The bottom line is that you’re working on time under tension. As long as you’re holding a position under strain, that is an isometric exercise.
The trick is to do so without causing harm to yourself. For instance, I saw how one expert was describing how to turn bench presses into an isometric exercise by holding the barbell in mid-rep. What happens if your arms become too exhausted to push the weight back up, and you’re alone?
It’s always better to be safe, even if that means using a much lighter dumbbell for certain workouts or starting with a low time frame for holding a position. You’re only in competition with yourself, so start slow to find your personal baseline. If that means you can only hold a plank for five seconds, so be it. After a bit of time, you’ll easily pass that personal best.
You’re not going to turn yourself into The Incredible Hulk with isometric exercises. There is absolutely no reason to crank up the weight to try to hold it longer, especially in the beginning. So, use lighter weights to start and let them help you increase the time under tension.
The point of isometric workouts is to develop stamina and stability while improving the strength of the muscles in the areas worked, especially around the joints. This makes isometric activities ideal for those who have connective tissue disorders.
Finding a good exercise or alternative comes down to what you want to work on and creating a safe method to do so. Remember, isometrics isn’t about the number of reps or how much you’re pressing. It’s all about the amount of time you’re holding that position.
Consistency is Key
Consistency is important when exercising. That’s how the body develops muscle and endurance. The more active you remain consistently, the more your body will adapt. This means building more muscle and utilizing everything from nutrients to oxygen more efficiently.
The human body is quite an amazing piece of hardware, really. It’ll continue to adapt according to how much you lift or how often you work out. For example, those who focus on cardio workouts three to five times per week may notice improved lung capacity and muscle oxygenation after a few weeks.
How long does it take to see results with isometric exercises? That depends on how consistent you are throughout the week. It also depends on the type of workouts you’re doing, as well as whether you’re adding weight lifting into the mix. But some experts state you should start feeling the effects of workouts after 2 to 4 weeks of consistently working out.
How often should you work out during the week? Again, it depends on your needs and wants. It’s advised to work out two to three times per week for general fitness. These sessions should be less than 20 minutes long, focusing on about three sets of 20 to 60 seconds for each exercise with a 20 to 30-second rest period in between.
Since everyone is different with varying physical needs and wants, you’ll have to do some trial and error to see what fits best for your specific situation. Just make sure you’re not overdoing it. Pushing yourself too hard, especially in the beginning, can cause a great deal of discomfort and pain later on. Not to mention increasing the risk of injury.
What About Those with Ehlers-Danlos?
Those who suffer from Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (and many other diseases) often have muscle subluxations. This is when joints occasionally slip partially out of place, even from the slightest movements. It’s caused by poor connective tissues and poor muscle control.
Essentially, it’s far easier for someone with EDS to dislocate a shoulder, hip, or even ribs.
This means you should start slowly. Pushing yourself too hard right from the get-go can cause even more issues later on, or even a serious injury or two. You don’t want to be in the middle of a 90-pound lat pull-down at the gym and have your shoulder pop out of the socket.
Always speak to your primary care physician or EDS specialist to ensure isometric exercises are right for you. Generally speaking, though, isometric exercises are great for EDS treatment and are ideal for those with other hypermobility conditions.
What Isometric Exercise Is Your Favorite?
There are a lot of great isometric exercises, and I am partial to those that are easy to include dumbbells, especially as I get older and it takes more effort to move my limbs. However, I’ve been a fan of planks since I started doing them in 2014.
At the end of the day, though, isometric workouts are great for beginners. They are easy to do just about anywhere and put less strain on your joints while conditioning the surrounding muscles.
Remember, it’s all about time under tension. Even holding a 20-pound tub of cat litter for 20 seconds is an isometric exercise.
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