Isometrics can build muscle, speed and strength.

[Danioover9000]

   This my position, in most of my exercises isometrics has benefited me greatly in strength and speed, and toner muscles. I do, occationally do other types of fitness training, but the most I do is isometrics. Pretty good video below.

 

[Danioover9000]

 

[Danioover9000]

and

 

[Danioover9000]

   What a great example of isometrics strength, and speed, and great boxing movement and muscle coordination. I'm definitely guessing that the source of his strength and speed is isometrics, plus other factors in fitness.

   Of course it could be genetics and body compositions as well, but his build is very similar to Bruce Lee's, not as ripped, but for a smaller frame he's generating a lot of speed and power.

[Michael569]

Compound movements should not be underestimated either. Nor should exercises that do not contribute to hypertrophy but which rather develop mind muscle connection, speed and balance.  For the ultimate fitness one should combine different elements of exercise - compound and isolated - you need to be training all fibre types as well as you central nervous system. You basically want all of the below - that is if your utlimate goal is to maintain a decent athleticism into your 80s and 90s and not fall apart after 45 the way a lot of guys do these days.

• Strength - 
• Power
• Muscle endurance - 
• Decent lean muscle mass - as measured by DEXA
• Relatively low body fat content - as measured by DEXA 
• Optimal bone health and bone mineral density - as measured by DEXA
• Cardiorespiratory fitness - as measured by Vo2 Max and heart rate recovery speed
• Agility
• Speed 
• Flexibility 
• Balance

Edited July 19, 2023 by Michael569

[The0Self]

Training minimalism in any form can increase injury risk due to the muscles strengthening in specific (rather than global) fashion when training within strict parameters, such as overly-primarily using isometrics, or calisthenics. Generally you want to use both weights and calisthenics in a way that is challenging and produces real rather than artificial progression:

Example of artificial progression: adding 5 lb per session to 3x5 bench while needing to decrease pause at the bottom and possibly even widening the grip.

Example of real progression: 2x/wk 2 sets of 8 paused squats (pausing at parallel) for a 1 second pause with x weight, the last rep being very challenging, and adding 1 second to the pause every week until 3 seconds, then adding 10 lb and starting over at a 1 second pause.

 

But you want a wide variety of exercises and rep ranges ("training maximalism") to minimize mileage on the system. An example of a high-mileage (minimalist; poor) routine that still technically works all muscles would be just doing: squat, bench, deadlift, and pull-up for 5 rep sets. I'd advise against falling into that trap as well.

 

For instance:

Technically, the most effective reps/set range for growth (assuming 0-3 reps in reserve on each set) is indeed 9-15, however this does NOT mean that you will maximize progress with only this rep range, as you get hardly any CNS adaptations above about 6 reps/set once you're relatively trained (and you need CNS adaptations for maximum long-term increase in tonnage -- the primary driver of muscle growth in the long run), and you leave some more gains on the table by not training in the 16-30 rep range as well. It just means that if you want the fastest progress, the majority of the work should be in the 9-15 rep range, not the entirety. Consistent and careful exercise execution -- pausing/holding the stretch; same bar path each rep; controlling the weight on the eccentric; etc -- is also crucial.

 

The most effective isometrics are pauses in the stretch position in the midst of full-ROM sets. Also weighted planks -- though they are outmatched by hanging leg raises for growth.

You simply need a full contraction-relaxation cycle to maximize progress of either strength or size. Which is why the reverse hyper is so highly-regarded in the strength world -- it's one of the few exercises that do this for the erectors.

And you eventually want to choose whether to focus primarily on strength or mass, since the lower the systemic fatigue, the quicker strength progresses, and the HIGHER the systemic fatigue (up to a point), the quicker mass progresses. In other words: deloading necessary for maximum strength, and not-deloading is necessary for max size. This took me years to finally realize -- that strength and size are extremely different pursuits -- though for the first 1-3 years of hard training they're almost in lockstep... it's temporary.

Edited July 19, 2023 by The0Self

[Danioover9000]

   OMG, look at this guy's physique! From a mostly predominant isometrics training program:

 

   Another person with monstrous physique:

 

[integral]

Heavy Isometrics. 

[Forza-Spirito]

Isometrics can build muscles, but it's not very effective.

On 19/7/2023 at 9:25 PM, The0Self said:

The most effective isometrics are pauses in the stretch position in the midst of full-ROM sets

A slow eccentric (2/3 sec.) with a pause in the most lenghtened position is better.

I read that too much isometrics in exercises involving many muscles could raise the blood pressure in the long term.

Isometrics contractions build strenght, but it's very specific, they build strenght only in the exact position of the exercise (as in static gymnastics positions, you become strong only in that position).

 

[Danioover9000]

@Forza-Spirito

1 hour ago, Forza-Spirito said:

Isometrics can build muscles, but it's not very effective.

A slow eccentric (2/3 sec.) with a pause in the most lenghtened position is better.

I read that too much isometrics in exercises involving many muscles could raise the blood pressure in the long term.

Isometrics contractions build strenght, but it's very specific, they build strenght only in the exact position of the exercise (as in static gymnastics positions, you become strong only in that position).

 

   Yes, isometrics, more specifically yielding and dynamic tension types of isometrics firstly builds tendon/ligament strength, and the prolonged burn of lactic acid does do slight microscopic muscle tears in prolonged isometric holds. However, yes when compared to body building programs, especially other modern day fitness programs for building muscle size they are faster and more effective, but through isometrics muscle size can happen it's just longer. The main pro for isometrics is the strength and body's ability to recruit type 2 muscle fibers faster, and not build nervous connections, but better firing of the synapsis and this 'mind muscle connection' part.

   True, that isometrics can increase blood pressure DURING the exercise, but not before or after, and actually doing grip isometrics reduces blood pressure. Also, there is a 10-15 degree carry-over from the isometric position of the joint, leading to isotonic contraction(isometrics when muscle is shortened) or isotonic extensions(isometric when muscle is expanded). This also why it's suggested to do at least 2 more sets of overcoming isometrics on the isotonic contraction/extension of the muscle group you're targeting so that the strength carry over is more distributed. As always there's some degree of carry over, it's not only limited to an exact position.

   Another additional benefit of isometrics is for muscle recovery, or rehabilitation of the muscle post surgery from an accident when the range of motion is limited. Yes, you'll probably lose muscle gains and a bit of size in the effected part, but you can rehabilitate and maintain the strength of that effected muscle group. 

[Danioover9000]

   Sigh, I thought there wouldn't be a video worse than boxing science, but here it is:

   NO! Stephen Fulton wasn't just struggling because Naoya Inoue was slightly more technical in his boxing skills, but the main reason why he's able to dominate this fight was because part of his training, and maybe genetics, allows him to recruit more type 2 muscle fibers into his strikes, so he LITERALLY was faster and stronger than Fulton, while Fulton was left trying to play catch up with a faster and stronger boxer.

   Factoring in so many developmental factors like Spiral Dynamics stages of development, cognitive and moral development, personality types/traits, ego development, states of consciousness, life experiences, other lines of development especially health and fitness, rest and sleep quality, ideological beliefs indoctrinated, and self biases and preferences. All these big picture factors to more specific factors makes a boxer very dangerous, especially when they can recruit more type 2 muscle fibers than you could, given very similar technic base and muscle coordination.

[Anon212]

I used to be anal about fitness and I realized it was a massive waste of time. Now I do so some kriya yoga 7 days a week, and hatha yoga a few times a week.

I trained for 7 years and ALL sorts of programs and I used to base them on scientific studies blah blah...

Now all I do are five exercises. Deadlifts, Squats, Bench, Dips and Pullups. Now and then I add some calf and rear delt work. One day I do 3 exercises and the other I do 2 exercises and just 20 reps of each. I do HIIT 2x per week and I'm in the best shape of my life. 

[Danioover9000]

On 2023-07-29 at 6:19 PM, Danioover9000 said:

   Sigh, I thought there wouldn't be a video worse than boxing science, but here it is:

   NO! Stephen Fulton wasn't just struggling because Naoya Inoue was slightly more technical in his boxing skills, but the main reason why he's able to dominate this fight was because part of his training, and maybe genetics, allows him to recruit more type 2 muscle fibers into his strikes, so he LITERALLY was faster and stronger than Fulton, while Fulton was left trying to play catch up with a faster and stronger boxer.

   Factoring in so many developmental factors like Spiral Dynamics stages of development, cognitive and moral development, personality types/traits, ego development, states of consciousness, life experiences, other lines of development especially health and fitness, rest and sleep quality, ideological beliefs indoctrinated, and self biases and preferences. All these big picture factors to more specific factors makes a boxer very dangerous, especially when they can recruit more type 2 muscle fibers than you could, given very similar technic base and muscle coordination.

   How is it that almost every time I post a video, sometimes some person or group copy write strikes the vid?

[Danioover9000]

   Forgot to mention this man, what amazing feats of strength, and just weighing 140 pounds and height of 5'4:

 

[Danioover9000]

   What a fascinating story, coming from the realest place. Imagine being incarcerated in a level for aggravated assault and attempted murder, and only having some boxing, bare knuckled karate and wrestling for hand to hand combat:

   Great moral of the story, and why you shouldn't trust BJJ marketing and other fake martial arts.

[Carl-Richard]

Rack ? pulls ? above ? the ? knee.

[Danioover9000]

@Carl-Richard

On 2023-10-16 at 1:40 PM, Carl-Richard said:

Rack ? pulls ? above ? the ? knee.

   Not the only way to do isometrics. Horse rising stance hands down best isometrics exercises for powerful kicks.