"Tension is the stimulus and Isometrics generate a lot of it."- Paul O'Brien
Simple statement that hits the bullseye. Our muscles don't give a damn whether resistance comes from a machine, our own bodyweight, a barbell or even a band for that matter. The response comes from the work being put in. It responds to the tension.
When it comes to Isometrics, it hits hard in this case. Within Isometric Exercises, it stops being about moving mindless weight from one direction to another. You are the one that is deliberately building and ultimately maintaining the tension. Pushing/Pulling/Squatting by bracing and resisting at a stopping point or in other words generating force by going against something Immovable. Overcoming Isometrics if you will.
That's the beauty of Isometrics I love the most. Being able to create my own muscular force without relying on a bunch of equipment. Straps, Walls, Rails, Trees and my own bodyweight can be more than enough. Create the tension and make the muscles work with a vengeance.
There are way too many people who are conditioned to believe that when it comes to training, it only counts when things are moving or having some crazy weight on a bar. That's complete bullshit. Movement in and of itself is a tool, just like Isometrics is a tool and when done with proper application, can build powerful amounts of effort.
The big key word here is EFFORT!!! If you're just simply standing there like and acting like you're pretending to push or whatever, it isn't going to matter much. True value comes from the intent you put into a hold. When you perform an Isometric Contraction, you put real power and tension into it, almost as if your life depended on it. Put your mind into the muscles you're working and apply that power and force with pure control. Once those few seconds are up, let yourself relax and recover.
Isometric Training fits into practically any regimen or goal you want to achieve whether it's getting stronger, more conditioned, rehab/prehab, being more capable as you get older and even being more mobile. It's not a replacement of anything, but ignoring them because you were taught they don't hold any merit from some arm chair twig, makes you miss the bigger picture.
What it all boils down to at the end of the day, the muscles don't care about a gym membership or whatever equipment you use, the tension is what will get it done and Isometrics provides that in more ways than you may believe. Be amazingly awesome and get your ass going with some Isometrics today.
