Using Simple Exercises As Power Postures

           I have studied many aspects of training and one concept I have found very useful is the power of Qi Gong, not by moving but holding certain postures like in Yoga and building the body from the inside, creating that electric feel and Isometric Strength. Many people believe that to be really strong, you need to physically do something; lift weights, do tons of push-ups or squats or whatever which is all great but there is a whole other world, the world of being still. Jackie Chan once said in The Karate Kid “Being still and doing nothing are two very different things.”

            The key to understanding how to be still is not just holding but by your focus and your breathing; if you can’t focus, you won’t hold the posture very long. Your breathing is another factor, if you are a shallow breather, you won’t hold the posture very long. These 2 things cannot work without the other otherwise you’re not getting the full benefit of that powerful internal work of art that resides inside you.

            If you took a simple exercise and turned into a posture, it’s a whole different exercise. Let’s take the push-up for example; you can crank out a good 10-20 reps no problem, now hold it like the plank for 10-20 seconds; see how different it is and the way your muscles work differently? How about a weighted implement like simply holding a barbell overhead for time, pretty simple right? Wrong, there are many things going on in your body that you don’t realize, every single inch of your body comes into play and that’s where the real power comes in. My favorite posture is the Wrestler’s Bridge, being able to hold a position with my nose touching the mat, feet flat, hips and butt high and just letting the world pass by for a few minutes; after those few minutes, I come out of it and everything feels like the world was at peace where nothing is wrong, my body feels incredible and just smiling for no reason.

            That’s the embodiment of a power posture having that feeling from the endorphins and while you feel like a billion bucks, your body becomes stronger from within and your tendons just have this power of superb strength. With Power Postures, you open your body from the inside, building who you are and what strengthens you. The power of your mind has more to do with than just physically holding an isometric position. You can do this with just about any exercise, you can do it anywhere, anytime, sitting, standing or laying down. Learn some basic postures and you’ll see how powerful they are. 

Back To Isometrics

             It is of great value to practice Isometrics but also to practice pertaining to your goals. They are the key to tendon and speed strength and give you some of that extra juice of explosive power that can be beneficial to your training. It doesn't matter if you’re a lifter or a bodyweight enthusiast or a sports athlete, Isometrics give those little muscles the fire they need to burn through your plateaus and give your body a reason to be injury free. Many people suffer injuries because of weak tendons so why give them that strength to put us through life that can keep us young and vibrant?

            Isometrics when done right takes quite a bit of concentration and gives into that inner connection you have between mind and muscle. There are many ways to do them but when you do them right, it’s like a surge of electricity running through your body like very few things can and feels incredible. Muscle Control is a great way to do isometric training because you’re concentrating on individual muscles by contracting and relaxing. Certain holds or postures work as isometrics like in Yoga such as the Wheel Pose, holding Warrior 1, Cobra, these are examples of Isometric Postures that can gain you strength from within. Isometrics have been used for countless centuries and as we evolved we learned how to breathe during certain holds.

            Some of the simplest exercises can turn into a hardcore workout or a relaxing workout depending on what you do and think and feel. Think holding a horse stance is easy; ok try it out, squat down just a little bit hold your arms out and just sit there say maybe 1 min. Not easy is it? How about the push-up, most call this a plank but not what I want you to do. Most people put their forearms down and not use their hands, I want you to get into a full push-up position, back is straight, hands on the floor and the torso and legs are as straight as possible. Now hold for 30 seconds. Again, not so easy is it? What most don’t understand is that Isometrics build internal strength, the ability to hold a position without moving a muscle yet muscles are firing all over the place and in turn will build tendon strength.

            Your breathing patterns are going to determine how your strength proceeds. Deep breathing is the key to holding certain postures but when you exert so much force you won’t last that long. If you wanted to hold say for 7-10 seconds, what you can do is breathe in and on the exhale make a “sssss” sound as you contract as much as you can without hurting yourself, don’t ever hold the breath when you do isometrics, this can cause bad flow to the body and can result in injury. Breathe deeply into your exercise and experiment doing different positions, different exertions of strength, hold at 30% or less force so you can hold for as long as you want. If you plan on hitting 100% of your strength it’ll only last maybe 2 seconds because any longer can probably hurt you.

            One of the key strongmen to understand Isometrics is the legendary Steve Justa. He practically knows more about isometrics than anyone in the world maybe next to Bruce Lee but he knows things most people are just now figuring out yet he’s been doing it of and on for 20+ years. Check him out here and learn his secrets to superhuman strength using the power of Isometrics. You guys are awesome and deserve to be in great health and have great strength to back it up. Isometrics can be used by anybody and can be done anywhere and anytime, make it a habit to do some form of isometric training at least a few minutes a day. It is one of the key secrets to life-long health internally and externally as your body will begin to show definition and muscle you have never seen before and your strength will shoot through the roof. Keep up the great work everyone.

Isometric Conditioning

            

              I seriously believe and quite a few others believe this to is that Isometrics really are the ultimate anytime, anywhere fitness program. Why do I believe this? For good reason, you can’t really bring a barbell into a grocery store, you can’t really do jumping jacks in the middle of a movie at a movie theater and you certainly don’t want to be doing aerobics during dinner but you can do Isometrics during all those times and if you’re smart, no one will ever know. In reality, Isometrics give you that power you can’t get anywhere else and its fun to do even with simple exercises.

            When it comes down to it, Isometrics give you that tendon strength, the strength you need the most. Muscle building is great to do but it can only take you so far, tendon strength moves you far forward and the more you do it right, the stronger you’ll be in many areas. Sure it’s tough to find what to work on because Isometrics focus on that positional strength but with the right mindset, you can find a way to get that strength that will give you an edge beyond your competition. In sports, injuries happen all the time but the most common ones are on the tendons and it’s because they’re not trained enough, if they were the less chance you’ll get injured.

            Conditioning in this manner you won’t be able to get from much else because even though it’s different directions, you still won’t have that speed power. We all move in various directions but at times we get stuck in a certain position that is just tough to do, whether it’s from a certain number of push-ups, or that last rep in a Bench Press hell even curling a Dumbbell can be tough but if you worked on that tough position to gain speed wouldn't you want to get it going? Hell yeah you would.

            Isometrics go as far back as ancient Egypt, the golden era of Greece & Rome, Asia and other cultures around the world. One of the great examples of Isometrics was for practicing warfare believe it or not because when soldiers were preparing for battle when at a time when the Bow & Arrow was the most fierce weapon, they’d have men pull a bow they couldn't possibly pull hard enough to shoot so when they used the bows in battle, that pulling speed strength would have the advantage and can shoot faster than their counterparts. Even in Japan where Sumo Wrestling is as old as the culture itself, you’d have these big guys pressed up against pillars pushing and pulling for long periods of time and you wonder why they’re so strong in that position. Isometrics have a long and rich history that it’s almost forgotten today even though there are some things here and there.

              

            To keep the great level of Isometrics going today isn't easy but we can all take part in learning, showing each other different ways to do them and what can we do to prevent the wrong ways of doing them (trust me they’re there) and help others show the way to keep fit, healthy and vibrant throughout their lives at any age. This type of training is a healing form of training and can help rehab old injuries and build stronger bones, tendons and ligaments. You don’t need to exercise for hours on end, most you’ll need really is like 10-20 min. at best and you can spread that out throughout the day without having to do it all at once. Be open minded, learn and practice different styles to find what works for you. If there’s a way to make the world healthier and living a pain-free life, let’s help teach the wonderful and powerful ways of Isometric Conditioning.