Isometric Training (from River Weekly 3.6)

Another proven method of training without the amenities of the gym is isometric training. Isometric exercises are static exercises, meaning that the angle of the joint and the length of the muscle do not change throughout the exercise, but the intensity of resistance may. Basically, you’re either pressing, pulling, etc against a fixed object (the wall, a bar, etc) or holding your body in a static position (weights can be used for this).

The primary benefit of isometric training is obvious: you don’t need a gym. Isometric training also offers excellent strength gaining benefits. Though you don’t develop strength in a full range of motion with isometric exercises, as you do in dynamic exercises, isometric exercises are much better than dynamic at increasing maximum strength at the particular joint angle.

What does that mean? It means that, isometric exercises will get you stronger in whatever pose or position you practice them. For example, if you are doing a wall sit, which is an isometric exercise, you will get stronger at the angle at which you are sitting.

Keeping this in mind, you must realize that in doing isometric training, it is important to change the angle of the exercise. Again, let’s use wall squats as an example. In order to get stronger at a full range of motion, you must perform the isometric exercise at a variety of angles—low, mid-low, mid, mid-high, high.
Now that we have the basics of isometric exercises down, let’s highlight some exercises. We’ll start at the top and move down. Shoulders—a great one for the shoulders is the hand stand. If you can’t balance yourself, do a handstand with your feet on a wall, and again remember to change the angle at which you hold the headstand.

Hanging from a pull-up bar will work the back, biceps and shoulders. To hit the biceps harder, change your grip to an underhand position. Placing your hands further apart will really hone in on those lats.

For the chest and triceps, you can hold yourself in either the pushup or dip (or bench dip) position. Both exercises will work both muscle groups. The pushup position will focus most of the load on the chest, while the dip position will focus most of the load on the triceps.

The dying cockroach is a great isometric ab exercise. Basically all you’re doing is holding yourself in a pike position. The thinker (some call it the bridge) is also a good one for your abs as well as your lower back.

As I said earlier, wall sits are a great isometric exercise. These will give you a good burn in your legs, especially your quads. Holding yourself in a hamstring bridge position (on your back, knees bent at a 90 degree angle, butt off the ground) will also work the legs, more specifically, the hamstrings and glutes.

You can also do isometric exercises by pressing against a stationary object. For example, get a sturdy base and press against the wall in a pushup position, as if you were trying to move it. Hold that position for a while, and you’ll begin to feel the burn in your chest and arms.