Isometric Contraction

Isometric Contraction: Isometric exercise, or isometric sis a particular type of exercise where muscle length and joint angle are not changed during the contraction of the muscle.  The exercise is performed in a static position, either again an immovable force (such as a wall) – called overcoming isometric, or an opposing force is applied which the muscle must overcome (such as holding a weight) – called yielding isometric.

Types of Isometric Contraction

Overcoming isometric exercise when doing a bench press could be demonstrated by pushing the weight bar up against the underneath of the safety support on a power lifting frame (an immovable force), and a yielding isometric would be performed by holding the bar at a given point even though it is able to be lifted higher.

Why is isometric contraction training so effective?

The point to this type of exercise is simple – the brain makes use of as few muscle fibres as it can do, to overcome whatever force it needs to.  When you are weight training, this is why it takes a number of repetitions to completely tire, as the muscle fibres are gradually tired out, and new ones are brought into play.  Failure is the point where there are no capable muscle fibres left.

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Isometric contraction in effect causes all muscle fibres to come into play immediately.  The reason that this occurs is because the brain gradually activates muscle fibres to apply a force and move an object.  If the object does not move, the brain applies more fibres to the task, until all are involved.  When all muscle fibres are involved there is a potential for the largest amount of muscle growth.

Isometric Contraction – An interesting study

During World War I, a large number of soldiers were being injured, so a study was commissioned to see how long a limb could be completely immobilised before that limb started to atrophy, and was rendered useless.  The study was simple – to take some frogs, and immobilise one leg completely using an immovable object, such as a splint.  The other leg was left to move freely.

The expected outcome of this test was that the immobile leg would become thinner and atrophy, but what happened instead was the complete opposite.  When released the frogs leg that was immobile was stronger than the free one, largely due to the fact that the leg was constantly straining against an immovable object is an isometric contraction, and all the fibres in the frogs leg were activated through this process.  Once release the frogs were unable to jump evenly due to the imbalance between the strength of the legs.

Isometric Contraction – Build muscles fast

Aside from testing frogs, it has been shown that isometric contraction, when used as part of a training routine have been shown to have increases of as much as 5% in one week, and in one test, the doctor reported increases of 300%.

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Isometric Contraction – Is that all I need to do?

Isometric contraction is an exercise that is not performed throughout the full range of motion of the limb, and therefore is not recommended to be used 100% of the time.  The benefits that are seen from performing full range of motion exercises, as well as stretching, eating a good diet will all explode your progress toward total fitness, and a much more healthier and stronger you.