Isometrics: Get in Shape without Moving a Muscle (guest post)

Isometrics are a method of training where you squeeze your muscles without moving.

Think about pushing against a wall, or holding a plank. There is no movement, but your muscles are definitely working.

There are 2 types of isometrics:

Yielding isometrics.Overcoming isometrics.

In yielding isometrics you’re trying to prevent motion. Think about a plank or a wall sit (remember that exercise your 8th grade gym teacher made you do?). You’re trying not to move.

In overcoming isometrics, you’re trying to cause motion. Think about pushing against a wall.

The Benefits of Isometrics

Isometrics have a number of advantages:

They don’t require any equipment. How’s that for not having any excuse not to exercise?They don’t require much time.They don’t cause muscle soreness to nearly the same extent as “regular” exercise. Muscle soreness is caused primarily by lowering weights. For example, when you’re doing curls, it’s on the way down where most of the muscle “damage” occurs. Since with isometrics, there is no movement, the muscle damage is minimal. It may feel uncomfortable while you’re doing it, but very little soreness comes of it.You can get very strong very fast. Because there is such intense focus on a very specific point, strength improves very quickly… but it also plateaus quickly (usually in 3-8 weeks).

The Drawbacks of Isometrics

It’s tough to maintain your motivation. With “normal” exercises, you can quantify the amount of weight you used. So at least part of the motivation that comes from lifting weights is getting stronger. You know you get stronger when you can lift heavier weights.Isometrics only make you stronger at the position that you hold. So imagine holding a biceps curl with your elbows bent at 90 degrees. The strength that you gain will only carry over 15 degrees to each direction. So you have to use isometrics in several different positions.Isometrics don’t produce the same metabolism-boosting effect as “regular” exercise. To a great extent, the reason that metabolism is elevated after “regular” exercise is because the muscles are “damaged”, and the body requires a lot of energy (calories) to repair that damage. Since there is less muscle damage, the metabolism doesn’t speed up as much.

As you can see, isometrics have both benefits and drawbacks. So are they good or bad?

As I’m very fond of telling my clients, “there is no good or bad. There is only correct application.”

So what’s the correct application for isometrics? Here are just a few ways to use them:

How to Use Isometrics

If your goal is fat loss:

When it comes to fat loss, “regular” exercise, through a full range of motion is best. But in those cases when you simply don’t have time or don’t have equipment, isometrics are a handy substitute.

If you’re trying to lose body fat, use exercises that work several muscles at the same time, and hold each position for 40-70 seconds. Repeat it for 3-4 sets.

This will be a very simple 12-15 minute workout.

If your goal is strengthening:

Figure out which movement you want to strengthen. Now, figure out where the hardest part of the movement is for you. Let’s use the squat as an example. For some people, the hardest part of a squat is the first couple of inches from the very bottom. For other people, it’s just 4-6 inches shy of full extension.

Let’s say that you’re one of those people for whom the weakest part is 4 inches from full extension. What you would do is you would simply hold that position for 8-12 sets of 4-6 seconds. In a matter of 2-4 weeks, that will no longer be a weak spot for you.

So What Are Some Exercises You Can Do?

For your upper body:

Static pushups (works the chest, front of the shoulder and back of the arm). Get down to 1 inch off the ground and hold.

Static lat pulldowns (works the biceps and the sides of the back). Pull the bar down to about 90 degrees and hold.

Lateral raises. Raise the dumbbells until they are parallel with the floor and hold.

For the lower body:

Wall sits. Put your back against the wall, and lower your body until your knees are at 90 degrees. Hold until you cry.

Static split squats. These are a favourite (yep, the Canadian way to spell it. Eh) of mine because they build strength and flexibility together. Stand with a chair or bench behind you. Put one leg on the chair, and then squat. Hold the bottom position.

That’s it!

There you have it! Hopefully this gives you an idea of how to add isometrics to your training arsenal when it’s necessary.

If you have any questions, please post them below, and I’ll be sure to answer.
Igor was selected as one of the top 5 personal trainer in Toronto by the Metro News newspaper. He is the author of a book called “Unlimited Progress: How You Can Unlock Your Body’s Potential.” He is a self-described information junkie, and loves to study and educate himself on all aspects of fitness and nutrition.

Edited to say: Want some Miz on yer friday? Im over at (my.fave.) Guiliana Rancic‘s FabFitFun today talking about GETTING FIT and *staying* fit for the rest of your life…

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The marriage of mind & muscle**

I lifted weights for almost six years before I opened my personal training studio.

Yet, even with all those years behind me, I naively thought none of it had become second nature.

I *always* spent time with clients discussing form, breathing, tempo, stretching etc. before we even hoisted a weight.

I was aware of the importance of laying a solid foundation with my clients’ training information-wise and only then putting all we’d discussed into practice.

I young. I was prideful.

I didnt realize any of this until I had an interaction with a client which made me do the ole *facepalm* at my failing to address the importance of the mind/body connection.

I was training a new client & after he finished a set of squats I asked him in which muscles he felt the exercise.

After a long pause he announced: in my right calf.

Cue the facepalm. 

And long pause on my end. 

A much needed mind/muscle connection discussion ensued (highlights of which are in my vlog below).

Too busy for a vlog? Swinging by my neck of the net whilst crouching in your cubicle at work?

Here’s the condensed version:

Exercise is 100% like life.  You can muddle through with little focus and get MEH results. MENTAL FOCUS = GREATER SUCCESS.The more you *shut out* distractions & visualize muscles working during exercise the better youll succeed in working/contracting muscle groups.  The more you contract/work the muscles the more rapidly (according to those more “expert” than I) muscle definition will appear.Let tunes pump you up during workouts—but don’t 100% tune out from what youre doing OR let them distract you from proper form, tight core or tempo.Remember if you can zone out too much (if your body does the routine as if it’s second nature) you’ve hit an exercise rut.  Challenge the mind.  Challenge the body.

Got you 150 seconds to toss my way?

You can hear the tips I shared with my SquattingClient below.

Now you.

Do you make the effort to mentally focus on the muscles your working when exercising?

Are you like I am & ‘cant feel it where you should’ if you let 50cent or Lady GaGa sing too loudly in your ear?

Or are your workouts better & do you emerge STRONGER when you think about anything BUT the exercise youre doing?

**This was the tag line of my training studio. As you may recall we got married day it opened & continued to fight about have lively debates over exactly WHO was the mind and WHO was the muscle.

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Lose fat, not muscle

When losing weight, it’s important to lose more fat than muscle. To lose fat but retain muscle, you should take in more calories each day than your BMR – Basal Metabolic Rate: the amount of calories your body burns when at rest.

This may seem counter-intuitive but if you follow a diet with a lower caloric intake than your BMR, you will not only lose fat but also a higher percentage of muscle. This is why it is vital to regularly engage in some form of resistance training! It’s really important to keep or even increase our muscle mass.

As we all know, muscle burns more calories than fat, thus raising our BMR, or metabolism. (To calculate your BMR and calorie needs, I’ve included the formula at the end of this blog. There are also several free online calculators that are user friendly.)

Maintaining muscle mass while losing fat is an important factor in reaching both your ideal weight and ideal body composition. To achieve this goal, it’s important NOT to reduce your carbohydrate intake too aggressively. Our bodies need carbohydrates to function properly and to replace glycogen in our muscles. (Glycogen is the main fuel source for muscles). If you’ve ever tried a very low carb diet, your initial weight drop is actually from glycogen and water loss. Glycogen is a mix of glucose and water that’s stored in your muscles. For each gram of carbohydrate (glycogen) the cells in your body store, they store four grams of water.

Depletion of muscle glycogen causes you to fatigue easily, and makes exercise difficult. Research indicates that muscle fatigue increases in almost direct proportion to the rate of muscle glycogen depletion. So, on a low carb diet, you will likely exercise less, which won’t help with your weight loss efforts or healthy lifestyle, and will likely lead to muscle loss instead of fat loss.

The goal for any healthy diet plan, especially a weight-loss plan, should be 30 percent of calories from lean protein, 45 percent of calories from complex carbohydrates, and 25 percent of calories from healthy fats.

Although a healthy diet is important in any weight-loss plan, exercise is crucial! Remember….strong IS sexy!! We don’t want to lose muscle, only fat!

The juggle of everyday life can make a workout seem impossible. But because exercise is a key component of both weight loss and long-term health, it’s crucial to book it into your calendar, just as you would a doctor’s appointment. Aim for at least 30 minutes of exercise per day, five days a week or more. Here a few strategies to help you keep moving:

Don’t limit your options to the gym. Broaden your definition of a “workout” to include a wide range of physical activities and you’re more likely to find a workout you enjoy. Dancing, biking, swimming, hiking, rock climbing and ice skating all count as a workout. Or find an adult league for your favorite sport and join a team; not only will you get regularly-scheduled workouts, but you’ll make new friends, too!Do it right. If you do go to a gym, schedule an introductory session with a staff trainer to learn how to use equipment properly. Trainers can also show you how to set goals for resistance and weight training and how to measure effort level when doing cardio workouts. Break it up. If you just can’t squeeze in a full half-hour of exercise, then breaking exercise into two 15-minute sessions is better than nothing. That’s enough time for a mid-day walk at work and a short series of calisthenics before bed. Be social. Make dates with friends to exercise together and you’ll be less likely to skip it. Not only does your buddy hold you accountable, but you’ll enjoy each other’s company as you work out!

First, find your basal metabolic rate (BMR) by using this equation:

Women: BMR = 655 + ( 4.35 x weight in pounds ) + ( 4.7 x height in inches ) - ( 4.7 x age in years )
Men: BMR = 66 + ( 6.23 x weight in pounds ) + ( 12.7 x height in inches ) - ( 6.8 x age in years )

To determine your total daily calorie needs, multiply your BMR by the appropriate activity factor, as follows:

If you are sedentary (little or no exercise): BMR x 1.2If you are lightly active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/week): BMR x 1.375If you are moderately active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/week): BMR x 1.55If you are very active: BMR x 1.725If you are extra active (very hard exercise/sports and physical job or 2x training): BMR x 1.9

The number you get is the number of calories you need to eat in order to maintain your current weight. Decreasing that number by 500 calories per day is a good place to start if you want to lose about a pound per week.

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Tasting! Muscle Milk Hunger Control Bar

Did you ever meet somebody sexy-looking (if/when you were single) and think that he/she was super fine? They seemed be to the whole package and YOU were awesome enough to score a date with this sexy specimen.

So the date is going fine until he/she starts talking. Their breath is ferocious atrocious – like hot coals doused in raw sewage. But you try to be cool about it and continue with the date anyway…until you notice the crusty booger waving at you from the opening of their nostril.

It’s just too much to bear. There’s nothing sexy about this specimen, and for all you know, they’re probably not even wearing clean underwear. This date is over, dammit.

So now you understand the kind of disappointment I experienced with the Muscle Milk Light Hunger Control Bar. I was fooled by what disguised itself as chocolate-peanut-caramel bliss, but what I got was a chalky-tasting bar so dense, that my eating jaw seemed to suffer internal bruising from chewing exhaustion. The little remnants of eating energy I had left were spent masterminding a way to get the dense-stickiness off my teeth. (brown teeth at work is not good, people)

For $1.99 you get bar that’s 2.75-inches long and 0.75-inches thick with a layer of caramel so thin, you can barely taste it, plus a minutiae amount of nuts (I counted 2). It’s low in sugar – only 9 grams – and is initially reminiscent of a thinkThin bar, but nowhere near as excellent. Not even close.

Shocker: The first two main ingredients listed are “hydrolyzed gelatin” and polydextrose. The polydextrose is described by e-How as “a synthetic food additive. Acting as a bulking agent to enhance the taste of reduced-calorie foods, polydextrose is commonly used as a substitute for sugar, starch and fat in many commercial food products. It is also used as a means to increase the fiber content of many products, and is often classified as fiber on nutrition labels.”

But here’s the extra face-smack. The low grams of sugar is made possible because it includes a dousing of sucralose. I NEVER eat that crap. I was bedazzled and never checked the label before buying. So now my stomach is twisted and I feel lightheaded. Wish I hadn’t done this. #FAIL

MUSCULAR NOTES

Price Paid: $1.99 for 1.6 ounce bar (small)Calories: 170Fat Calories: 50Total Fat: 6gSat. Fat: 4gSodium: 105mgCarbs: 18gFiber: 4gSugars: 9gProtein: 15g

REACTIONS FROM THE TASTE TEST CREW

Whatevah. I’m not going to feed my family sucrash!t <–aka, sucralose/Splenda.

Yum UP! to: Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

Yuck Down to: Chalky flavor. It’s the worst.

View the complete Taste Test Directory and Fast Food Cheat Sheets.

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Weight Lifting Programs To Build Muscle

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