Muscle Building Exercises: Isometrics

Isometrics are usually defined as resistance exercises against  a stationary object.

For example, pushing against an inmovable wall is a clear example of an isometric subject.

What isn’t so clear to many men who want to build muscle is how these exercises can help them build muscle. They think these exercises might be useful to gain strength, but not muscle mass.

Isometrics won’t build you huge mounds of muscle, but they will give your muscles a thick and rugged look. They will look as if they were carved in stone.

Think of Bruce Lee, for instance. He was a fan of isometrics, and if you take a look at his muscles, they seem almost like concrete, thick, defined, and with vascularity. Of course, this is due in part to Bruce Lee’s body fat levels.

Another group that performs isometrics on a regular basis are gymnasts. If you look at any routine on the rings, you will find that exercises like the iron cross are static in nature.

Then you also realize that these isometric exercises give the gymnast’s muscles a look that is very different from that which you see in your typical gym-goer. While the latter might have bulky, smooth, and round muscles, gymnasts tend to have taut, thick, and muscles with sharp lines; you can almost see the muscle fibers in some gymnasts, which is somewhat scary by the way!

Also think of armwrestlers, who are constantly doing isometric work. If you look at the arm of the world’s best armwrestler, John Brzenk, you will see that he does not have a bicep and forearm like your typical gym-goer. It may not be as big as some arms sported by bodybuilders, but Brzenk’s arms are built like granite. This is the result of long-term isometric training that cannot be obtained just by lifting weights.

As for the exercises themselves, the variations are endless. You can push against a wall, or against a door, do a pull-up and hold it for several seconds. You can also do a squat against a wall and hold it there for seconds or minutes. Anything where you have to stay in a static position will work.

You will find sooner or later that you become exhausted from doing isometric exercises. This is because you are using maximal strength, and your body is being pushed to extremes it is not used to. Thus, remember to always take a deep  breath in-between exercises and take a break if you feel the need to do so.