Isometric exercises and techniques for performing them. Isometric exercises

Natalia Govorova

Reading time: 8 minutes

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Modern women quite often act not only as a mother, but also as a “breadwinner”. Therefore, every minute counts for them, and there is practically no time left for themselves. And everyone wants to have a beautiful, toned body! There is an exit! Isometric gymnastics, better known as fitness for busy people, will help you have a beautiful figure and excellent health.

What is isometric gymnastics: benefits, disadvantages of isometric gymnastics

At the beginning of the last century, isometric gymnastics created a real sensation in the world of sports. With its help, many athletes were able to significantly improve their results. And today it has not lost its relevance. It is widely used during yoga, calanetics and pilates classes . Now you can find a lot of different original isometric gymnastics complexes. The most popular - complexes A.K. Anokhin, Dr. I. Borshchenko and A.S. Zassa , people who are considered the founders of this type of exercise.

So what is isometric gymnastics?

This is a set of exercises based on high voltage for a short period of time . When performing them, the muscles only contract without stretching. You don’t need to devote a lot of time to this type of gymnastics; it will be enough to remember about it in a free moment, as if “by the way.” For example, at work or on public transport, sitting at a computer or standing in line. It only takes a few seconds to complete one exercise.

Video: Isometric gymnastics complex for home

Isometric gymnastics has a number of significant advantages:

• Each workout lasts no more than 15 minutes ;
• For classes you no special equipment required ;
• You can do it at any convenient time and almost anywhere;
• Exercises of this type of gymnastics are excellent train tendons , the places where true human strength resides;
• A wide variety of exercises allows you to develop workouts for specific types of activities;
has no contraindications , anyone can do it. However, you should not do it during an exacerbation of diseases in which any physical exercise is contraindicated;
• Exist exercises for each body part ;
• All yours energy is spent only on tension , and not on movements that cause fatigue. This allows for maximum strength levels;
• Reduces injuries;
• Improves flexibility.

However, this type of gymnastics has several disadvantages:

• To learn proper technique it takes time ;
• If the exercises are performed incorrectly, you may experience blood pressure problems ;
• For classes with isometric gymnastics you need the right attitude , as well as good ability to control breathing and body;
• Isometric gymnastics cannot be considered as the main . It can be used in addition to other physical activity or morning exercises.

Basic principles of performing isometric gymnastics exercises

• All exercises must be done tensing the muscles as much as possible , however, you should not overload them;
• You need to breathe rhythmically : inhale and exhale for 6 seconds, without delays or pauses. Maximum effort is created during exhalation;
• Duration of each exercise 5-6 seconds ;
• Between approaches it is necessary pause for about 1 minute ;
• Muscles must be tensed smoothly , and also relieve tension;
• Focus your attention on the muscles you train;
• Required condition: the force resisting your efforts should be maximum to eliminate the possibility of any counter movements;
• To have an effect, each of the selected exercises must perform daily ;
• In the first couple of months of classes you cannot perform more than 12 exercises at a time . Then several exercises can be replaced with others. And also add 3 new exercises every month. However, remember that you can perform no more than 24 exercises in one workout, as your blood pressure may increase;
• Best isometric gymnastics study in the morning , in a ventilated area;
• Since doctors recommend exercising all your muscles every day, choose your exercises for all muscle groups ;
• Preferably after training take a warm shower and rub your body well with a towel.

Modern isometric gymnastics – exercises, video

You can easily come up with exercises for isometric gymnastics yourself. Below are some examples of exercises for a variety of muscle groups.

Video: Isometric gymnastics exercises

Isometric gymnastics in the office:

Isometric gymnastics exercises:

Isometric gymnastics exercises with a chair:

1. Sit on the floor, bend one leg at the knee. Tighten your straight leg thigh muscles tightly. After 6 sec. relax slowly and then repeat the exercise. Gradually increase the tension time to 15 seconds. Then repeat it on the other leg;
2. Standing in the doorway, place your hands on the loot and try with all your might to enlarge the doorway;
3. Stand facing the wall, resting your hands on it. Now try with all your might to move the wall;
4. Hold your hands together and stretch them out in front of you. Now, with maximum tension, try to separate your hands;
5. Sit on a chair and place your hands under the seat. Try lifting the chair with you;
6. While sitting upright, place your hands in front of you so that your palms touch. And now for 5-6 seconds. press your hands on each other;
7. Sit straight on a chair, clasp your hands on the back of your neck and try to bend it. In this case, it is necessary to provide maximum resistance with the neck muscles;
8. Grab the back of the chair from behind. Try to squeeze it first and then stretch it;
9. Place a towel under your chin. Now try to lower your head, overcoming the resistance of the towel;
10. Stand on your toes, taking a deep breath. And while exhaling, lower yourself onto your heels, giving yourself maximum resistance;
11. Without holding your breath, draw in your stomach with maximum effort. Stay like this for about 6 seconds and then repeat the movement.

The website warns: all information presented is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. If you have any diseases, be sure to consult your doctor before performing gymnastics!

The article describes examples of light exercises recommended by vertebrologist and spinal neurosurgeon Igor Anatolyevich Borshchenko. Thanks to these exercises, people with various diseases of the lumbar spine will be able to strengthen their muscles. These include the long back muscles and the abdominal muscles, which support the spinal column.

Recommended isometric gymnastics will help you not only strengthen your muscles, but also relieve spasms of the back muscles, as well as overcome unpleasant sensations of pain. It should be noted that the muscles will tense with minimal movements, so overload of the joints and vertebrae is practically excluded. During the exercise, you should tense your abdominal muscles and keep them in this state until the end of the exercise. It is also necessary to control that the pressure does not increase during gymnastics; you should not hold your breath, unless of course this is one of the conditions of the exercise, so breathe freely.

Gymnastics will be especially useful for the following categories of people:

1. Those who are sick, but do not need surgical treatment.
2. People who have diabetes and do not need surgical treatment.
3. Suffering from a narrowing of the spinal canal of the lumbar spine, which does not require surgical intervention.
4. People with chronic muscle spasms.
5. Patients with osteoporosis with and without pain.

Groups of people for whom gymnastics is strictly contraindicated

• Those in need of surgical treatment of spinal disease.
• Having symptoms of heart and respiratory failure.
• Suffering from malignant oncological tumors.
• Having symptoms of acute respiratory infections.

Examples of exercises for training the muscles of the lumbar region

1) “Row with our hands”
The first exercise is done on your back in a lying position. A person needs to bend his knees and straighten his arms. The essence of the exercise is to keep your abdominal tension and row evenly with both hands in completely opposite directions. When one hand goes up, the other goes down. We repeat three times with short breaks. We exercise from 30 seconds to 1 minute.

2) “Abs tension”
The second exercise takes place in the same position as the first. The person needs to place their arms along their torso. It is necessary to keep the abdominal tension and inhale as deeply as possible. Then increase the tension of the trained muscles and hold your breath at the exit. The exercise should be performed for one minute, then you should rest for the same amount of time, and then repeat the exercise two more times.

3) “Row with our feet”
The third exercise takes place in the same position as the first. The only difference is that it is done exclusively with the feet. You should maintain abdominal tension and simultaneously row both legs, lifting them in a bent position at 90 degrees relative to the floor surface. This exercise should be done for 30 to 60 seconds, repeating it three times with short breaks.

4) “Lumbar curve training”
The fourth exercise takes place in a pose on all fours. The support for a person is the knees and outstretched arms. To begin with, you need to slowly place your hands behind your back, placing them on your lower back. At the same time, you should feel how the abdominal and back muscles are in a state of strong tension. Try to keep your hand on your belt for about 3 seconds. Then return to the original position. With this exercise, all the so-called “cables” are strengthened, which on both sides support the spine and lumbar curve, as well as the abdominal muscles.

5) “We walk with our hands”
The fifth exercise takes place in a pose on all fours. The support for a person is the knees and outstretched arms. You need to move the fulcrum to your left hand, push your right hand forward, and then return it back. We change hands one by one. We repeat about 12 times, for both the right and left hands. This exercise is similar to walking in one place with your hands. With its help, the abdominal press is kept in a state of tension, thus maintaining the lumbar curve.

6) “We walk with our feet”
The sixth exercise takes place in a pose on all fours. The support for a person is the knees and outstretched arms. It is necessary to move the fulcrum to one knee, and move the other forward and push it back. Then you need to change your leg and do the same exercise. We repeat about 12 times, for both the right and left legs. This exercise is similar to walking in one place with your knees. With its help, the abdominal press is kept in a state of tension, thus maintaining the lumbar curve.

With each exercise done, your muscles will become more elastic and at the same time elastic and trained. And after a very short time they will acquire excellent shape. The isometric gymnastics complex consists of various exercises. We have described examples of only the simplest of them. It is recommended to repeat these exercises every other day. Depending on how you feel and how ready your body is for such training, determine their total time, which should be no less than 15, but no more than 45 minutes. It is recommended to repeat all exercises 2 or 3 times.

Today we will talk about such a complex as Dr. Borshchenko’s isometric gymnastics for the spine and joints. We'll tell you who these exercises are suitable for and what their contraindications are. And most importantly, we will indicate in detail the technique for performing some of them.

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What kind of system?

Vertebrology is a branch of medicine specializing in the study and treatment of the spine. And one of the main postulates in the treatment of not only the back, but also all joints of the body is the need for physical activity.

Vertebrologist specialist Igor Borshchenko has developed a system that is effective in treating the spine. The principles in creating the methodology were accessibility for everyone, ease of learning, and patient safety.

For whom?

Consider training according to the Borshchenko system if you belong to the following risk groups:

1. Aged people. By the age of 50-60, inevitable changes occur in all joints, including vertebral discs. The loads to which we subject our musculoskeletal system result in degenerative-dystrophic processes of cartilage tissue. Only physical activity can help slow down these processes.



2. Overweight people. Extra pounds put excessive pressure on the joint. As a result, the articular surfaces become damaged and inflamed. And poor nutrition, excess of sweets, hot foods and meats lead to a deterioration of metabolism inside the joints.
3. Office workers and those who lead a sedentary lifestyle. In this situation, a person constantly sits in front of the monitor in an uncomfortable position. This position is especially dangerous for the cervical region. The muscles begin to contract unnaturally, and the structure of the joints and spinal discs deteriorates. Muscles without physical activity are unable to reduce the load on cartilage, tendons and ligaments.



4. Professional athletes. Their joints constantly endure pressure from bones, sudden movements, and heavy weights. This also includes those new to the sport. Especially those who neglect safety precautions and poorly warm up before exercise.
5. Heavy physical labor workers. Despite the dense muscular frame, the joints of these people have to endure constant stress. Most loaders and builders, considering themselves experienced, do not pay attention to safety precautions.
6. Those who have suffered trauma or have recently undergone joint surgery. Borshchenko's gymnastics are ideal during the rehabilitation period. Its effect on muscles and cartilage is low intensity.

For what diseases?

Borshchenko gymnastics is successfully used in the treatment of the following diseases:

1. Osteochondrosis. Here the principle of influence is that the blood circulation of cartilage tissue improves. They begin to receive more nutrients and restore the necessary level of elasticity. They stop experiencing friction from the vertebrae.
2. Pinched nerve roots. The main thing here is to increase the distance between the vertebrae. This cannot be done while the muscles do not sufficiently support the bones of the back.
3. Protrusions and hernias. Strong muscles will reduce pressure on the damaged intervertebral disc.
4. Arthrosis and arthritis. Here it is necessary to improve metabolic processes in tissues in order to eliminate inflammation and restore cartilage tissue.
5. Spinal curvature - as an auxiliary method. Isometric muscle tension will make it possible to return the vertebrae to the correct position.

Peculiarities

An isometric exercise is one in which a sufficient load on a particular muscle is achieved with a minimum of movements. This type of exercise therapy does not injure joints and does not affect them with friction. A person simply tenses a muscle while in one position or another.

Contracting for several moments, the muscle tissue then reaches maximum stretch. The antispasmodic effect of exercises is based on this.

Such movements are very isolated, using only those muscles that need to be trained according to the plan. This is necessary to work out those areas of the muscles that we usually do not use.

Advantages

The smart spine system has the following advantages:

• they do not require sports equipment;
• it is almost impossible to get traumatic injury or overstrain muscles;
• the elasticity of the spinal column increases;
• general relaxation occurs;
• chronic pain syndrome disappears;
• stagnant processes disappear;
• tissue metabolism and blood circulation improves;
• the level of stress resistance increases;
• there is no need for any preparation, not even the help of a physical therapy instructor.

Contraindications

Do not perform the exercises in the following situations:

1. You have an exacerbation of pain or inflammation. At this time, you need to completely eliminate all stress factors and rest. Otherwise, there is a risk of worsening your own condition.
2. You have a cold or are experiencing other temporary health problems. In case of fever, increased blood pressure and headache, any exercises, even therapeutic ones, should be excluded.
3. The injury happened recently. Until you receive permission from your attending physician, do not resort to exercise therapy.
4. There are oncological formations. By moving a lot, there is a risk of tumor metastases.
5. You are suffering from an acute infectious disease. The causative agent of infection, due to improved blood flow, can enter other joints and tissue organs.
6. The exercises started to hurt. Learn to distinguish muscle pain, positive fatigue pain from joint pain. You may be moving incorrectly during a Borshchenko exercise therapy session. Either this particular movement is not suitable for you. It is best to also consult your doctor here.

Exercises

Detailed sets of exercises can be found in books authored by Dr. In them, he clearly explains many exercises for different joints and parts of the spine.

Lumbar

To restore your lumbar spine, try the following exercises:

Sliding the foot in a position “on all fours”

Cervical region

Try Dr. Borshchenko’s gymnastics for the neck:

The simplest exercises for the neck

1. We sit down or stand up. We place both palms on the neck so that the thumbs clasp the front part, the rest close or almost close behind. We perform flexion and extension movements of the neck. Then we move our head in different directions alternately, holding the extreme points for several seconds. You need to hold your head in turn at three different points - at the top, in the middle, at the bottom.
2. We sit down and grab our jaw so that our thumbs are under our chin. We move the jaw forward, lifting it slightly. We hold at the maximum point for two to three seconds. Let's relax.
3. We stand with our back to the chair, clasping the back with our palms. We bend towards the chair, carefully tilting our head back. Then we sit on the cards, continuing to clasp the back. In this pose, gently bend your neck towards your chest, holding the maximum position for two seconds. We tilt our heads and also hold on.
4. We sit down on a chair. Place a book on your head and gently rock it back and forth. The book should stay in place - practice balancing when it starts to fall.
5. We remain on the chair and place our palm on our forehead. Bend your neck down, applying pressure with your palm. We strain for 10 seconds. Place your hand on the back of your neck and apply force with your palm back on your forehead. The effort should be minimal.
6. Place your palm on the occipital area. We try to tilt our heads so that we can look up. The palm provides resistance. We tense up for fifteen seconds. Then we succumb to the pressure and try, under its influence, to touch our chin to our chest.
7. Place your palm on the ear area and apply pressure. We try to overcome it by moving our heads in this direction. Muscle tension should be maintained for approximately ten seconds. We place the other palm on the opposite side, succumbing to the primary resistance.

Video “Isometric gymnastics”

In this video, Igor Borshchenko talks in detail about his medical complex.

Many people believe that in order to strengthen muscles, increase their strength, and generally for effective training, it is necessary to do a lot of dynamic exercises for as long as possible. However, this is not true. Therefore, further you will learn how else you can train your body without harm, fatigue and loss of time.

What are isometric exercises

Unlike the intense training that many are accustomed to, isometric exercises involve constant static muscle tension. That is, without changing your body position, you work your muscles and tendons no worse than with a dynamic load, and sometimes even better. The huge advantage of this way to get stronger is that you don't have to spend a lot of time doing the exercises, and the results will be even better.

When performing dynamic exercises for the chest, back, legs or arms, static work of the body muscles does not occur constantly, and in total it can sometimes reach only 2-3 minutes. per lesson 1-1.5 hours. In the case of static exercises, it’s just the opposite: the time your body tenses is equal to how much you spent on training. To work the muscles for 10 minutes, you will need a little more, taking into account the change of position and preparation.

How to do isometric exercises

As before any workout, performing isometric exercises requires pre-warming up or simple exercises. To do this, you can swing your arms, raise your shoulders, bend to the sides, back and forth, and lift on your toes. After you feel the warmth in your body, you can begin the activity itself. General requirements:

• Each exercise should be performed with inhalation.
• All efforts for resistance are made smoothly, gradually. You cannot work with sudden muscle contractions.
• Each approach takes up to 10 seconds, the number of approaches for one exercise is 2-3.
• In general, one workout should take no more than 20 minutes.
• You can train like this at least every day, alternating with dynamics.
• Develop a routine that you will follow every day.

Isometric exercises for the neck

You can perform isometric exercises for the cervical spine absolutely anywhere, even while sitting in the office, which will be especially useful for those who spend most of their time in a sitting position. Static exercises for the face and neck:

1. Lying on your back, begin to press the back of your head onto the floor.
2. While lying on your stomach, press your forehead onto the floor.
3. While sitting at the table, fold your hands in front of you and rest your head on them. Press firmly with your forehead.
4. Place your hands in a lock at the back of your head and begin to push, while resisting with your head.

Isometric back exercises

Performing isometric exercises for the back will help not only strengthen it, but also straighten your posture, because gymnastics is aimed at both the rectus and latissimus muscles. Isometric training in several options:

1. Lying on your stomach, move your arms back and press them along your body or fold them into a lock at the back of your head. Raise your legs and shoulders up, while tensing strongly. Freeze, count down 5-6 seconds.
2. Starting position, as in the previous paragraph. Raise only your shoulders, your legs pressed firmly to the floor.
3. Starting position from point 1. Lift your legs off the floor by 10-15 cm, shoulders pressed tightly to the floor.
4. While standing, imitate pressing your fists on the sides of your thighs.
5. The same as in point 4, only pressure is applied to the front of the thighs.

Isometric leg exercises

Like gymnastics for the neck, isometric exercises for the legs can be safely performed anywhere. Most of them occur while standing or sitting. Isometric gymnastics for leg muscles:

1. Stand up straight, tense all the muscles in your legs. Do 3-4 sets of 10 seconds.
2. Place your feet shoulder-width apart, bend and imitate spreading, resisting with your thigh muscles.
3. A similar position, but on the contrary, you need to try to bring your legs together.
4. While sitting on a chair, try to straighten your legs.
5. The same position, only your feet need to be rested against an obstacle, such as a wall. Try to straighten your legs.

Isometric abdominal exercises

An excellent gymnastics for women at home that will help get rid of belly fat is isometric abdominal exercises. The process does not require much time at all, and the result due to such statics will not be long in coming. No amount of strength training can compare with these simple but effective loads:

1. Sit at a table, place your hands in front of you and begin to press down on the tabletop, while tensing your abs strongly.
2. While standing, begin performing delayed crunches, counting 5-6 seconds on each side.
3. Lying on your back, bend your knees (90 degrees) and lift your shoulder blades off the floor. It is best to extend your arms forward.
4. Lying crunch. At the same time, the legs are bent and standing on the floor, hands are locked behind the back of the head. On each side – 5-6 seconds in static mode.

Have you ever wondered why bodybuilders often have low endurance, and Olympic marathon runners cannot boast of sculpted muscles?

Why do yoga masters have the most graceful figures, and why is the ageless Jackie Chan still the undisputed champion in the art of mastering one’s own body in world cinema?

In this article we will look at 9 static exercises for losing weight on your legs, thighs and riding breeches. They will help you lose weight and develop muscle strength in your lower extremities.

What is the advantage of statics over dynamics?

As you know, almost all physical training can be roughly classified into:

• Aerobic, in which importance is attached to the heart rate indicator, for example, exercise bike, aerobics, running, race walking, jumping rope.
• Stretching exercises- all kinds of yoga asanas, splits, leg stretches while sitting on the floor, twisting.
• Dynamic. Dynamics - movement, that is, all exercises for repeating the same movement a certain number of times; take for example).
• Static- these are workouts in which muscles work without moving parts of the body, and that’s what we’ll talk about.

And it is during static conditions that our muscles:

1. They are subjected to maximum prolonged tension without the opportunity to relax, as is done in dynamics.
2. Parts of the body in a static exercise are motionless.
3. Static exercises performed at half strength are usually aimed at maintaining the weight of your own body in a certain position (classic “plank”).
4. Static exercises, performed at full strength, are aimed at overcoming an obstacle (“moving the wall”).
5. They are aimed at tendon strengthening, in contrast to dynamics, in which only muscles develop.
6. As a result, regular static exercises develop not so much muscle relief, but practical force muscles (there is a classic example of a jock who is unable to unscrew the lid of a sealed jar).
7. Due to the fact that in static training (but only in those performed at half strength) predominantly red muscle fibers work, the main role of which is burning fat and producing energy, then it is these exercises that contribute to almost one hundred percent elimination of excess fluid and fat and giving, in the case of our topic, your legs and buttocks a perfectly elongated and elastic shape.
8. In addition, it is the red fibers that are surrounded by a large network of capillaries, so their work increases the influx/outflow of oxygen in general, which has a beneficial effect on the blood supply to the muscle mass, as well as on the state of the cardiovascular system in general.

A circular complex of 9 static exercises for the legs and buttocks

Let us immediately note that in order to achieve a full effect, most instructors advise taking a comprehensive approach to training. You are asked to perform the so-called “circle”. Its essence is the alternate static work of all the muscles of the buttocks and thighs by alternating various exercises with a minimum break (1-2 seconds) and a maximum duration of delays in each position. The latter depends on the degree of your preparedness, it can be from 5-10 seconds to a minute or more.

1. Side lunge stance

In fact, this is a frozen component of the well-known sailor dance “Apple”. From a standing position, you half-squat on one leg, moving the other to the side and pulling the toe toward you (the last nuance works the upper part, you don’t have to pull the toe).

The arms can be on the legs, on the waist, extended in front of you, and also closed behind the head (if you want to add a static effect for the muscles of the back, shoulder girdle and arms at the same time, then the last two positions are ideal). Freeze in this position for 5-10 seconds(more is better, a minute is ideal, even more - you are a Superhero!)

4. Incomplete swallow

First of all, the posterior muscles of the thighs and buttocks are strengthened. Description of the static pose standing on 1 leg “Swallow”:

While standing (you can hold the back of the chair with your hands, since it is very important to keep your back straight), we lift and move one straight leg back, to the maximum possible angle at which you can fixate.

The exercise is being done alternately for each leg.

Watch the video for more details:

5. Leading the leg forward

The same thing, but each leg rises in front of the body. Hold on to a wall or railing with your hand keep your back straight.

This exercise especially works the quadriceps and sartorius muscles, but all other muscles of the thighs and buttocks are also involved. Dynamic movement option - . It is also worth mentioning that all swings contribute to weight loss.