{"id":1475,"date":"2025-07-06T15:16:27","date_gmt":"2025-07-06T14:16:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mespot.me\/blog\/?p=1475"},"modified":"2025-07-06T15:16:27","modified_gmt":"2025-07-06T14:16:27","slug":"isometric-exercise-simple-but-so-effective","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mespot.me\/blog\/isometric-exercise-simple-but-so-effective\/","title":{"rendered":"Isometric exercise: simple but so effective"},"content":{"rendered":"

It goes without saying that staying strong and physically active is one of the most important things we can do for our health and longevity. There are many ways to achieve this, and the media is awash with the latest trends. Isometric exercise is currently one of them that is making the news. But what exactly is it, why is it suddenly being talked about, and can everyone benefit?<\/p>\n

What does isometric actually mean?<\/h2>\n

A type of muscle contraction where the muscle generates force without changing its length or causing movement of the associated joint.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Most exercise involves the joints moving in one way or another: walking, running, bicep curls, squats etc. Isometric exercise, by contrast, does not. It is a type of strength training where there is no movement in the joints, but the muscles are still contracting to hold you in position. Perhaps the most well known example is a plank.<\/p>\n

If you’re looking for a way to stay strong, improve balance, and protect your joints, then isometric exercises could be something to add into your exercise routine.<\/p>\n

Why are ‘isometrics’ being talked about?<\/h2>\n

When I first qualified as a personal trainer, isometric training was seen as something to be wary of for clients with high blood pressure. At that time, the rationale was that because holding a static contraction causes blood pressure to increase, it was thought to be damaging. More recently, there has been extensive research, which challenges this theory. It is these new findings that have hit the headlines.<\/p>\n

When doing isometric exercises, there is a temporary restriction of blood flow, know as ischemia,\u00a0<\/em>in the muscles that are working and, it is true, a corresponding increase in blood pressure. However, when the contraction is then released, there is a ‘rebound’ increase in the flow of blood. Over time, this helps reduce stiffness in the arteries, helping them to dilate more easily, allowing the blood to flow with less resistance. The heart does not have to work as hard to pump the blood around, and so blood pressure\u00a0 improves.<\/p>\n

Aside from this there are a number of other benefits to be had:<\/p>\n