Most workouts involve a lot of movement—but sometimes, the best thing for your muscles involves staying still. Meet: isometric exercises.
What is an isometric exercise, exactly? It involves “holding a static position, where the joint and the muscle do not change,” says Bree Branker, a certified fitness trainer. And it’s used for both strength training and stabilization (which can help prevent injuries, Branker points out). Isometric exercises are also great to help get strong if you’re already dealing with an injury, since they don’t add stress on your joints.
A couple of tips before you try isometric exercises for the first time:
- Make sure the proper muscles are engaging in the correct way. Go for a couple of reps, to help identify which muscles should be firing during the static move.
- Progress your isometric training. Once you’re used to an isometric move, try to increase range of motion or resistance (think: adding a dumbbell) to increase the benefits of your training.
- Hold each move for 30 seconds and note how your body feels. Do you compensate or adjust to hold proper form? If not, go for 60 seconds.
Ready to give them a try? Mix these nine isometric exercises into your usual routine, or dedicate a whole sesh to isometric moves:
Time: 10 minutes
Equipment: 2.5 to 5kg dumbbells, mat, and small towel
Good for: Total body
Instructions: Cycle through each move below, and hold for 30 to 60 seconds. Then continue to the next move.
1 Isometric Chest Squeeze
How to: Hold a pair of dumbbells in your hands, elbows bent, and weights held in front of you. Stand up straight with one foot slightly in front of the other, hips facing forward. Lift the dumbbells so your elbows are slightly above your shoulders, squeezing the weights together. Hold for 30 to 60 seconds.
READ MORE: 19 Slider Exercises That Will Make Your Abs And Glutes WORK
2 Isometric Shoulder Raise
How to: Grab a pair of dumbbells and stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Shrug your shoulders up toward your ears and keep them still at the top. Hold for 30 to 60 seconds.
3 Isometric Biceps Curl
How to: With a dumbbell in each hand, stand so your feet are shoulder-width apart. Bend your elbows and lift the dumbbells until your arms form 90 degree angles, forearms parallel to the ground. Hold for 30 to 60 seconds
4 Isometric Calf Raise
How to: Hold a pair of dumbbells and stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Keeping the rest of your body still, lift up onto the tips of your toes. Hold for 30 to 60 seconds.
5 Isometric Lunge
How to: Stand up tall, then take a large step forward. From here, bend your knees and lower your body until your knees are bent to 90 degrees. Hold for 30 to 60 seconds then repeat on the other side.
READ MORE: The 12 Best Chest Exercises To Add To Your Workout ASAP
6 Isometric Squat
How to: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, hands clasped in front of your chest. Push your hips back and bend your knees until your thighs are nearly parallel to the ground. Hold for 30 to 60 seconds.
7 Isometric Bridge
How to: Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet on the floor 12 to 16 inches from your butt. Brace your core, then press into your heels and squeeze your glutes to lift your hips toward the ceiling. Maintain space between your chin and chest and keep your upper back on the ground. Hold for 30 to 60 seconds.
8 Side Plank
How to: Lie on your right side with your legs straight and stacked on top of one another. Lift your hips up as high as you can go, making sure your weight is resting on your right forearm and the outside edge of your right foot. Your elbow should be directly beneath your shoulder. Hold for 30 to 60 seconds then repeat on the other side.
9 Isometric Quad Raise
How to: Grab a small towel and roll it up, then place it under your right quad. Lie down on your back with your feet in front of you and hands at your sides. Lift your right foot up and engage your quad against the towel. Hold for 30 to 60 seconds then repeat on the other side.
This article was originally published on www.womenshealthmag.com