In the long run, this improved neural drive could greatly increase one's strength production potential!

(3) What this tells us is that isometric training can improve our capacity to recruit motor units during a maximal contraction. These findings are in accordance with the body of literature that finds that a person can recruit almost all motor-units during a maximal isometric action. 'Activation' refers to the recruitment of the muscle's motor-units.Ī recent study comparing the level of muscle activation during isometric, concentric, and eccentric muscle actions found that a person can recruit over 5% more motor-units/muscle fibers during a maximal isometric muscle action than during either a maximal eccentric (lowering) or maximal concentric (lifting) action that's 95.2% for isometric compared to 88.3% for the eccentric and 89.7% for the concentric. One of the most important benefits of isometric action training is that it's the contraction regimen that leads to the greatest activation level. Isometric Action: Muscle Activation Potentiator While probably not as effective as yielding or overcoming training, isometric training can still be of significant benefit to most athletes. While some studies do find a slight difference, Soviet literature concludes '.there is not a statistically significant difference between the maximum strength, as measured in a static regime, and the maximum weight that can be lifted in the same movement.' (1) Historically, it's believed that we can produce more strength in a maximum isometric action than in a concentric contraction.

Pushing or pulling against an immovable external resistance.

Example: Holding a hammer curl statically at about mid-range for a certain amount of time.

Holding a weight at a certain position in the range of motion.

Examples of isometric action training include: That's too bad because it can be an effective tool for muscle gains! Isometric Action Training: A New DimensionĪn isometric muscle action refers to exerting muscle strength/muscle tension without producing an actual movement or a change in muscle length. So, understandably, this form of training never made it into the bodybuilding world. In fact, the literature seems to be telling us that isometrics can lead to strength gains without influencing muscle mass. In the real world, I've been using it with success for years in my own training and with my athletes.īut can isometric training increase muscle mass as well as strength? There's very little info out there on this topic.

Can you get stronger by not moving a muscle? According to the scientific literature, yes, you sure can! Isometric or 'static' training has been shown to stimulate strength gains in numerous studies.

Full body isometric workout