Due to their technical simplicity, versatility and effectiveness, statics exercises, also called isometric exercises, are gaining more and more fans. They help to maintain muscle tone without much effort and time. Static exercises are successfully used by both sedentary office workers and people who want to lose weight and tighten their body. Even bodybuilders who seek to strengthen joints and ligaments.
However, in order to achieve the best results and avoid injuries, before starting isometric training, it is advisable to understand: what it is, how they work, what types of exercises are.
What it is?
Unlike dynamic exercises, in which the muscles alternately experience peak loads and a state of rest, during static exercises, the muscles work constantly, keeping the body in a certain stationary position. This continuity is the whole point of statics. Muscles are not given the opportunity to relax, they are in constant tension. And in a short time they get an impressive load.
Positive effect
During static exercises , the whole body works. Even those muscles that do not work during dynamic training are loaded. The reviews of people who systematically perform isometric exercises convince that statics is guaranteed and fairly quickly leads to the following positive results:
- Physical tone. Statics makes muscles taut, increases their strength and endurance. Strengthens joints and ligaments.
- Positive emotions. Quick results always delight the training person. It is nice to see a noticeably tightened abdomen, the outlined muscles of the hands and shoulder girdle. Isometric exercises themselves become a source of pleasure. After all, in just a minute they make the muscles ring with tension, the whole body fills the sensation of life and the joy of the benefits of training.
- Weight loss. Although statics pretty much loads the body, in itself it cannot become a decisive factor in the fight against excess weight. However, in combination with aerobic activities such as morning running, cycling, swimming or brisk walking, isometric exercises help you lose weight.
- Flexibility and coordination. When performing many exercises on static, it is required not only to strain muscles, but also to maintain balance, stretch and raise legs, and bend back. This helps to improve coordination and overall flexibility of the body.
Advantages of Isometric Exercise
Static exercises have many advantages:
- Efficiency. Energy is concentrated on intensive work of muscles, joints and ligaments, so they quickly strengthen.
- Simplicity. Even small children or completely unsportsmanlike people quickly learn the technique of correctly performing isometric exercises.
- Purposefulness. You can optionally work out certain muscle groups (for example, legs, buttocks or abs). Static exercises allow you to concentrate the load in the right places of the body, directionally eliminating problems.
- Security. Statistical loads are natural for the human body. Isometric exercise is difficult to injure yourself.
- Save time and money. Isometric training takes much less time than dynamic training. They spend about 15-20 minutes even when performing a set of exercises for all muscles. Statics does not need additional simulators. The sportsman’s own body acts as a sports apparatus. For classes, you do not need to spend money on a subscription to the gym, trainer services, or the purchase of a barbell or dumbbell.
- Availability. You can train at home, in the office, in the gym, regardless of the weather and season. All you need is desire and a gymnastic mat.
- Universality. It is difficult to single out special statics exercises for women or men. As a rule, they are equally suitable for anyone without regard to gender, age, physical fitness.
Disadvantages and contraindications
The main disadvantage of isometric exercises is often called the fact that with their help it is impossible to significantly increase muscle mass. It really is. But the disadvantage turns into a virtue for women who need strength, harmony and a fit figure, and not relief muscles. In addition, men can choose a set of static-dynamics. Exercises that include both types of training can build muscle.
Isometrics are contraindicated in people with diseases or injuries of the ligaments, spine, joints. During static exercises in tight muscles, capillaries are compressed and blood pressure rises. Therefore, such training is dangerous for people with problems with the cardiovascular system. Static is undesirable for those who have too much excess weight, which threatens excessive loads on ligaments and joints.
Execution technique
The general principle of static exercises is very simple. You need to take a certain position of the body and hold it for a while. Usually for a beginner, this time is limited by the capabilities of his untrained body. Gradually, the muscles and ligaments get used to the loads and get stronger, allowing you to perform the exercise for the specified length of time.
During the exercise, the rhythm of inspirations and exhalations should be uniform. In order for the isometric exercise to bring the greatest effect, you need to perform it consciously, controlling your sensations, concentrating on working muscles. Moreover, the load on them should increase gradually, reaching a maximum at the end of the exercise. Between approaches, rest is required for 30-60 seconds.
Exercise without extra weight
These are universal statics exercises for men, women, children. They can be performed to maintain body tone or as an auxiliary complex during dynamic training. Depending on the goals, you can choose a set of isometric exercises that load the whole body. And you can work out certain muscle groups. The following exercises are most popular and effective:
1. For the back and abs.
- Strap. Take emphasis lying down, lean on outstretched arms or elbows, strain your back, legs, abs.
- The boat. Lie on your stomach, stretch your arms forward or press to the body. Raise the legs and body at the same time, making the stomach a fulcrum.
- The corner. Lie on your back, at the same time raise your body and legs.
2. For legs and buttocks.
- Imaginary chair. Crouch near the wall so that the straight back barely touches the wall, but does not lean on it, bend your legs at a right angle. For extra workload, arms can be extended forward or raised above you. From the outside, it looks like a person is sitting in an invisible chair.
- Swallow. Lean your hands lightly on a table or chair so that it is easier to maintain balance, but the main burden on the hands did not go. Lower the body parallel to the floor, take one foot back also parallel to the floor.
3. For the muscles of the arms, chest and shoulders.
- Cant. Get up in the doorway and try to push it with all the force. In another version of this exercise - with two hands to press on the upper part of the jamb, as if lifting it.
- Prayer. Bring your hands in front of you in a prayer position, push your palms against each other.
- Push ups. Take emphasis lying down. To lower so that the arms at the elbows are bent at right angles, freeze in this position.
Power statics: weight exercises
As a rule, power statics are chosen by athletes who want to build muscle with strength. In essence, these exercises differ from ordinary statics only in that in them in a certain position you need to maintain not the body weight, but the additional load: a barbell, weight, exercise machine. The weight is selected very impressive - approaching the maximum that a training person is able to withstand without moving for 6-12 seconds.
Power statics can effectively load all the muscles of the body in 15-20 minutes. Moreover, the tension is so great that after training the athlete needs two or three days of good rest to restore strength and muscle growth.
However, these exercises have a lot of negative reviews, claiming that the loads on the joints and ligaments are extremely high, that they are dangerous to health and are not worth the result that they bring.
Static dynamic exercises
These exercises combine the virtues of isometric and dynamic exercises. They help to develop strength, strengthen ligaments, build muscle. To explain in simple words, during static-dynamic training there is no rest phase, which is during dynamic movements with full amplitude. All exercises are not performed to the end. Therefore, the muscles, without getting relaxation, are constantly tensed and worked out as deeply and intensively as possible.
General Tips for Performing Isometric Exercises
Beginners are often characterized by excessive zeal and a desire to perform the exercise longer. This affects the effectiveness of training, and sometimes health. Do not rush. First you need to study your abilities, understand the body's response to exercises and focus on their proper implementation:
- It’s better to train in the morning or afternoon. Static gives the body an impressive load, accelerates blood and may interfere with normal sleep.
- Before training, it is advisable to properly ventilate the room.
- Warm up is the most important element of high-quality training. It warms up muscles, kneads ligaments and joints, sets up for a working mood.
Static exercises are easily mastered by a beginner, even if he was previously far from sports. The technique of their implementation and general training principles are simple and understandable.