12 Isometric Exercises for Full Body Strength Training

Specialty: Physiotherapy

Dr. Sudhansu Singh is a Physiotherapist, Sports and Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist, and Neuro Physiotherapist with 8 years of experience. He is a member of the Federation of Indian Manual Therapists (FIMT) and an active member of the Delhi... more

If you want to burn calories without moving your muscles much, there is a way out isometric exercises. What is isometric exercise? Here is an example. Bring your palms together and force them against each other. You experience tension in your shoulders, chest, and arm. It is as simple as that, and there are many ways to do it.

There is hardly any movement, but the target is contracted and activated. These exercises are perfect for building strength and burning 3/' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' >2 to 5 calories a minute. They are a godsend for people with shoulder and/or knee injuries and may even help reduce blood pressure (1), (2), (3).

  • What Is Isometric Exercise?
  • 12 Examples Of Isometric Exercises
  • Are Isometric Exercises A Good Way To Build Strength?
  • Benefits Of Isometric Exercise

What Is Isometric Exercise?

Isometric exercise is a static strength training exercise. It activates or contracts the muscles without visible movement of the body. These exercises use self-resistance instead of weights/resistance bands to contract the muscle fibers (4).

Isometric exercises are popularly practiced by physiotherapists for rehabilitation. They also reduce muscle fatigue, neck pain, and blood pressure and improve flexibility, core strength, and walking speed in elderly people (99961/' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' >6648025/' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' >5), (6), (7), (8), (9). Lets take a look at a few examples of isometric exercises below.

12 Examples Of Isometric Exercises

Before we begin, heres the golden rule of performing isometric exercises:

Golden Rule: Squeeze your muscle fiber, take a deep breath, perfect your posture, hold it, and release.

1. Isometric Shoulder Internal Rotation

Youtube

Muscles Activated Subscapularis, pectoralis, and deltoids.

How To Do

  1. Roll a small towel and
  2. keep it between your right elbow and the area near the lower rib cage.
  3. Put your left hand against your right palm/fist.
  4. Push your right fist inwards or towards your body. Simultaneously, push your lift palm to resist the inward movement of your right fist.
  5. Hold it for 3 seconds and relax. Do it 10 times, twice a day.
  6. If you have an injury, do not exert too much pressure.
2. Isometric Shoulder External Rotation

Youtube

Muscles Activated Subscapularis, pectoralis, and deltoids.

How To Do

  1. Roll a small towel and place it
  2. between your right elbow and the area near the lower rib cage.
  3. Place your left hand against the outside of your right fist.
  4. Push your right fist outwards or away from your body. At the same time, push your lift palm inside to resist the outward movement of your right fist.
  5. Hold it for 3 seconds and relax. Do it 10 times, twice a day.
  6. If you have an injury, do not exert too much pressure.
3. Isometric Lateral Raise

Youtube

Muscles Activated Deltoids, serratus anterior, upper traps, and supraspinatus.

How To Do

  1. Stand straight with the legs shoulder-width apart.
  2. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, and roll your shoulders back.
  3. Raise both your hands to the shoulder level.
  4. Hold this pose keeping your core engaged for 30 seconds.
4. Isometric Lying Leg Raise

Shutterstock

Muscles Activated Hamstrings, quads, and abductors.

How To Do

  1. Lie down on your right side.
  2. Place your left hand on your waist. Bend your right elbow, place it below your right shoulder to support your body. Place your right forearm on the floor.
  3. Lift your left leg. Hold for 3 5 seconds and release.
  4. Do 2 sets of 8 reps on each side.
5. Isometric Quad Exercise

Youtube

Muscles Activated Quadriceps

How To Do

  1. Sit on a mat with your legs extended forward.
  2. Place a towel roll or a noodle under your right knee.
  3. Place both palms at the back on the mat for support.
  4. Press your knee down on the towel roll or noodle.
  5. Hold for 3 seconds and release.
  6. Do 10 times before switching legs.
6. Isometric Hamstring Exercise

Youtube

Muscles Activated Hamstrings, quads, and calves.

How To Do

  1. Sit on a mat with your right knee bent and left leg extended forward.
  2. Place a towel roll or a pressure measuring equipment under your right heel.
  3. Place both your palms at the back on the mat for support.
  4. Press your knee down on the towel roll or the equipment.
  5. Hold for 3 seconds and release.
  6. Do 10 times before switching legs.
7. Isometric Ball Squat

Youtube

Muscles Activated Quads, hamstrings, and glutes.

How To Do

  1. Place a gym ball between your lower back and a wall.
  2. Slowly walk forward to get into a squat pose. The ball will roll up to your mid-back.
  3. Hold this pose for 10 seconds. Keep breathing.
  4. Do 6 times.
  5. Avoid it if you are recovering from an injury.
8. Isometric Hip Abduction

Youtube

Muscles Activated Abductors, hamstrings, and quads.

How To Do

  1. Sit on a mat and keep both the knees bent.
  2. Place a resistance band or a strap right above your knees.
  3. Push your thighs outwards.
  4. Hold it for 3 seconds and release.
  5. Do this 10-12 times.
9. Isometric Hip Adduction

Youtube

Muscles Activated Abductors, hamstrings, quads, and glutes.

How To Do

  1. Sit on a mat, with both the knees bent.
  2. Place your right hand between your knees and your left palm on the mat for support.
  3. Push your thighs inwards.
  4. Hold it for 3 seconds and release.
  5. Do this 10-12 times.
10. Plank Hold

Shutterstock

Muscles Activated Abs, glutes, lower back, chest, shoulders, and arms.

How To Do

  1. Kneel down. Bend your elbows, fist your hands, and place your forearms on the floor. Make sure your elbows are below your shoulders.
  2. Extend your legs behind, one at a time.
  3. Keep your hips, back, and neck in one line. Hold your core tight. Keep your shoulders relaxed and rolled back.
  4. Hold for 10-30 seconds.
  5. Do this 3 times.
11. Side Plank

Youtube

Muscles Activated Abs, glutes, lower back, chest, shoulders, and arms.

How To Do

  1. Kneel down. Place your palms on the mat. Keep your elbows below the shoulders. Extend your legs behind to get into a high plank position.
  2. Roll both your feet to the right, and as your core moves, take your right hand off the floor and extend it straight above. Look at your hand above.
  3. Hold this pose for 10-20 seconds before coming back to the high plank pose.
  4. Do it on the other side as well.
  5. Do 3 times.
12. Isometric Neck Exercise

Youtube

Muscles Activated Serratus, scapula, semispinalis capitis, splenius capitis, scalenes, traps, sternohyoid, sternocleidomastoid, omohyoid, and biceps.

How To Do

  1. Sit on a chair. Keep your back straight, shoulders rolled back, and chest up. You will do four isometric neck exercises.
  2. First exercise: Place both your palms on your forehead. Push your head forward and push your palms towards your head to resist movement. Hold it for 10 seconds.
  3. Second exercise: Place your hands behind your back. Push your head back and resist the movement with your hand pushing forward. Look up as you do so. Hold for 5-8 seconds before releasing it.
  4. Third exercise: Place your right palm on the right side of your head. Push your head towards your palm and your palm towards your head. Your head might tilt a little towards the right. Hold it for 5-8 seconds before releasing it.
  5. Fourth exercise: Place your right palm on the side of your right cheek. Rotate your head and look towards the right. But resist this movement with your palm. Hold for 5-8 seconds before releasing.
  6. Repeat all the exercises 3 times on each side.

Are Isometric Exercises A Good Way To Build Strength?

Yes, isometric exercises help build muscle strength. They are used by physiotherapists to rehabilitate muscles, restore muscle strength, and speed up the recovery process.

Apart from building muscle strength, toning, and injury recovery, here are a few more benefits of isometric exercises.

Benefits Of Isometric Exercise

Now that we have covered all the basics and examples of what is isometric exercise, you can choose to include any of the above variations in your daily workout routine. These would not only help strengthen your muscles but also help burn calories. These exercises based on self-resistance and static strength training are mostly used in physiotherapy and other rehabilitative methods to improve the range of motion and aid faster recovery.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an example of isometric exercise?

An easy example of isometric exercise is joining your palms together and pushing them against each other. There is no visible movement, but you feel the muscles contract in your biceps and shoulders. This, in turn, helps strengthen these muscles.

Is yoga an isometric exercise?

Yes, yoga is an isometric exercise. It helps strengthen and improve the flexibility of the muscles.

What are the best isometric exercises?

Heres a list of a few good isometric exercises:

  • Plank
  • Side plank
  • Wall squat or wall gym ball squat
  • Isometric lateral raises
  • Isometric leg raises
  • Calf raise and hold
  • Isometric neck exercises
  • Isometric shoulder internal and external rotation

What are the benefits of isometric exercises?

  • Isometric exercises improve muscle strength.
  • Burn calories.
  • Improve muscle tone.
  • Help in injury recovery.
  • Good for the elderly with limited movement and walking problems.
  • May lower blood pressure.
  • May improve heart health.
  • Good for people with osteoarthritis.
  • Build core strength.

Are isometric exercises aerobic or anaerobic?

Isometric exercises are anaerobic.

Do isometric exercises raise blood pressure?

Yes, isometric exercises may also increase blood pressure. Talk to your doctor if you have high blood pressure before doing isometric exercises.

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