Isometric Exercises

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Isometric exercises are the exercises particularly for muscles or a group of muscles which help in maintaining the strength of your body. They are done without actually altering the length of the muscle or without any actual movement of the muscle. So, these exercises are great if you are looking to train at individual areas.

Which are some of the best isometric exercises?

There are different isometric exercises which are good for different parts of the body. Some of these are mentioned below:

1. Planks are good for the abs
2. Shoulder rotation, shoulder raise, shoulder extension for the shoulders
3. Lunges, quads, squats, wall pushups, towel curls for your arms and legs
4. Neck stretch exercises for the neck
5. Warrior posture, bridge exercise for the back

Why should you include isometric exercise in your daily exercise regime?

As mentioned, these exercises are performed in one position without much movement, so they are great for building strength in one particular area. If you are looking at training one particular area in your body or strengthening just one part then there is nothing better than these exercises. They are also good for proving stability in the area that you train and also for reducing weight in a particular region.

What are the benefits of these exercises?

There are a number of benefits of these exercises. Some of these have been mentioned and discussed below:

1. They are extremely helpful in stabilizing or maintaining the position of a particular area in your body or an affected part of your body through injury or any form of discomfort
2. It helps in reducing pain in a particular body part or area
3. It is extremely helpful for people who are suffering from arthritis. It helps in improving strength and reduces pain to a great extent.
4. Isometric exercises help in reducing or lowering blood pressure. However, exercising with high intensity can raise blood pressure levels dramatically.

What are the shortcomings of these?

Some of the shortcomings of these exercises have been mentioned below:

1. They help in building and maintaining strength but not effectively as during these exercises the muscle does not change the length and the affected joint does not move.
2. These exercises need to be done in one position so they improve the strength of just one location. To improve strength at different locations, you need to perform different exercises.
3. People having high blood pressure shall always perform these exercises at a lower intensity.

What are the precautions that a person should take while performing these exercises?

Some precautions that one should take care while doing these exercises have been mentioned below:

1. You should not hold your breath while doing these exercises. There shall be continues breathing while exercising.
2. Heart patients and blood pressure patients shall always consult a doctor before practicing these exercises.
3. Some of these exercises require time, so make sure you don’t rush.
4. This one is in particular for all those who have high blood pressure- you should always perform these exercises with lower intensity or exercises which are less intense. As these exercises can increase your blood pressure rapidly. So make sure you perform these exercises after consultation or under the supervision of a trainer.

What is the best frequency for doing these exercises?

It is always great to do these exercises a couple of times daily and hold them for five to ten seconds, depending on your ease and strength. It is extremely important to practice these exercises regularly to get the desired results and you shall always remember to have the patience to get fruitful results.

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