Isometric Exercises are a great way to build mobility, stability and strength in your lower body.

X08620bc (3/2015) ©AHC /OT Elbow/Forearm Forearm/Wrist Isometric – Home Exercise Program 1. Isometric Wrist Extension Make a fist with involved hand with palm down. Move wrist in a slight upward direction and resist with opposite hand. This at-home isometric workout will target your whole body — and all you need to do it is a wall. Isometrics: The Secret to Gaining Strength — Without Moving a Muscle.

While most people include dynamic and static stretches in their workout routine, they often forget about the importance of Isometric Moves to developing mobility and even flexibility.

And Isometric Exercises are key.

Dynamic and static stretches do improve your flexibility and mobility; however, they don’t at the same time strengthen and build stability through that new range of motion.

Jan 17, 2018 Isometric exercises are contractions of a particular muscle or group of muscles. During isometric exercises, the muscle doesn't noticeably change length and the affected joint doesn't move. Isometric exercises help maintain strength. They can also build strength, but not effectively.Because isometric exercises are done in one position without movement, they'll improve strength in only one particular position. You'd have to do various isometric exercises.
An isometric exercise is a form of exercise involving the static contraction of a muscle without any visible movement in the angle of the joint. The term 'isometric' combines the Greek words 'Isos' (equal) and 'metria' (measuring), meaning that in these exercises the length of the muscle and the angle of the joint do not change, though contraction strength may be varied.
Isometric training also produces significant strength increase over a range of up to as much as 15 degrees on either side of the training angle. Moreover, as with all strength measurements, there is a specific force or torque versus joint angle curve for each type of muscle contraction, so that it is highly unlikely that a strength increase.

Then when we go lift, even after doing the stretching, we often don’t work through the increased range of motion, which simply means we tighten everything back up only to have to stretch out and loosen up again.

By including Isometrics, you not only improve your flexibility and mobility, but you also work and strengthen through the new range of motion to help you keep the increased range of motion.

And, by doing Isometrics, you can learn to activate and feel the correct muscles working during the movements so that, when you go to lift weights, the correct muscles are being recruited through a full range of motion!

Below are 15 Leg Isometric Exercises you should include in your workout routine to not only improve your hip mobility and the flexibility of your legs, but also strengthen and build stability.

With these 20 Leg Isometric Exercises, you can mobilize your hips, stretch out your legs, activate your glutes and work your quads and hamstrings. You can also even improve your balance and core strength.

Split Squat Hold – The Split Squat Hold is a great lunge isometric to stretch your hip flexors, activate your glutes and work your quads. It will also improve your balance and core strength.

And if you struggle to get deeper in your lunges, this is a great way to increase your range of motion.

To do the Split Squat Hold, step one foot forward into a wide lunge stance. Keeping your chest up nice and tall, balance on your front foot and the ball of your back foot.

Then drop your back knee down toward the ground. Bend your front knee as close to 90 degrees as possible as you sink down as low as you can in the lunge. Try to keep your back knee just hovering over the ground if possible.

Make sure to keep your front heel down and your weight centered as you hold at the bottom of the Split Squat.

Keep your chest up nice and tall as you hold and make sure to squeeze the glute of the leg that is back to extend the hip and make sure your low back isn’t arching to keep your torso up nice and tall.

Chair Pose with Glute Stretch – Improve your balance, strengthen your core, work your legs individually to correct imbalances and stretch out your glutes and hips with this Chair Pose with Glute Stretch move.

To do the Chair Pose with Glute Stretch, start standing then cross one ankle over the other leg right above your knee.

Sit your butt back and sink into a squat with your one leg crossed over. From here you can keep your hands on your legs, bring them into prayer pose or reach them up overhead.

Make sure to sit your butt back as you squat and keep the knee of the leg crossed over open. Hold and breathe and keep your chest up as you hold the squat.

Scissor Hamstring Stretch – Another great Isometric move for your legs is the Scissor Hamstring Stretch because it stretches not only your hamstrings but also your calves to improve your ankle and hip mobility. It also requires a lot of stability to balance as you hold.

Isometric Exercises Pdf Download

However, this is a more challenging move and beginners may want to have a yoga block or even a wall in front of them to place their hands on since they may not be able to reach the ground.

To do the Scissor Hamstring Stretch, step one foot forward into a nice wide Split Stance. Drive the heel of the back foot down as your front foot is flat on the ground.

Keeping both legs straight, hinge over placing your hands on the ground. Push your butt back as you hinge over.

Breathe and relax into the stretch and try to sink deeper into it as you relax.

Make sure to keep both legs straight even if it means you have to place your hands up on something instead of on the ground.

Extended Triangle – The Extended Triangle is a great variation of the Scissor Hamstring Stretch that opens up your hips and groin while stretching your hamstrings and calves. And because of the rotation with your upper body, it also opens up your chest and back as well.

Just like with the Scissor Hamstring Stretch, beginners may not be able to reach the ground. With this stretch, you can place your hand on your shin or even on your foot if you don’t have a block or something else to use.

To do the Extended Triangle Pose, set up in a wide stance, stepping one foot forward (with your feet about 4 feet apart). Turn your back toe out while your front foot should be pointing straight ahead. You want your feet to be almost perpendicular although you back toe can be slightly forward. Make sure that your front foot is about at the instep of your back foot if you look back from your front heel to your back foot.

Then push your butt back and hinge over at the hips, reaching the same hand as the leg that is forward down to the ground. Make sure to keep your legs straight as you hinge. If your legs start to bend, do not reach lower or make sure you are pushing your butt back. You may also find you need to bring your back foot in so your stance isn’t quite as wide to help you keep your legs straight.

Place your hand on the ground at the instep of your foot. If you can’t reach the ground, you can also place your hand on a block, your foot, your shin or your ankle to help make sure you keep your legs straight.

Extend your opposite arm up toward the ceiling, opening your chest up toward the ceiling. If you can’t really open your chest up toward the ceiling, you may want to place your hand up higher on your leg or on a block. You can then keep looking at the ground to help you balance or look up toward the ceiling to make the move harder.

Twisting Extended Triangle – If the outside of your legs and hips are super tight and you suffer from hip, knee or ankle pain, this is another great variation of the Scissor Hamstring Stretch to try. This move will also stretch your back and open up your chest while improving your balance.

This is a more challenging Isometric and, again, you may need a block to place your hand up on.

To do the Twisting Extended Triangle, you will set up in a wide stance, although probably not quite as wide as with the Extended Triangle. Both feet will be pointing straight ahead with the back toe only slightly turned out.

Then keeping your legs straight, hinge at the hips as you push your butt back, dropping the opposite hand from the leg forward down to the ground at about your instep.

Reach your other hand up toward the ceiling and rotate your chest open toward the front leg.

If you can’t reach the ground and keep your legs straight, you will want to place your hand up on a block or chair. Try to really open your chest up t

Isometric Workout Pdf