5 Reasons to Try Isometric Training for Muscle Strength
Isometric training is great for building muscle strength as it improves isometric muscle contractions. These contractions occur when your muscles are at work, but the joints aren’t included.
Key examples of isometric training include planking or wall sitting. When holding a certain position, the joints are fixed, and the muscles are contracted for a set period of time. Here are a few reasons why you should try isometric training for yourself.
1) Helps Your Motor Units
Motor units are parts of your muscles that are activated when they contract. If a muscle is made of thousands of motor units, then there are thousands of muscle fibres that can potentially contract.
If you are looking to improve the way your muscles work and develop strength in these muscles, then isometric training can be very helpful.
For example, when you hold a plank position or a wall sit position, you are engaging your muscles in an isometric contraction. If you try this too hard and hold your position for too long, then you will feel your muscles burning.
Isometric training allows you to hold these muscles in a position for a set period, and this helps you to improve the strength in these muscles even more.
2) Boosts Muscle Hypertrophy
Hypertrophy is the process by which muscle fibres grow in size, and this is an important part of building muscle strength.
When you hold your muscles in a static position, you are working your muscles in the same way that you would during a traditional workout. However, you are training the muscles to be strong in that position, and over time, you can increase their ability to work in that position more.
3) Strengthens Mind-Muscle Connection
The mind-muscle connection is when you are able to activate your muscles from the brain. This means that you are able to work your muscles in the mind and then use those muscles to move like you would if you were training at the gym.
The mind-muscle connection is an important part of building muscle strength. If you are not able to use your mind to activate your muscles, then you will never get the best results out of your workouts.
However, when you are able to focus your mind on the muscles that you are training, and you are able to hold them in the right position, then you will be able to activate the muscles that you want to work.
4) Improves Balance and Coordination
Isometric training helps you to reinforce the structural strength of your muscles.
This is because when you move into different positions and you choose to hold your muscles in place, then you are improving your stability and posture.
This means that you will be able to hold your body in the correct positions, and this will help you to improve the way your muscles react when you perform different movements.
5) Keeps Strength Even After Injury
When you are injured, you are unable to train the same way that you would normally. However, you can use isometric training as a way to keep your strength even when you are injured.
Sustained injuries may render you unable to perform certain movements. For example, if you injure your shoulder, you may no longer be able to perform shoulder presses.
Start Building Up Muscle Strength
Isometric training is a great way to train your muscles, and it is a great way to improve your strength. If you want to challenge your body, then try isometric training, and see the results for yourself.
If you’re looking for a private personal trainer in Vancouver to keep you on top of your isometric training, Kalev Fitness has you covered. With our trained coaches, we aim to help you get to your ideal body in just a few sessions. Get in touch with us today to learn more.