Isometrics are the Best Exercise podcast on PJSC

Let’s say you are a very fit person, someone who has exercised pretty much your whole life, and definitely for the past 10 years or so.  You do resistance exercise, aerobic or cardio as well, and you stretch religiously.  I will say that you need isometrics!

And, on the other hand, let’s say you are a elderly person who has never exercised much, and definitely not in the past 10 years.  You really need isometrics!

How can each of these diametrically opposed situations have the same solution?  The answer is simple- isometrics will enhance your fitness, dramatically, in a very large way, no matter what your fitness level.

Very dramatic strength increases can be realized, very quickly, and with very little risk or danger, simply by doing a simple series of isometrics regularly!  No special equipment is needed, or even a change of clothing, and it can be done anywhere, anytime, in very little time.  

Isometrics have been shown to dramatically lower blood pressure, with no other changes in lifestyle.  Also, the strength increases also are beneficial for joints, strengthening the tendons and ligaments along with the muscles themselves.  Weight lifting pretty much bypasses the tendons and ligaments, concentrating on the bellies of the muscles first, which makes you more prone to injury.

Often, it is said that doing isometrics at a single angle only increases strength at that one angle.   Although technical true, if you simply do the same exercise at three angles- the start, the mid-point, and the near end-point of the motion, you effectively strengthen the entire strength curve!  I have found that a demanding, very effective isometric protocol takes about 10 minutes, total, to cover the whole body!

Here’s how you do it:  You will need a web cable, like a moving strap, at least 15 feet long.  About 2” wide is ideal; I use two moving straps I had that are each about 12 feet long.  I lay them on the floor, overlapping about a foot atop one another, and I step on the overlap, which locks them together.  Then, I grasp each strap, and run them overhead on each side, to where my hands are just above my shoulders, as if I am doing a military press with two dumbbells.  Then, I push upwards at about 80% or so of my power, for about 5 seconds.  Rest.  Repeat, for 6 seconds. Rest.  Repeat again for 7 seconds.  This is the protocol: 5,6, and then 7 seconds for each exercise in three positions.  

Next, I just lower my arms to my sides, still holding the straps, and do the same thing with curls: bottom, middle, and top extension, 5,6,7 seconds, at each position.  After that, I do bent over rows by bending over with the straps still held in each hand, and do all three positions from there, 5,6,7.  

Last, I do deadlifts, squatting down and at the bottom, push up with my thighs and back hard, 80% again, at the bottom position, the mid-point, and then near lock-out at the top.  I’m done!  I have covered my entire musculature, my shoulders, arms, back, and thighs completely, exhausting each muscle group in under 10 minutes!  I now do this pretty much daily, since it is so easy and time-efficient, and since I can do it in front of the television, easily, it doesn’t seem hard at all, or onerous.

Of course, I also exercise with virtual resistance exercise, rebounding, and calisthenics, it is no big deal to add in this last routine.  But, I will say that, if you only do this isometric routine, you will benefit hugely- especially if you don’t otherwise exercise!

The only downside that some might see is that this routine will not build much muscle bulk, or size. It will define and strengthen the muscles ideally, though, and the older I get I realize that is ideal- who really wants big, bulky, blocky muscles?  Think Bruce Lee’s physique, which while ideal, was not thick and bulky.  Bruce was a huge proponent of isometrics!  And how many women want thick, blocky physiques??

So do it- stand still and exercise!  Ideally, you will see and feel the benefits so strongly that you will be motivated to add in more, like pushups and straight-legged sit ups, and walking on a daily basis.  But, even if you just keep doing 10 minutes of exercise per day- you will reap huge, outsized benefits of health, fitness, and aesthetics, way beyond what you would with any other form of exercise, no matter how expensive, uncomfortable, and inconvenient.  Guaranteed.

pqtd #112 Exercise by not Moving a Muscle!

This sounds crazy, but it’s not- you really can get the best workout of your life by not moving a muscle! How?  Isometrics.

Now isometrics has gotten a really bad rap for a long time, the reasons for which are quite convoluted.  Back in the 1960’s (I’ll try to make this really short), Bob Hoffman, editor of Strength and Health magazine, was a proponent of isometrics.  He was also a big proponent of barbells, and so he incorporated barbells into isometric training with use of a “power rack”.  A power rack is a very useful piece of equipment, much more useful to my mind than barbells, and I have one in my training dungeon basement!  It is a large steel “cage” that can support thousands of pounds, and has steel pins that can be set at any height to hold a barbell.  This can save you if you “miss” a lift, that bar cannot come crashing down!

Also, however, you can press a barbell into the pin, pushing as hard and as long as you like, thus giving you a great isometric workout.

Bob Hoffman had his athletes train with the power rack with isometrics, and they were setting world records like crazy!  Unfortunately, at the same time they were also taking steroids, which had recently become available, and so all the benefit of isometrics was attributed to steroids.  This was a case of throwing the baby out with the bathwater, however, since isometrics do have incredible benefits in training!  And, although a power rack is nice to have, it is certainly not necessary at all. 

Probably the very best way to train isometrically is simply by gradually flexing and holding each muscle in the body, together for a short time.  Really, it is that simple- slowly flex your calves, thighs, glutes, back, chest, shoulders and arms.  Flex them, hard, about 80-90% of your maximum effort… hold that for about 6-7 seconds… and then gradually relax.  Repeat this same exercise for 6-8 times. 

Congratulations!  You have just done more for your body, both the physique and for your circulation, than anything else you could have done.  Every muscle, including tendons and ligaments, has been stimulated to strengthen.  And most importantly, this exercise causes blood pressure to regulate better than any other!  It can lower high blood pressure almost magically, without drugs, and without a major time commitment.  You can do it anywhere, anytime, and you don’t need to go to a gym or change clothes. 

There is even a computerized device using this principle called the Zona Plus.  This is an ingenious device that is winning accolades, and rightly so, for solving high blood pressure without drugs!  How does it do this?  Isometrics.   The Zona Plus is a small ball that you squeeze as hard as you can for two minutes.  It can tell from computerization just how hard you need to squeeze, and can be used by very debilitated people, since it senses how much they can safely squeeze, and limits them to that limit.

This is great, and if you are debilitated and/or have dangerously high blood pressure I recommend this device to you.  But, it costs hundreds of dollars, and if you are currently really healthy like me…

I recommend the former isometric exercise!  It’s free, it’s very effective on multiple levels (not just your grip strength), and it hits your entire body!  Go ahead- work out!  But for this one- don’t move a muscle.

Check out this episode!

PaleoJay's Smoothie Cafe podcast #91- Lower your blood pressure AND tone your whole body at the same time- Naturally!

There is something wonderful about doing isometrics for your health.  And I don’t mean anything fancy and contorted, like pushing against pins in a power rack- although that is great as well- but a simple, equipment-less exercise that you can do anywhere, standing or lying down- an isometric total body flex!

The benefits are amazing, particularly in lowering blood pressure naturally.
The circulation is enhanced to all parts of the body, even the peripheral areas like the feet and the hands.  And so, how do you perform this wonderful exercise?

You simply stand straight, and gradually tense all of the muscles of your body, while breathing normally, and count to 5 or 6.  Relax, and then repeat  three times- That’s it!  That burst of oxygenated blood throughout your body (and brain too!) is one of the most energizing things you can do for yourself!

It’s great in that it can be done at odd moments, like when you are standing waiting for something, or gassing up your car, or just standing in your yard grilling...  in everyones life there are more than enough occasions where you can slip in three or four “sets” of this total isometric body flex throughout your day, and reap the many benefits.

As in anything, the more you do it the better you will get at it- at first, just methodically flexing each muscle group in turn will enhance your mind to muscle connection, and your ability to flex muscle groups effectively will improve.  Besides the blood pressure benefits and the circulation benefits, this is a wonderful way to improve your definition, which is to say the muscle tone will dramatically improve, and your muscles will seem to “pop” out underneath your skin, ala ancient Greek statues!

 And you will feel the difference in your musculature, and become more aware of your body, and how to control it in any physical situation.

A good way to start your day is to do a set of the isometric total body flex upon awakening, in bed!  Yes, that’s right- it is every bit as effective lying down as it is standing up- and it’s a great way to kickstart your day with a really healthy habit that starts you off on the right foot!  At first, just flex moderately intensely, to get the feel of controlling your muscles, but you can and should aim at later gradually working up to perhaps flexes of about 80% of perceived effort- that is enough to get all the benefits, without over-straining, which is always a bad idea.

There is numerous medical literature proving the blood pressure lowering benefits of isometric exercise if you care to google it, as I did.  For instance, here is the conclusion of group of studies done recently by the Mayo Clinic-

Conclusion
Isometric resistance training lowers SBP, DBP, and mean arterial pressure. The magnitude of effect is larger than that previously reported in dynamic aerobic or resistance training. Our data suggest that this form of training has the potential to produce significant and clinically meaningful blood pressure reductions and could serve as an adjunctive exercise modality.



The studies go way back, and the results are always beneficial.  So why is the benefit of isometrics not taught and offered to people with high blood pressure, and bed ridden people, and folks recovering from injury that can’t do “normal” types of exercise?

I don’t really know, but again, just as in proper nutrition wherein we consume real foods as made by God and nature, bypassing the man made fake food like substances like GMO grains and processed crap-

THERE IS NOTHING TO SELL!

No exercise equipment, no gym memberships, no supplements or running shoes... NOTHING!

But hopefully I have just sold you on the idea of doing this simple and oh-so-beneficial exercise on a daily basis!  The cost, once you have acquired this knowledge, is just your brief efforts throughout the day.

Paleo Exercise and TV!

It seems strange, even to me, that something as age-old and basic as Perfectly Paleo types of exercise blend perfectly with television viewing; specifically Netflix shows and movies!
But, it's true...

I exercise early mornings, which is the only time that I can reliably reserve for myself.  I think it's like that for most of us "worker bees".  I get up, make my Paleo Smoothie for the day whilst heating the water for my tea and coffee...  While the Vitamix is running on high, blending all of the veggies, fruits, kefir, spices, green tea, etc.  that will nourish me for day optimally, I walk into the living room, and select my streaming Netflix movie of the day!  (What a tough caveman's life).

I always start with Visualized Resistance Exercises.  I learned about these years ago from John Peterson of  Transformetrics, who is the acknowledged expert on this form of resistance training.

Here is a brief, abbreviated video I made to demonstrate this simple, timeless form of safe, productive, and easy-to-do-anywhere form of exercise-

So, while I watch an entertaining movie, I gradually stretch out, and tense every muscle group in my body!  You can make it as taxing or as easy as you'd like; I find I wind up tensing on average up to 80% or so of my maximum ability...believe it or not, often this period in the morning is my favorite part of the day!

Doing these Visualized exercises can be your entire workout, as was mine this morning, since I worked really hard yesterday, and wanted to recover. (This form of exercise can be very restorative, to both muscles and joints).  It starts by strengthening the ligaments and tendons, as opposed to standard weight lifting, which starts by taxing the muscles, and does little or nothing to gradually strengthen and prepare the connective tissues and joints to bear the increased load on the musculature.

But usually, I finish up with pushups, sit-ups, hindu squats, hindu pushups, bridging, and other calisthenics, along with some self-resisted exercise (one arm resisting another, for instance)... and isometric holds as well.

By the time you are done with such a productive, yet actually fun session of Paleo Exercise in front of your TV, you have worked on virtually every muscle in your body, and you feel just great- 
What a way to start your day!

I recommend it to one and all- you'll never want to just sit on the couch and passively watch television again- it's that addicting.

J

Superslow, Slow burn, or... Transformetrics/Dynamic Tension??

Exercise is a contentious issue in the Paleo lifestyle!

The consensus currently seems to be lift big!  Lift heavy!  Olympic lifts- Power lifts- otherwise, lift SLOW for maximum hypertrophy!!


Well, speaking as an official old man, having turned 60 two days ago, I am here to tell you something...

different.

I am all for eating Paleo!  DO IT!!  Cut the sugar, cut the grains (same thing!), eat veggies and some fruit, eat lots of good fats to replace all of those harmful grains/sugars you are eliminating- (I don't want you to ever be hungry- do not starve yourself- this is harmful, not good in any way!)  Consume lots of coconut milk,  pastured (grass-fed) butter, and full fat cream- enjoy!  Sardines, salmon, cod liver oil- YES!

But, once you have the eating down, which is about 85% of the battle, and are getting enough quality sleep, which along with quality "tribal time", meaning connectivity between family, friends, church family, work friends, and all the rest of your immediate tribe- well, now you have about 95% of the battle won!!

But what about that small, but crucial in our modern sedentary age 5% of exercise stimulus??


Well, I would say that for 95% of us,  forget about weight lifting.

WHAT??  Yes, I know muscular stimulation is really, really important!  Especially as we age...

I just think that there is a better, safer, saner, more natural way to achieve it.

I used to be a superslow adherent- it works very well.  Now, Slow Burn is the latest manifestation of Ken Hutchin's original protocol, and many swear by it.  I like superslow/slow burn for their brevity- the 10 seconds up on the rep, 5 seconds down is very demanding, and stimulates growth very well.

But I have learned that, where slow is good- stopped entirely (isometric stop) at the end of a "visualized resistance" rep is even better!

At any rate, here is a brief video of what I'm talking about- you just flex and move throughout a range of motion- that's it!  This might seem really simple, and just "too easy", but trust me, it's not!  It is as "hard" as lifting weights, but with no joint damage.


And, by adding an isometric hold at the end of the rep, you are achieving the "timed static contraction" so desired in superslow circles, but without the necessary use of a complicated weight machine!

Admittedly, I am not concerned with muscle hypertrophy (size) beyond what is natural.

I want functional, all around natural health and fitness.  Aesthetics are also important, and go along with natural development...  

I hate to be a rabble-rouser, but Olympic lifting, and powerlifting, and bodybuilding are all...

SPORTS!

Like baseball, football, hockey, distance running, wrestling, bridge,  tidily-winks... all sports!

To be fit and healthy are secondary, or less, in regards to sport.  Sports are a form of recreation, and the demands of sports are specific to winning at... that sport!

Health and fitness are not a sport- they are a goal independent of sports and athletic events.  So, lifting weights as a sport has nothing to do with health, per se.  

For HEALTH: we just want to stimulate the muscles and tendons (and bones!) to improve their composition!  

Visualized resistance, aka "www.Transformetrics.com" will do this for you, perfectly!  You don't even have to worry about overtraining- the nature of this exercise is that it is self- limiting- you can do it daily, and you will not overtrain, since your own body is in charge of the "overload"- you just adjust the load downwards when you need to, and flex more when you need to- you are in charge.

So, if you are mainly interested in HEALTH and FITNESS:

Forget the weights!  Do visualized resistance exercises daily, add in bodyweight exercises (pushups, sit-ups , pull-ups , planks, and "self resisted" exercises).  Sprint barefoot, walk barefoot, in the sunshine, with minimal clothing (for maximal Vitamin D!!).   You CAN do "superslow/slow burn" whenever you want - I do, sometimes!  But when you think about it, 

slow, Visualized Resistance movements ARE Superslow already- IN SPADES!!

So, why not just do those exercises first (maybe 15 minutes worth), and then do bodyweight exercises, and maybe some self-resisted exercise (isometrics) and then... just stop?  Add in some stretches, and you've covered everything your body needs.  

Anything beyond that is... sports specific.  If you're into sports, that's fine!

If you are into HEALTH and FITNESS, it is irrelevant.

J