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Post by teacup on Mar 18, 2023 18:38:25 GMT
Hi Brothersteve,
I did train with the static/max contraction system a few years ago. The problem I found was keeping the resistance on the muscles instead of letting it shift to the joints, albeit unintentionally.
A better approach to my thinking anyway is the longer holds. Carrying a 20kg box of weights for a mile from the shop to the car seriously burns the biceps 👍
I think you are right about stress on the CNS. Perhaps that is why Dr Ziegler used such brief and infrequent treatments on his athletes?
I tried longer hold durations, 3 mins, but pushed hard. Lost about 7lbs over a month and felt frazzled.
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stuke
Caneguru
Posts: 905
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Post by stuke on Mar 20, 2023 18:46:05 GMT
Hi made a new isometric board yesterday, this one has two anchor points, one at each side and set a little off cenfre (ie nearer the back than front). I have carribiners and chains which I can then attach to a barbell. I found this mornjng that I spent quite a bit of time setting up for each exercise, then having to adjust a lot. Not easy to get both chains the same length. Bench went well, perhaps 10 second holds supersetted with light, high rep dumbell bench press. A couplee of very stric chin ups warmed by back up then I set up for stretch position bent over rows, but laying prone on a bench. Once set uo, in the very first 'set', as I was ramping up the effort it first fel like it was going to be pretty good, then I had a horrible pop / movement in my chest, felt like one of the upper left ribs. Definitely unnerved me and hurt a fair bit too though only very briefly. I made the decision there and then, no more of these for me. I suffer with costochrondritis but this wasn't like that. Anyway, no lumps or further pain (except a very small ache). Did a hold in the bent over positon with no bench but I found I prefer one arm for these. Next was squats, some very awkward trying to get the height right and get into a low squat positikn. Did not like these at all but found resting the bar on a doubled up towel on top of the thighs, close to my body was pretty good. Supersetted with pendulum squats. Was running out of time now so did some isos with curls near the stretch position supersetted with incline dunbell curls, light and higher reps. Many hours later I definitely feel worked, even if it was a bit of a disjointed, short session. I feel that I prefer the Steve Justa waqy, using fixed positon bars or structures feels better for me in some exercises, and single arm with my middle anchored board, chain and handle also work better and quicker for certain exercises too. The single anchor works great for deadlifts, shrugs etc as I just use an empty dumbell bar with the chain wrapped around.I like the idea of working in with high rep, light, pumping movements too.
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Post by teacup on Mar 20, 2023 20:15:01 GMT
Hi stuke,
You’re right about Steve Justa. It’s certainly simpler and quicker to push/pull against a fixed point.
Looking at the history of isometric devices the early emphasis on power racks and such would have been ideal for Olympic lifters but for everyone else? Perhaps not.
Justa’s approach makes sense, we’ve all had to grapple with some awkward load at some point in manual labours, so why not replicate that? Lever our bodies into position for maximum effort, not pretty but certainly develops a WTH effect.
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Post by Deuce Gunner on Mar 20, 2023 21:07:53 GMT
True, none say a trainee will be able to lift or move a certain amount, but they do infer the 'approximate 5% per week' and peoples imaginations take over thinking they can do that indefinitely. The Dynaflex ads and course say it will make you stronger and does promise some size increases and the Body Tone ads and course make claims you will be both bigger and stronger. Was the Atlas course isometrics in the conventional sense? Not totally. It was a mix of cals, self resistance, dvr and isometrics via self resistance. Even FRY says in one of his books that his exercises were very potent and that he had a guy train on them to where the guy entered a bodybuilding contest and placed, which I think was in the 60's. Was it true, probably not. Did FRY invent Dynaflex? JeP and others said so, but I'm not sure, and no ones knows who did for sure. Back in the day, isometrics was simply defined as pushing or pulling against an immoveable object for 6 seconds or so. Yielding and overcoming were terms that came up more recently. What I found interesting was he brought up the notion iso's were touted to be a space age way to build size and strength with little time and effort. NASA said the astronauts used iso's which helped reinforce the notion. In the new nuclear age of the early 50's, after the Physiology of Strength came out, incredible marvelous advances were coming out and this was one of them. There were many contraptions and books made and sold over the years to do them. I do agree with him on the Bullworker, which is also a reason I posted this. It is a great piece of equipment.Personally, I like them a lot. I do feel I am much stronger, pound for pound, for having done them and that the development I gained from them is way better than if I never did them at all. I don't believe they will make a bodybuilder physique, nor will they make you a weightlifting champ, but if used with other methods will be beneficial. President John F Kennedy was also supposed to have been prescribed isometrics by his physician in order to maintain strength because of the back injury he suffered in WWII.
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Post by BigBruvOfEnglandUK on Mar 21, 2023 7:33:40 GMT
Stuke, the chain set up sounds like a pain in the arse. Get some strap. Also figure out isometric exercises that can be done with furniture, broom handles, door frames, towels etc. No need to try and copy a barbell squat for an isometric exercise for the legs. Work the legs from the waist down and keep your lower back out of it. I do an isometric leg press using the space in an under stairs cupboard. I sit with my back against one wall. I wriggle my arse right into the skirting board to take out any curve in the lower back. Just a small towel in the small of my back. My feet are against the opposite wall and skirting. I push like I'm trying to take down the walls. You need to make sure the walls are strong enough for this though. If they are plasterboard they can be easily damaged. A sheet of wood may need to be used on each wall to spread the load.
My current isometric workout in no particular order is...
Leg press. Cupboard. Chest fly. Broomstick. Just grab each end and try to push the hands towards each other. Not bend it. Rear delts. Broomstick. Grab with both hands somewhere near the middle and try to pull the broom stick apart. OR use a towel and try to rip it apart. Side delts. Stand in a door frame. Find the narrowest door frame in the house. Hands down at the sides. Now push against both side of the door frame. Deadlift. Bath towel. Stand somewhere near the middle of the towel with the the length going front to back. Not left to right. Reach down and grab the two corners that are behind you and pull them up between your thighs so you are in something like a kettlebell deadlift position. Get the deadlift position you want by moving your heels to the front or back. Hammer curl. Same set up but you will need to move your feet to get enough towel to pull. Biceps curl. Broomstick held at the back of the legs. Triceps pushdown. Broomstick. Stand it vertically with one end on the floor. Push down with one or two hands as if doing a cable pushdown with a rope attachment. Shrugs. Sturdy chair. Sit on it. Grasps the seat at either side and try to shrug it up. Plank. Floor. Neck. Resist against the hands.
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Post by BigBruvOfEnglandUK on Mar 21, 2023 8:25:44 GMT
I've just done my workout and realised I left out some exercises from the list.
Seated row. Bath towel. Sit on the floor. Legs together and stretched out in front. Same position as if you were doing band seated rows with the band around your feet. Calfs. Almost the same position but the towel is only behind the balls of the feet and not the arches or heels. Stretch the calfs. Take up the tension in the towel by pulling with the hands and then push against the towel with only your feet while the calfs are in the stretched position.
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Post by teacup on Mar 21, 2023 17:55:56 GMT
Hi BigBruv,
When you use the broomstick for chest and rear delts do you keep both hands the same way up (both pronated? Both supinated?) or do you mix the grips/ placement?
I’m just thinking that would be similar to Steve Justa’s approach.
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Post by fredhutch on Mar 21, 2023 19:00:15 GMT
Here is one of my favorite isometrics for the lats, it mimics the stretched position of a one-arm bent-arm pullover (which has always been one of my favorite weight exercises). I will describe it on one side. Stand with the right side of your back pressed against the wall next to a doorway, that is, your spine and everything to the right will be against the wall, the left side of your back is not touching anything. By all means experiment with how much of your back contacts the wall, you want a good solid position that allows you to position yourself properly. Reach back over your left shoulder with your left hand and get a good grip on the door frame behind your head. Now just pull...This is a stretched position that you are probably not used to, so I strongly recommend you apply moderate pressure and work up to hard pulls gradually. Once conditioned you can pull really hard in this position. Opposite directions to work the right side of course. Enjoy!
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Post by BigBruvOfEnglandUK on Mar 21, 2023 19:31:48 GMT
Hi BigBruv, When you use the broomstick for chest and rear delts do you keep both hands the same way up (both pronated? Both supinated?) or do you mix the grips/ placement? I’m just thinking that would be similar to Steve Justa’s approach. Pronated. I just tried it supinated after reading your post. It felt awkward.
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stuke
Caneguru
Posts: 905
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Post by stuke on Mar 21, 2023 21:24:22 GMT
Stuke, the chain set up sounds like a pain in the arse. Get some strap. Also figure out isometric exercises that can be done with furniture, broom handles, door frames, towels etc. No need to try and copy a barbell squat for an isometric exercise for the legs. Work the legs from the waist down and keep your lower back out of it. I do an isometric leg press using the space in an under stairs cupboard. I sit with my back against one wall. I wriggle my arse right into the skirting board to take out any curve in the lower back. Just a small towel in the small of my back. My feet are against the opposite wall and skirting. I push like I'm trying to take down the walls. You need to make sure the walls are strong enough for this though. If they are plasterboard they can be easily damaged. A sheet of wood may need to be used on each wall to spread the load. My current isometric workout in no particular order is... Leg press. Cupboard. Chest fly. Broomstick. Just grab each end and try to push the hands towards each other. Not bend it. Rear delts. Broomstick. Grab with both hands somewhere near the middle and try to pull the broom stick apart. OR use a towel and try to rip it apart. Side delts. Stand in a door frame. Find the narrowest door frame in the house. Hands down at the sides. Now push against both side of the door frame. Deadlift. Bath towel. Stand somewhere near the middle of the towel with the the length going front to back. Not left to right. Reach down and grab the two corners that are behind you and pull them up between your thighs so you are in something like a kettlebell deadlift position. Get the deadlift position you want by moving your heels to the front or back. Hammer curl. Same set up but you will need to move your feet to get enough towel to pull. Biceps curl. Broomstick held at the back of the legs. Triceps pushdown. Broomstick. Stand it vertically with one end on the floor. Push down with one or two hands as if doing a cable pushdown with a rope attachment. Shrugs. Sturdy chair. Sit on it. Grasps the seat at either side and try to shrug it up. Plank. Floor. Neck. Resist against the hands. Yes, it wqs an absolute pain in the arse, you are right. How do you fasten the straps to the bar / anchor, how do you adjust the length? Some very creative stuff you have there, impressive. I have wanted some suitable walls to do legpress as you describe it but haven't got anywhere I would trust. My legs are really drained from yesterday, very surprised though I hadn't trained them for a couple of weeks except a bike ride, so it is probably a combination of a few factors. The chin up frame I made years ago in the garage is pretty versatile. I can do various grip chin ups / pull ups, Dr Len type movements, pulley work, hanging leg raises with the lower back supported, pendulum squats, rope climbs etc. When it comes to isometrics, its not in the same league as Steve Justa's frame, but you can do an awful lot of movements and angles. I can even squeeze a bench under a bar and do decline bench press (iso). I was quite pleased with the new iso board I made but in hindsight, I should have stuck with my single anchored one and my frame.
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Post by teacup on Mar 21, 2023 22:10:47 GMT
Hi BigBruv,
That’s a pity it felt awkward. Perhaps it works better for pressing movements. I guess the most important thing is to do what works for you, helps keep up the motivation.
Stuke, that chin up frame sounds handy!
Fred, that’s an interesting exercise - I’ll be giving that a try!
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Post by gruntbrain on Mar 21, 2023 22:20:20 GMT
If you have a sufficiently wide doorway , an isometric single leg press is quite useful ; I have doorway that is 40" while the the others are only 32" .
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Post by BigBruvOfEnglandUK on Mar 22, 2023 3:18:17 GMT
Stuke, the chain set up sounds like a pain in the arse. Get some strap. Yes, it wqs an absolute pain in the arse, you are right. How do you fasten the straps to the bar / anchor, how do you adjust the length? Some very creative stuff you have there, impressive. I have wanted some suitable walls to do legpress as you describe it but haven't got anywhere I would trust. My legs are really drained from yesterday, very surprised though I hadn't trained them for a couple of weeks except a bike ride, so it is probably a combination of a few factors. I think it was Deuce that posted a link to webbing straps in the USA that are very similar to Shen's strap that he used to sell. You may be able to find the same in the UK on Amazon or eBay or something? You can also do a leg press with a cargo strap. Sit on a sofa, small chair or even the toilet. Pass the strap under your feet and connect it over the top of your thighs and adjust for the height you want to work at. Now try to stand up.
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Post by BigBruvOfEnglandUK on Mar 23, 2023 4:59:46 GMT
Yes, it wqs an absolute pain in the arse, you are right. How do you fasten the straps to the bar / anchor, how do you adjust the length? Some very creative stuff you have there, impressive. I have wanted some suitable walls to do legpress as you describe it but haven't got anywhere I would trust. My legs are really drained from yesterday, very surprised though I hadn't trained them for a couple of weeks except a bike ride, so it is probably a combination of a few factors. I think it was Deuce that posted a link to webbing straps in the USA that are very similar to Shen's strap that he used to sell. You may be able to find the same in the UK on Amazon or eBay or something? It was no_scheisse_sherlock that posted about the straps on the Aging Macho Men forum. Apparently they are the same strap that Dragondoor now uses for their "IsoMax" isometric device. These are the same straps available in the UK but with gymnastic rings. www.amazon.co.uk/Vulken-Gymnastic-Adjustable-Bodyweight-Training/dp/B08ND6ZYQ1/ref=sr_1_6?keywords=Vulken&qid=1679547107&sr=8-6 Also available on ebay UK.
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Post by BigBruvOfEnglandUK on Mar 23, 2023 9:37:28 GMT
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