Isometric Stretching

Isometric stretching is the most effective way to increase flexibility by widening the range of motion of your joints. Plus it will also strengthen your joints in stretched out position unlike static stretching, let me explain.

Static or traditional stretching is when you elongate your muscle and slowly stretch it until it hurts a bit and you hold that position. In this position you are pulling the fibers apart weakening them to improve flexibility. Unfortunately this will lead to unstable joints making it easier to strain and pull ligaments and tendons.

With isometric stretching, you will gain strength in the joints and at the same time increase flexibility. Developing strong tendons and ligaments that can contract and resist against outside force but still remain flexible is ideal for people who engage in physical sports like martial arts, football and soccer.

What Is Isometric Stretching?

When you perform an isometric contraction with your muscle stretched out you involve the muscle fibers that would remain at rest otherwise. The fibers that where already in use from the static stretch cannot contract due to the inverse myotatic reflex effect thus making them stretch further and harder.

Here is an example of an isometric hamstring stretch: Place the heel of your left foot on a chair with your leg straight, your toes should be pointing up. Tilt your body forward until you feel a stretch in the back of the leg. In this position, contract the leg muscle by trying to bend your left knee by digging your heel into the chair.

This will not only increase flexibility in the hamstring but also strengthen the muscle in this position making it capable of withstanding more force preventing injury.

Never perform an isometric stretching routine the day of a competition or of a game. It is very intense and can affect your performance that day. Before training or a competition I suggest performing dynamic stretches.

Do not perform a routine more than twice a week. Leave at least 2 days recovery between them.

Do not superset them, stretch only one muscle group per routine and perform 3-5 sets per exercise.

Hold each stretch for 10-15 seconds.

A good warm-up for a routine would be 5 minutes of light aerobics along with some dynamic stretches.

It is not recommended that anyone under the age of 18 perform isometric stretches unless instructed by a physician.

Side Split Isometric Exercises

Truth is if you can place your leg on an objet at a 90 degree angle you can do a split squat. Sure you can do that but what about the other leg? That’s the beauty of it, nothing connects both legs together, no muscles, no tendons or ligaments. Think about it, your legs are in their own hip slots with nothing running across to connect them. But still your body won’t alloy you to do the split squat, here’s why;

The body has a self protection mechanism called the Golgi Tendon Organ which measures how tight your muscles are contracted. It is also responsible for how tight your muscles tense up in response to an outside stimulus. Helping the body to prevent injury.

In the case of the split squat, the GTO would contract your muscles which shortens them and essentially preventing you from doing the split.

This is where isometric stretching and its effectiveness come in. This method of isometric exercises allow you to achieve a greater range of motion without weakening the muscles.

Here is how you can achieve a side split:

Spread your legs sideways as far as you can. Tense or contract all the muscles in the leg. With the muscles contracted try to squeeze your thigh muscles together using the abductor leg muscle. Hold this contraction for 7 to 20 seconds.

When you relax the contracted muscles your body will have a natural relaxation response allowing you to stretch further. Repeat for 3 times going down a little more each time.

This teaches you and your GTO to control your bodies muscular tension without weakening your tendons or ligaments.

Do not try to reach the floor on your first workout. It will take at least 4 workouts to reach the floor. And again do not stretch like this more than twice a week.

Here are some isometric training ideas and how you can incorporate them with isometric stretching.