Isometric Training for Explosive Power: Myth or Reality?

[@TheMovementSystem]

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[@chadd980]

One of my favourite videos recently. I love this. Bought the movement system and hoping to become a strength and conditioning coach soon

[@shahgee8708]

Great video. I am working with athletes and now got the perfect idea of how to improve sprint performance. Thank you Matt.

[@scamponetraining]

Great video, thanks. I’ve been training clients with ISOs for two years. Had an 18 year old and an 86 year old doing mid thigh pulls today.

[@freeatlast1810]

Great video. Thanks for sharing

[@miketsak2104]

Thanks so much. Very useful and extremely clear explanation!!! Great information!!

[@Sy4fiqah]

Great video ❤

[@denisbeaulieu5600]

thanks Matt

[@wyrrlynmyrrlyn]

Nice video. Shaolin monks use a lot of isometrics as well.

[@davidjanbaz7728]

Great video: now apply isometrics with the good leg to strengthen an injured leg as strength can cross over but endurance not so much as per the research article I read . But that was in 2008, and has the research supported this one article or has it changed: a video would be nice on this subject.

[@Sohel----]

what Are some isometrics for sprinters ? Calf raise ISO , split leg heel raise ISO , quarter squat position iso ...and ??

[@bigviking0001]

Interesting!! Having broken my back five times, I had a lot of immobility issues and pain. A friend introduced me to an Isometric exercise called Vacuuming that saved me. Contracting the core and gutes at the same time as much as possible. His comment was "try to imagine pulling you anus through you belly button". Hold this for 10 seconds then rest for 20 sec. Do one set of 5, three times a day to start. It made the back pain go away after a month or so and I have worked up to doing 5-7 sets a day. Anytime I feel my back starting to tighten up, I do a rep or two and the tightness is gone.

[@robertvondarth1730]

What do you think of weight belt mid thigh overcoming isometric? Theory - force production is limited by what your grip and upper torso can handle. Pulling with a weight belt around the hips might allow more force pressure in the legs

[@TheMovementSystem]

When I measured this it was at least 20% higher with the belt compared to the grip. That’s probably a better way to train for max force output. It does throw off dynamic strength index calculations though, so if you’re trying to compare that with research you have to use the same methods as the research.

[@robertvondarth1730]

@ I’m working on a short horizontal lunge for fencing (HEMA) Attempting to move my center of mass forward , pushing off the rear leg, from stillness, about 24” under 350 ms. Without telegraphing. The hand (sword) goes before the rest of the body, center of mass, but it lags about 500 ms, that’s slow enough that it can be parried . The goal is an unparyable sword thrust from just outside of range.

[@jaspervandriessche2769]

Why do you suggest that long lever hamstring iso push is specific for the hamstrings? During the swing phase of sprinting, the hip is more flexed I think? Would it be not more interesting when the bridge is more something like a 90-90 bridge to provide more tension as in the swing phase when the hip is more flexed? Thank you!

[@jameshegeman5660]

@@jaspervandriessche2769 You don’t need hamstring isometrics unless you have an identified hamstring tendinopathy… and these are actually not that common. Remember - shock loading in running only occurs on ground contact, through the Achilles and Quadriceps tendons. The hamstrings do not experience the same manner of loading. Hamstring muscle strains and tightness are *far* more common, and to address that you should be prioritizing range of motion for the hamstrings, not strength. There is rarely a need for hamstring isometrics, and hamstring isometrics at any position other than the fully-lengthened position would be contraindicated.

[@AlteredState1123]

Thanks.

[@heitorborges3353]

At 2:10, i didn`t understand. The muscle only have 1/10 sec to contract, so it can`t go throught excentric and concentric, as a result, the muscle contract isometricly and then the tendons have to react to absorve the impact, streching and shortening themselves. Ok. My doubt is if then the tendons are cabable to contract much faster than the muscle. Or is it that the tendons don`t have a active reaction, and merely function as a pasive shock absorver?

[@TheMovementSystem]

The tendon is just a passive shock absorber

[@heitorborges3353]

@TheMovementSystem many thanks 🙏

[@totallyraw1313]

Matt, do you think it may be a bad idea for some sprinters to do heavy concentric/isometric calf raises due to the risk of excessive hypertrophy, which will slow the leg down during the swing phase? Would it be best to just stick to heavy isometric calf work?

[@jameshegeman5660]

@@totallyraw1313 1. Remember that the limiting factor in sprinting is not leg swing speed, but RFD on ground contact. Therefore, the only real priority in developing maximal velocity is ankle (plantarflexion) stiffness. 2. You can and should prioritize *top half* concentric/eccentric calf work, because this is where the calf is used, and also because avoiding the stretched position will help promote ankle stiffness. So you don’t need to be stretching the calf or doing full range work (which is what would promote the most hypertrophy).

[@totallyraw1313]

@jameshegeman5660 Charlie Francis wrote in his book Training For Speed that his athletes did not do calf work because hypertrophy of the calf beyond what occurs during normal sprinting slows down the leg swing. So RFD is not the only limiting factor in sprinting speed. Also, regarding your second point, during early acceleration, the knee is way over the toes, and the achilles/calf is placed under a large stretch so it's very important to have strength in the achilles and soleus in that deep stretched position.

[@jameshegeman5660]

As great of a coach as CF was, he didn’t have access to the modern force plate and high-speed treadmill/camera technology that Peter Weyand used to prove that RFD on ground contact is the main differentiating factor between fast and slow sprinters. So CF may have had that opinion, but it wasn’t based on any real data. As well, despite the fact that acceleration encourages deep ankle flexion, you will still find that the most talented sprinters tend to have very tight, inflexible ankles. That is worth considering. You also have to think about the fact that there is a tradeoff between ankle range of motion, calf muscle mass, and ankle stiffness (passive or active). You cannot have all three at the same time - Large range of motion, low muscle mass, and high stiffness. If you want a large range of motion for acceleration… then you will lack passive stiffness, so you’ll need to rely on active stiffness… but a demand for a large range of motion with high active stiffness requires large muscle mass (since you are requiring the muscle to be both long and strong.)

[@iforc]

You should transfer this thinking over to your running advice.

[@TheMovementSystem]

I’ve been using more ISOs with the runners I coach. They have been well received in pre race training blocks.

[@jameshegeman5660]

@@TheMovementSystem. ISOs are fantastic for shock-loaded muscle-tendon units, like the Achilles and Patellar/Quad tendons. These tendons need to be “built up”. Have you had any issues with hamstring tightness or hamstring muscle strains after incorporating mid-range hamstring isometrics? (I still do not understand the rationale for worrying much about isometrics for hamstrings, because the majority of hamstring problems are muscle strains, not tendinopathies.)

[@taajbarnett2976]

What if you’re doing a very heavy weighted dumbbell isometric hold for hip flexion flexors?? Is that yielding or overcoming??

[@nico_c_]

It is an injury.

[@TheMovementSystem]

Yielding

[@DrHD-yw9je]

Are there alternatives for the mid thigh pull/knee iso if my squat rack is bolted down?

[@Gameboob]

Just an idea... put 500lbs on the bar and it'll effectively be immovable. Unless you can lift that. Then put more. Assuming you can lift a hex bar from the safety rack... I wouldn't recommend this with back squat form off the bar rests...

[@jameshegeman5660]

It is *NOT* important to build hamstring or hamstring tendon strength at any specific position achieved during the swing phase of running, because the hamstrings are *never shock-loaded* during running. (The hip iso exercise shown in the video is not training the hamstrings in a particularly lengthened position.) Look at the tendons to figure out how a muscle-tendon unit is used - the Achilles, Patellar, and Quadriceps tendons are very broad, because those systems are shock-loaded on ground contact. The hamstring tendons are longer and thinner, because they need to be flexible, not resistant to shock. The overwhelming causes of hamstring injuries are (i) Lack of range of motion (too few sarcomeres), and (ii) Lack of proper coordination (neural skill) during fast, unloaded eccentrics. Everyone knows that strong people are often *more* at risk for hamstring injuries, because their hamstrings are usually tighter. This is the opposite of what should be true if hamstring injuries were a problem of strength. (Compare also the most common injuries - Achilles tendonitis, Quadriceps & Patellar tendonitis, and hamstring *muscle* strains. Hamstring tendinopathies are not nearly as common - again, because hamstring injuries occur with only the load of the lower leg, which is relatively light.)

[@jameshegeman5660]

There is nothing inherently wrong with hamstring isometrics, except that you *do not* want to promote either hamstring tightness or hamstring shortening. Therefore, it is probably only a good idea to do hamstring isometrics at long muscle lengths. Personally, for athletes in running sports, I would only recommend seated leg curls and hip hinges (“RDLs”). These two exercises cover the two actions of the hamstring, and also prioritize range of motion. (This changes slightly if the athlete plays a field sport and has a history of knee injury, in which case you may want to increase the tone of the hamstrings to promote extra stability at the knee.)

[@Gameboob]

@@jameshegeman5660 neat! so any thoughts kneesovertoesguy's promotion of Nordics for hamstrings?

[@Muzicboy3]

Bro u gotta run like a 4.9 40 😂

[@JayLupe]

Whats a good time for a 40yd dash?

[@kcorymsidogmaricel2356]

That video of the guy sprinting, he has very short strides and low knee lift. He might be quick, but never fast. I've run against guys like that. At 20m, they're done.