Isometric Exercises are moves where you hold in a position under tension. And often when we think of “core” isometric moves, we think of Planks. And while Planks are great isometric core moves, they aren’t the only great Isometric Core Exercises.
These 10 Isometric Core Exercises are a great way to build your core stability and strength so that your core works properly during heavy lifts. All of these moves also work your entire core – they work everything from your shoulders to your knees not just your abs.
Because these moves improve your core stability, they can help you not only get a stronger, more toned middle, but they can also help you prevent and alleviate injury.
All of these moves are great for everyone from the beginner to the advanced lifter just pick the variation right for you. Also, to get the most out of these moves, you have to make sure to hold with proper form.
Isometric Core Moves are the perfect chance to build your mind-body connection and focus on the correct muscles engaging and working. By building your mind-body connection, you will teach your body to recruit the correct muscles quickly when you do other lifts, helping you to not only lift more but also lift properly to prevent injury.
Because you are holding in an uncomfortable position, these moves will also help you build mental toughness and learn to become comfortable being uncomfortable, which is essential for achieving results.
If your form breaks down, rest and reset. Do not simply hold these moves to hold for longer. Make sure the correct muscles are engaging when you hold even if it means you can’t hold as long.
Check out these 10 Isometric Core Exercises to work and strengthen your entire core.
The Push Up – It is a bodyweight exercise that we should all be able to do. And while it seems so easy, it can be a very challenging move.
Because, while the Push Up seems like it is only an upper body exercise, a Perfect Push Up works more than just your chest, shoulders and triceps – it works your entire core.
The Push Up is basically a moving plank. And for many, just holding a plank is hard enough. Yet with a Push Up, you are being asked to hold that perfect plank as you move.
To do the Perfect Push Up, everything from your shoulders to your heels must be engaged and working together.
Below we will teach you how to do the Perfect Push Up and get all the correct muscles engaged and working. Plus, we will show you how to strengthen your weak points with Push Up Variations and supplemental exercise to help you do more Push Ups
Planks are a must-do core move. And while you should always include the Basic Planks in your workouts, it can be fun to add some variety in every once in awhile.
All of these Plank Variations will continue to build your core strength and stability and help you prevent and alleviate low back and hip pain.
Unlike the Basic Planks, though, most of these aren’t isometric holds. Many of these Plank Variations involve movements that emphasis one area of your core, such as your shoulders, glutes, abs, obliques or quads.
Check out these 15 Plank Variations to include in your Core Training Program.
If you want to develop a stronger core, you don’t need any fancy equipment or even any weight other than your own bodyweight.
You also shouldn’t waste your time doing a million crunches every day. While crunches can be useful occasionally and do have a time and a place, they aren’t the best or the most efficient exercises to help you strengthen and tone your core.
Below are 10 Bodyweight Crunchless Core Exercises you should include in your workouts if you want to truly strengthen your core. These moves will work everything from your shoulders to your knees, down your frontside and your backside.
While working out is an important part of being healthy, getting stronger and preventing injury, that doesn’t always mean you have to go spend an hour or two at the gym.
Sometimes simply moving more and doing the opposite of what you do seated at your desk hunched over a computer screen for 9 hours a day is enough to start alleviating aches and pains. Sometimes all you need to do is a 15-minute workout at your desk.
And a Resistance Band or Thera-Band Tubing is really all you need to get in a great workout at your desk.
With Resistance Bands, you can work your entire body to improve your strength, posture, and help prevent and alleviate neck, shoulder, upper back, low back, hip and even knee pain.
When we sit all day at a desk hunched over a computer screen, our body is in flexion. This can create bad posture, tight overactive muscles and imbalances. All of which can lead to compensations and poor movement patterns which will eventually lead to injury.
Therefore we need to move more. But not simply move more while perpetuating the imbalances. We need to move more and do exercises that can help restore our body to proper alignment and improve our movement patterns.
We need to move not only more, but better.
To prevent and alleviate injuries and improve your health while staying right at your desk, try these 15 Resistance Band Moves To Do At Your Desk.
To keep your body healthy and strong, you need to correct the imbalances caused by sitting all day at a desk and performing repetitive movements.
To correct these imbalances and truly help prevent and alleviate injuries, you can’t just simply go and workout. You can’t just simply lift weight and expect to get stronger.
Because even if you have seemingly perfect form, you may not be activating and using the correct muscles to lift the weight – and this could lead to injury instead of you getting stronger and fitter.
In order to make sure you are using the correct muscles when you lift, you must implement all four training elements – foam rolling, stretching, activation and strength training – in your workout routine.
You can’t simply skip to strength training and expect your body to work correctly and remain injury-free.
Before you start your workout and your strength training routine, you must first start to work on restoring your flexibility and joint mobility by foam rolling tight areas. When you foam roll, you help release knots so that muscles can become loose and ready to work.
By starting your workout program with foam rolling, you can start restoring muscles to their proper length-tension relationships. When muscles are at their proper length tension relationship, they can contract properly allowing us to lift more weight and engage the correct muscles to do the work.
Also, by loosening up knots, you can help improve your joint mobility. When a muscle is tight and shortened, it can change how your joint operates. It can limit your range of motion around a joint, leading to improper movement patterns and compensations
But foam rolling alone won’t restore your flexibility and joint mobility.
Once you’ve foam rolled to start getting the tight, overactive muscles loose, you then need to stretch to help elongate shortened muscles.
Below are 35 Stretches that stretch everything from your feet to your neck and wrists. These moves will help you improve your flexibility and mobility so that you can move better and feel better.
And then once you’ve stretched out using a few of these moves, make sure to get those underactive muscles working with some activation exercises before you move onto your strength training!
