V Isometric exercises -

also known as static

strength training,
involve muscular
actions in which the
length of the muscle
does not change and
there is no visible
movement at the joint.
V Ôome actions within a wide
variety of sports require
isometric or static strength.
Examples include climbing,
mountain biking and
motocross (grip and upper
body strength), Judo,
wrestling, alpine skiing
(static strength required to
stabilize the upper and lower
body), shooting, gymnastics
and horseback riding.
V Isometric exercises can be
completed with 6

muscle action - such as holding
a weight steady, out to the side.
The force used to hold the
weight still is not maximal as
this would lift the weight
further causing movement and a
change in the muscle length and
joint angle. Ôtatic strength
training can also involve
 muscle actions and
examples here include pushing
against an immoveable object
such as a wall or heavy weight.
V {od Pope an army physiotherapist in
Australia, recently carried out a wide
study to assess the relationship between
static stretching and injury prevention.
Pope monitored over 1600 recruits over
the course of a year in randomised
controlled trials. He found no differences
in the occurrence of injury between those
recruits who statically stretched and
those who did not.
V ´Gleim & McHugh (1997), would also
challenge the premise that stretching, or
indeed increased flexibility, reduces the
risk of injuryµ
V Gerard van der poel stated that static
stretching caused a specific decrease in
the specific coordination of explosive
movements
V Three 15-second stretches of the
hamstrings, quadriceps, and calf muscles
reduced the peak vertical velocity of a
vertical jump in the majority of subjects
(Knudson et al. 2000).
V New research has shown that
static stretching decreases
eccentric strength for up to an
hour after the stretch. Ôtatic
stretching has been shown to
decrease muscle strength by up to
9% for 60 minutes following the
stretch and decrease eccentric
strength by 7% followed by a
specific hamstring stretch.
V {osenbaum and Hennig showed
that static stretching reduced peak
force by 5% and the rate of force
production by 8%. This study was
about Achilles tendon reflex
activity.
V Moscov (1993) found that there is no
relationship between static
flexibility and dynamic flexibility.
This suggests that an increased
static range of motion may not be
translated into functional, sport-
specific flexibility, which is largely
dynamic in most sporting situations
V Isometric exercises can raise blood
pressure significantly for the duration of
the exercise. While it will return to a
resting level soon after, this can be
dangerous for people with hypertension
or any form of cardiovascular disease.
Even if you don't suffer from high blood
pressure it is important to


continuously throughout the exercises.

Breath holding will only compound any
increases in blood pressure.

V As with all forms of exercise you should

warm up thoroughly first. Muscles are
under tension for a longer period of time
and although that tension is more
constant compared to a dynamic
contraction, tears can still occur. Finally,
try to maintain some degree of tension
in the abdominal region during all
exercises. This will help to maintain a
correct posture and will help to develop
core stability.
 
   6 6
Volume for a classic strength training routine
is prescribed based on the number of sets and
repetitions. The equivalent in isometric
exercises is the length of time each action is
held for and the number actions in total.
{esearch has measured both longer duration
actions (i.e. 10 seconds or above) and fewer
repetitions, and shorter duration actions (i.e. 2-
3 seconds) with more repetitions (6,7,8). Both
approaches seem to increase static strength.

The general consensus is that in healthy individuals training to improve strength (as opposed to
rehabilitation of an injury), the most efficient use of isometric exercises is 15-
15-20 maximal voluntary
actions held for 3 to 5 seconds (1). Three sessions per week is required (2) and results can be seen in
as little as 2 weeks. However, when submaximal loads are used (such as bodyweight) it may be
more suitable to increase the duration and reduce the number of repetitions.
V ’

V 1. Ôtart by lying face down on

the ground. Place your elbows
and forearms underneath your
chest.

V 2. Prop yourself up to form a

bridge using your toes and
forearms.

V 3. Maintain a flat back and do

not allow your hips to sag
towards the ground.

V 4. Hold for 10-30 seconds or

until you can no longer
maintain a flat bridge. {epeat 2-
3 times.
V Ô
1.Ôtart on your side
and press up with
your right arm.

V 2.Form a bridge with

your arm extended
and hold for 10-30
seconds. {epeat 2-3
times.
V  
66
This isometric exercise is taken from
Pilates and is excellent for
developing static strength in the
core region.
V 1. Lie face up on a mat with arms by
your sides. Bend legs to 90 degrees.
Lift your head and shoulders off
mat and take 5 short, consecutive
inhales, followed by 5 short,
consecutive exhales.

V 2. At the same time, lift arms off mat

and pulse them in unison with the
breath � palms face up on inhale
and down on exhale.

V 3. {epeat 10 times for a total of 100

breaths.
V Many of the best strength coaches support the use of dynamic
stretching. Dynamic stretching consists of functional based
exercises which use sport specific movements to prepare the body
for movement.
V ´£


, according to
 , "involves moving parts of
your body and gradually increasing reach, speed of movement, or
both." Do not confuse dynamic stretching with ballistic stretching!
Dynamic stretching consists of controlled leg and arm swings that
take you (gently!) to the limits of your range of motion. Ballistic
stretches involve trying to force a part of the body 

 its range
of motion. In dynamic stretches, there are no bounces or "jerky"
movements. Ôeveral professional coaches, authors and studies
have supported or shown the effectiveness of dynamic stretching.
V Dynamic stretches seem to be more effective at
reducing muscle stiffness, which is thought to
increase the likelihood of muscle tears. For this
reason, many coaches now advocate static
stretching away from competition to increase
range of motion, and dynamic stretching prior
to performing for injury prevention and
preparation.
V Mike Boyle uses a dynamic warm-
up with his athletes. He goes
through about 26000 workouts over
the course of a summer. In 2002 he
did not have one major muscle pull
that required medical attention.
V Flexibility is speed specific. There
are two kinds of stretch receptors,
one measures magnitude and speed
and the other measures magnitude
only. Ôtatic flexibility improves
static flexibility and dynamic
flexibility improves dynamic
flexibility which is why it doesn·t
make sense to static stretch prior to
dynamic activity. There is
considerable but not complete
transfer of static stretching to
dynamic stretching.
V One author compared a team that
dynamically stretched to a team that
static stretched. The team that
dynamically stretched had fewer
injuries.
V There are few sports where
achieving static flexibility is
advantageous to success in the
sport. Therefore according to the
principle of specificity it would
seem to be more advantageous to
perform a dynamic warm-up which
more resembles the activity of the
sport.
V Dynamic Flexibility increases core
temperature, muscle temperature,
elongates the muscles, stimulates
the nervous system, and helps
decrease the chance of injury.
V Another author showed that
dynamic stretching does increase
flexibility.
V Ô 6
1. Ôtand tall and hold
arms out to your side.
2. Ôlowly swing your
arms back and forth
across the front of
your body.
3. {epeat this
continuous motion for
30 seconds.
V Ô6

V 1. Ôtand with a shoulder

width stance. Place a
toning bar on your
shoulders (optional).
V 2. Lean to one side
keeping your torso
straight. Do not bend
forward or backwards.
V 3. Hold for a count of 2
and then repeat to the
other side.
V 4. Complete 10 stretches
each side.
V d   6 V èÔ 6

V 1. Ôtart by standing with your feet

V 1. Ôtand with a shoulder shoulder width apart.
width stance. Place
hands on hips. V 2. Keeping your upper body
perpendicular to the ground swing
one leg forward and backward.
V 2. With knees slightly
bent, turn from side to V 3. Do not swing your leg so hard
side keeping feet firmly that you cannot keep your upper
on the floor. body from moving.

4. {epeat for 10 full swings and

V 3. Complete a total of
15-20 full swings.
V
repeat on other leg.
V 5. You can also swing your leg
across your body stretching the
abductors and adductors.
V u Ô  

1. Lie on your back and

bring both your knees
to your chest with
hands clasped under
back of knees.
2. {oll forwards until
your feet touch the floor
and then immediately
roll back until just
before your head
touches the floor.
3. Continue until you
complete 10-15 full
rolls.
V 
Ô  

1. Ôtart by lying on your back

on the stability ball holding a
toning bar at your chest (the
toning bar is optional).
V 2. Push back with your feet
and simultaneously push the
bar over and behind your
head.

V 3. Your legs should be

straight and your arms
outstretched.

V 4. {eturn to the starting

position and repeat for 10-15
reps.
V 6 Ô  

1. Lie on your back and

place a piece of exercise
tubing (or rolled up towel)
around the bottom of one
of your feet.
V 2. Pull the tubing and
raise your leg at the same
time until a comfortable
stretch is felt. {eturn to
the starting position and
repeat for 10-15
repetitions.

V 3. {epeat with other leg.

V 3Ô  

1. Ôtart by placing your

right knee on top of a
stability ball and maintain
your balance.

V 2. Ôlowly spread your leg

out to the side until you
feel a stretch on the inside
of your thigh.

V 3. {eturn to the start and

repeat for 10-12
repetitions before
changing to the other leg.
V   dd 
6
1. Ôtart by standing with your feet
spread as far apart as comfortably
possible.

V 2. Lean forward toward one leg and

try to reach your foot or until a
 
 stretch is felt in your
low back and hamstrings.

V 3. Now try to touch the other foot

with the opposite arm. This motion
should be continuous alternately
touching each foot (as close as
possible) with the opposite hand.

V   6
66  
 
  
 
 66 6 .
V As coaches, trainers and parents we all want our athletes to
lower their incidence of injury and increase
performance. Dynamic flexibility has been used
successfully by trainers and coaches to increase flexibility
and possibly lower the incidence of injury. It is the job of
the coach or trainer to pick the method they feel is best
suited for the sport and athletes. The above evidence
suggests the possibility that static stretching prior to activity
is not the best solution. Ôtatic stretching doesn·t necessarily
lead to a decrease in injury and but may actually decrease
performance. If one purpose of the warm-up is to warm-up
the body, wouldn·t static stretching actually cool the body
down? If static stretching is not the solution to a pre-game
warm-up what is? Dynamic stretching.
Earvin Ardrin DJ. Villarba
[Villarba
Villarba,,
Earvin Ardrin DJ.
[Bader, Almuraihel