Isometric tension

[dannyboy]

I have just watched the Secrets of Stretching dvd and had a question about isometrics. When they are being performed do I need to go to my maximum stretch to gain any benefit or can I stop before the maximum and contract and hold the tension there to get the same benefit?

I couldn't quite grasp it from the dvd.

[mat]

you start with a relaxed comfortable stretch for the first contraction. after every contraction, you move into a slightly deeper stretch. Aim to be at or near your maximum on the last contraction.

The aim is to improve muscle strength whilst stretched. You should not be aiming to increase your maximum stretch whilst doing isometrics - this should come naturally when your strength increases.

Mat

[wynnema]

thats interesting Mat but I think you are missing the point of isometrics. They are performed with the intention of increasing a stretch by "tricking the muscles". The idea is to tense and then immediately move into a deeper stretch thus increasing ROM . When you cannot go any further you should tense in that position for longer.

[mat]

thats interesting Mat but I think you are missing the point of isometrics. They are performed with the intention of increasing a stretch by "tricking the muscles". The idea is to tense and then immediately move into a deeper stretch thus increasing ROM . When you cannot go any further you should tense in that position for longer.

I beg your pardon if I've got slightly the wrong idea. tensing the muscles then immediately releasing into a deeper stretch is certainly what I've been doing.

Unfortunately I've managed to lose my copy of Kurz's book - though it's all coming back to me through this forum!

Cheers,
Mat

[wynnema]

thinking about it Pavel suggests that you should not try and increase the ROM every time. Instead only try to increase the stretch further than your current range every other session. The other isometric session would be focused on tensing harder or for longer at your current level of flexilbity. So I guess we are both right

[mat]

thinking about it Pavel suggests that you should not try and increase the ROM every time. Instead only try to increase the stretch further than your current range every other session. The other isometric session would be focused on tensing harder or for longer at your current level of flexilbity. So I guess we are both right

Forgive me if I'm being completely ignorant here, but what exactly do you mean by ROM? I'm software developer, and in computing the ROM I think of is probably completely different??

Mat

[wynnema]

Range of Motion

[dragon]

When they are being performed do I need to go to my maximum stretch to gain any benefit or can I stop before the maximum and contract and hold the tension there to get the same benefit?

Isometric stretches are those in which stretched muscles are tensed prior to increasing the stretch to cause the reflexive relaxations and thus elongation of the muscles; then, at the new length, tensed again to strengthen these muscles. [Kurz 1994, 2001]


I would say based on the above statement that you can start in a less than maximal stretch,but the final position(the one used for strengthening) is at maximum(or as close as).

This doesn't mean you have to reach a new personal best everytime.Both Kurz and Pavel say when you hit a plateau in flexibility consentrate on the strength gains.

Dragon

[dannyboy]

This doesn't mean you have to reach a new personal best everytime.Both Kurz and Pavel say when you hit a plateau in flexibility consentrate on the strength gains.

Without wanting to sound too stupid, how do you know when you have hit a plateau in your flexibility? Do you measure your stretch or go by how the stretch feels? Or are there other ways to tell?

[dragon]

I guess this depends on yourself.Personally,i know when i've hit a plateau because stretching no longer feels satisfying-Feels like i'm making no progress,the tension feels different,etc.
I don't know if anyone else out there has experienced the same,but sometimes when i used to hit a plateau i would feel no tension at all during splits.I'd reached my maximum but felt nothing,it was as if i just couldn't move any further.
Concentrating on the strength aspect or altering the way i did the isometrics usually helped.Mr.Kurz gives three variations of isometric technique in his book(in the DVD too as i remember) but i assume most people use the one that says,"...this is the one i used to obtain the results seen in this book...".Trying a different method can sometimes "shock" the system into adapting/progressing.

Dragon.