When to do isomtetrics within a workout

[proteinnerd]

Hi,

Having used your method in the past (early 90's) with some success (admittedly I didn't do enough strengthening work and thus plateaued and gave up). I have recently received a copy of the 4th Edition and am following your method more closely with much better results. I always remembered that you recommended doing Isometrics at the very end of the workout, possibly followed by relaxed stretches as is seen in the sample workouts on pages 89 to 100. I was very surprised to see the example on page 24 which you also say is also an acceptable sequence:

Warm-up
Dynamic stretches
Squats
Isometrics
Adductor Flies
Good Mornings
Relaxed stretches

Is this because the workout is a general strengthening workout and does not include any sport specific training, and thus the isometrics are merely considered a strengthening exercise in this case? Is there any benefit to performing the isometrics earlier in the sequence of exercises as is seen in this type of workout?

Thanks

[cailifo]

In this type of workout, and in any other case, isometrics should be treated as strengthening exercises so as to avoid over-training, either in single workouts or in a weekly program, by training the same muscle groups too much or too often.

Whether doing isometrics during strength exercises, or as a final stretch, they can always be followed by relaxed stretches held for a minute or two as a cool-down to relax the muscles after the tightening caused by the contraction of isometrics.

[cailifo]

By the way, isometrics are done before the adductor flies and good mornings. The reason is that isometric stretches leading to the front or side splits involve strong tensions of the psoas muscles that attach to the front of the lumbar spine. Back erectors are fatigued during such exercises as deadlifts, good mornings, etc. and so may spasm during isometrics for the splits if these exercises are done first.

[proteinnerd]

Thanks for that