Have you been yearning to get a slim and toned body? But are you someone who doesn’t like to workout? Then I have great news for you. Today, I am going to tell you about an exercise that can tone your muscles without moving a muscle! This interesting form of training is known as Isometric Exercise and has gained much popularity in the recent times. It works on the principle that you can strengthen your muscles, shed fat, and get a toned body if you can activate the problem area muscle fibers. So, skip the crazy cardio or weight training, and start doing these top 19 isometric exercises to get a fabulous body. But first, let’s get to know what we are getting into. What Are Isometric Exercises? Isometric exercises are those which are performed without changing the length of muscles. These exercises work on muscles in a static position and demands muscle tension without any actual movement. Primarily, there are three ways in which muscles are worked – concentric, which involves contraction or shortening of muscles; eccentric, which involves lengthening of muscles; and isometric, where muscles tighten without any alteration in the length. Most of the core conditioning exercises, yoga postures, and even pilates exercises are isometric in nature. Now let’s begin with the exercises, their benefits, and how to perform them correctly. Top 19 Isometric Exercises And Their Benefits 1. Plank Plank is one of the most popular and effective exercises ever. It works on your entire body but specifically, targets your core and arms. It is beneficial for those who want to build core strength. Steps Get in the pushup position with your arms straight and abs tight, belly button sucked in and body in a line. Hold this pose for 10-15 seconds and try increasing the holding time gradually. 2. Forearm Plank Forearm Plank, also known as Dolphin pose in Yoga, is great for shoulders, arm muscles, and core. Steps Start in the plank with your body straight and abs tight. Bend your arms and lower your weight on your forearms. Hold the pose for 10 seconds and gradually try to increase the holding time. 3. Side Plank Side plank is one of the best exercises for oblique, abs, arms and muffin tops. It is another variation of plank that requires you to hold the pose for strengthening the targeted muscles. Steps Get into the plank position with all the muscles tensed. Now slowly shift your weight on your right side and balance with one hand and foot on the ground. Extend your left hand straight into the air and put your left foot over the right one. Hold the pose for 10 seconds and repeat on the other side. 4. Isometric Push up The exercise here focuses on the muscles of the arms. This is a great exercise for those of you want to get rid of flabby arms. This exercise is going to get you the best-toned arms that you ever dreamed of. Here is how to do it. To begin with, one must take the normal push up position and balance the body on the knees and palms. Then slowly raise the body upwards holding it for 10 seconds, before coming down. This may sound easy, but the entire body pressure once fallen on the palms and knees may quite be challenging to hold. 5. Isometric Low Blank An isometric low plank is a combination of the plank and pushups together. This is a great exercise for those who want to build core strength, get toned arms, a flat tummy, and well-shaped shoulders. Here is how to do it. Steps Take the pushup position. Lower your body down, bend your elbows, head up, and chin straight. Now slowly push your upper body up as you straighten your elbows and support your body weight with your arms, shoulders and your palm. Hold it for 5 seconds. Lower down your body and hold for 5 seconds. Repeat this 10 times. [ Read: Best Aerobic Exercise Videos ] 6. Shoulder Extension The shoulder extension is quite a firm way of giving the muscles of your upper back a good stretch. It isn’t the extensive stretching but needs you to just stand straight with the support of a wall. This will pull the muscles in the core area, initially painful but will gradually be a boon. Follow these steps to do it correctly. Steps Stand straight with the support of a wall. Straighten your elbows while stretching your shoulders ahead. Hold for 5 seconds and release. Repeat 10 times. 7. Wall Sit A wall-sit can explain you the task a mime artist goes through when he performs this. The exercise is all about giving your back and thigh muscles some endurance and power. Here are the steps to do it correctly. Steps Position yourself in the sitting posture with the support of the wall. Hold the position for 5-7 seconds and release. Repeat this 10 times and increase the hold time gradually. 8. Neck Stretch The isometric neck stretches is one of the best ways to give your neck muscles the exercise they need. One can perform these exercises at home, office or even when out in a public place. They build the endurance power and create flexibility in the neck muscles. As much as one ignores the neck region, these isometric neck exercises have a great deal of importance is overall health. Here is how to do it. Steps Start by placing both your palms on your forehead. Now push your forehead towards your palm and use your palm to resist that force. Hold it for 5-8 seconds for 3 repetitions. Second, put your hands behind your head. Push your head towards your hands and your hands towards your head. Hold it 5-8 seconds for 3 repetitions. Next, put your right hand on your right side of your head. Push your head towards your hand and your hand towards your head. Hold it 5-8 seconds for 3 repetitions. Do it for left side as well. Now, put your right palm on the sides of your cheeks and push your hands inwards and use your face to resist that force. Hold it 5-8 seconds for 3 repetitions. Do it for left side as well. [ Read: Medicine Ball Workout ] 9. Chest Squeeze A chest squeeze is a form of chest exercise, where you contract and expand the muscles of the chest. The isometric chest exercises must be performed only with a recommendation of a physician. Here are the steps. Steps Stand straight with your legs hip-width apart. Put your palms together and press them together. Hold it for 10 seconds. Now lift your right leg and balance. Hold for 10 seconds. Lower your right leg and lift your left leg. Hold it for 10 seconds. 10. Hip Adduction Hip adduction will help you build strength for your inner thigh muscles and hips. The hip adduction will require a pillow to start with between your thighs as you lay. Here are the steps. Steps Lie down on your back. Hold a pillow with the help of your thighs. Press the pillow as hard as possible between your thighs; ensuring pressure from both sides is at the same time. Then release your thighs without letting the pillow fall. During the course of pressing and releasing, breathing must be evenly controlled. [ Read: Exercises During Pregnancy ] 11. Isometric Quads Isometric quads are quite a refreshing form of exercise derived by the new age physicians. It can help you get rid of quadriceps pain and strengthen your quadriceps. Here is how to do it. Steps Keep a cushion or towel roll below your knee. Once you rest your knee, raise it upwards to form a bend and hold for 5 seconds. Once done, rest it back on the cushion and repeat the same procedure with the other knee. Perform this for each knee with at least 15 repetitions each. 12. Ankle Press Ankle press is a great isometric exercise to strengthen your ankle muscles and improve its elasticity. Here is how you should do it. Steps Place a pillow between your ankles and press it as hard as you can till you touch the other ankle. Hold it for 10 seconds. Do these with a repetition of 15 every day. 13. Static Lunge A great exercise for your lower body that requires you to shake your legs for about 15 seconds! It specifically targets quads, glutes, saddlebags and hips. It also works on the core at the same time. Steps Stand with all the muscles in your body tensed your core tight, and shoulders back. Split and take your left leg back in a lunge. Lower yourself into as deep a lunge as you can without touching your bent knee to the ground. Ideally lower yourself until you are just inches above the ground. Hold this pose for 10 seconds and repeat with the other leg. To intensify the exercise, grab a heavy dumbbell in each hand. 14. Squat Hold Another great lower body exercise, which works amazingly on your thighs. Holding squat has two variations – Mid-Squat Hold and Deep Squat Hold. Steps For mid-squat hold, lower yourself into squat and stop when you reach about the middle of your length. It is like you are sitting on a chair. Hold yourself in the pose for 10 seconds. For deep squat, lower yourself into a complete squat to the ground with your knees up to your chest and your butt inches off the floor. Hold the pose for 15 seconds. 15. Warrior III Warrior III pose is also called Virbhadrasana III. It is a balance pose in yoga and targets the back, shoulders, arms, glutes, and legs. Steps Start in Tadasana and slowly shift your weight to your right leg. Now slowly start lifting the left leg and bending forward at the same time. Keep your back erect and spine straight the whole time. Bend forward and lift your leg until your spine and lifted leg are aligned in a straight horizontal line. Now, keep that balance and hold the pose for 10 seconds. Slowly lower and then repeat the pose with the other leg. 16. Wall Push-up Remember those physics force-motion lessons? It used to tell us that if you push on a wall with force, there is no motion and therefore no work done. Well, actually work is done, just not on the wall but on your muscles! Wall Pushing is a great isometric exercise for your upper body. Put your hands on the wall shoulder width apart. Now lean on the wall and push as hard as you can. Keep pushing with the same force for 15 seconds. Then relax. 17. Hanging Pull-ups are one of those monster exercises that we always dread but are super effective. When we do pull-ups, our arm muscles contract and expand. The isometric version of this exercise involves only hanging from that pull-up bar without any other movement. Grab a pull-up bar or any other bar type surface from which you can properly hang. Hold your weight with your hand and hang. Hang there for 10-15 seconds. Then come down. 18. Shoulder Raise Shoulder is amazing isometric exercises that’ll make your arms feel like jelly-O! This exercise requires a set of heavy weight dumbbells. Lift the dumbbells one in each hand straight overhead. Do not bend your elbows and hold the raise for 10-15 seconds. Now bring down and relax. 19. Weighted Calf Raises This exercise has two versions – isometric raise hold and isometric-isotonic combination. It targets the calves, glutes, and arms. Grab some heavy weights like 12 pounds or so, whatever is heavy for you. Hold a dumbbell in each hand by your side with hands straight. Now raise your heels off the floor and balance on the balls of your feet. Hold the raise for 10 seconds. Another version will be to continue doing calf raises, while holding the weight in your hands. Practicing isometric excercises offers various benefits to our body and they are: Isometric exercises help in strengthening and conditioning muscles. They aid in strengthening dormant muscle tissues on isolated muscles. They improve one’s control over the body. Improve body posture and spine alignment. Help in preventing injury. These exercises are used in injury rehabilitation. Help in the development of lean muscles. Improve bone density and make them strong. Increase resistance power and endurance ability. These exercises activate all the major units in the body. These exercises can be done anywhere and anytime. Most isometric exercises do not require any equipment, or at most a set of dumbbells is enough. Help in graceful aging, keeping body posture straight and erect even in the old age. These exercises can also be done by elderly people and are considered good for them. Studies show that isometric exercises decrease muscle elasticity and speed of movement. But actually it happens only when you do excessive isometric exercises without other forms of exercises required by the body. Isometric exercises should not be practiced in isolation. It is more effective to include isometrics with your HIITs. Combination of isotonic and isometric exercises works good as well. Isometrics are great for strengthening your muscles and building those lean killers. It is a good idea to spread isometrics throughout your workout in between exercises. Isometrics can also be done throughout the day whenever you feel like. But remember that though isometrics are good for our body, but they must never replace the other forms of exercises. Talk to your trainer on how you can incorporate isometric exercises in your workout routine! Does your workout routine include isometrics? Which one do you think is the toughest? Share with us. Sponsored Links . 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