| |
|
|
 |
Question 6, Domenico (Isometric tensions)
Dear Mr. De Angelis,
I bought your precious book Power-Flex and, scarcely after it arrived, I read it all in one sitting.
Unfortunately, there are a few things I have not been able to understand, maybe because I do not know much about them.
What does the adjective “isometric” mean when referred to stretching?
In particular, what do the words “isometric contraction or tension” and “isometric strength” mean?
Moreover, on the PNF stretching exercise for side splits, I am not able to understand in what position one must do the exercise, if standing or seated on the floor or another one is better. Thanks for the time. I hope to write in the future sending photos of the results obtained!
P.S.—I, in the gym, have always done stretching that is defined as relaxed in the book, with rather good temporary results.
The day after the training though, I have always had pains in the groin region and reduced mobility. Is this because of too much effort?
- Answers David De Angelis
The muscle carries out an isometric tension if it produces tension (or it tends to contract) without the length’s undergoing variations. This occurs in cases when the applied load is equal to the applied strength. In the particular case of isometric tensions, the two muscular myofilaments of actin and myosin do not slide one on the other causing muscular shortening, but maintain equally their degree of superimposition.
Contractions in isometry (as explained in detail in the book) may be used in order to increase muscular overload in “shortening” and cause substantial strength increases in classic body-building or free-standing exercises (Super-Strength development). They may be used further in “lengthening”, or to the maximum range of joint movement to cause extreme strength increases of opening and therefore substantial improvements in joint mobility (Super-Flexibility development).
In order to make you comprehend better: the act of pushing constitutes an isometric tension, in the absence of movement, against a fixed surface (esp. walls, floor, or pushing a blocked bar). The exercises proposed on the book (one of which is referred to here) are carried out standing up for the purpose of practicing with the appropriate weight, a positive stress in extension, and an increase in strength to the maximum range in the side split/adductors (in the specific case).
Finally, Domenico, one important recommendation: read Power-Flex Stretching over and over again to comprehend deeply the various techniques of execution and the basic principles which they work.
Each piece of advice and each recommendation are the fruit of long hours of personal experimentations carried out in the gym and study of various texts and specialized medical magazines. To ignore one fundamental factor (as for example to pass over the preparation period for the isometric Technique or to mistake the loads or the training frequency may bring you far from the predetermined results, with consequent muscular aches and pains). In each case, make reference to your “body awareness”, to the list of errors that impedes improvement of flexibility, and to the summary of recommendations present at the end of each chapter.
David De Angelis
Happy training!
Back to list of F.A.Q
|
www.powerflexsystem.com
 |
