How Many Sets Should You Do With Isometric Training?

I prefer using a flexible number of sets for both isometric and dynamic exercises.

Isometric resources:

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[claudes.whitacre]

I did single overcoming isometric reps for years. Maybe 90 seconds per hold. About a year ago, I decided to try three sets. Each set is one exertion until I feel weak in the hold, or the muscle burns. 30 seconds for the first set is common. A couple of seconds rest until the next exertion (set). That second set is generally shorter, and again I do it until it burns. After a few seconds rest (or until that burning sensation subsides) I do the third exertion. This one is generally shorter still, until it burns again...and then I still hold another few seconds. Usually 2 exercises per body part. Every day. It takes some getting used to. Sometimes I need to break up the training into two short workouts a day, because it's exhausting. By the way, I love your book on Overcoming Isometrics, and left a good review.

[ted]

One hard set seems about right for me, but I'm doing static contraction training and it's pretty brutal and effective for me.

[mertonhirsch]

Christian Thibaudau has said that a 3 second maximal overcoming isometric is roughly as stressful on the nervous system as doing a double at 90% of your max. If you are someone who is more prone to neural overworking versus physical overworking, the dose should probably be small. Some people aren't as susceptible to neural fatigue.

[pastafresca]

Only one set to failure every other day per movement was game changer for me. I progress every aingle time i do my next workout. That is 150+ small progressions per year. I do squats, bridges, leg raises, pushing and pulling. So 5 sets every other day.

[williamtomkiel]

reminds me of "riding the bloom" while doing sessions of Wim Hof "breathing'
it's a continuum and not static

[mr.potatohead]

Lately I've been doing at most 2 sets for most exercises, balls out intense effort. It's working

[The-Contractor]

I've been doing 3 Reps, 3 Sets, with a 3s hold and getting solid results. As much as pursuing physical excellence is science based, it also has a significant "art" element as well. Being in contact with the Mind-Body connection is the bridge in going from average to excellent. "Feel" rather than dogma.

[johnnyhenderson]

Instead of 'freestyling' the exercises what works for me is breaking down the training week to 2 sections for each upper and lower body: Endurance and Power Sections.

The reason 'freestyling' is less superior to my 'two sections method' is because with freestyling, you feel as if you're generally allowed to do however much you like based off of the stimulus you're recieving from your body. And the reason why it is a bad thing is because there may be days for all of us where our body is bullsh$tting us and telling to us to go easy because it doesn't want to do the hard exercises. And there may be also be days where the urge to go easy may be stronger or weaker. So, basically you're basically allowing yourself to trick yourself if that makes sense.

Instead, what I'd like to do is I split up my training week into two different sections. In one I focus on Endurance and the other, Power.
On the Endurance days, I'm bound to do the set numbers of excercies that I'm supposed to do within the limit managable enough. And I make sure to do more than what I could the last week, regardless of if I'm fatigue tired or not even if I'm tired or fatigued, therefore progressively overloading my endurance each week.
The next section of week focuses on Power output and really recruiting to fast twitch muscles and working on explosiveness and power. I feel that after doing those power section in a week, which by the way are done with less reps and sets than I would in an endurance day/set, an increase in power and overall strength every week.

Therefore a fool proof method of progressing in strength, explosiveness, and endruance every week.

[paolosmaldone]

Right!!Sometimes volume training is really "chasing the reps"

[rayohlinger]

Yeah, but I love the snow speeder! The Kenner version with the flashing lights was the best.

[PowerAndMight]

My preference is to do just one set per position of an exercise like say the three stages of curl or 2 stages of a deadlift. This keeps me going and transitioning from exercise to exercise. Rest would be just enough to be ready for the next stage or position of the muscle(s) I wanna hit.

[babesballesfin]

Hi Matt, digressing a little from the subject. Is the bullworker in a way hybrid isometrics because there is basically a live load...the spring is pushing back when i do isos?

[jamesgilmore]

Matt I appreciate all this information all the time. what's your thoughts on sprinkling Isometrics throughout your day while doing regular workouts 3 days a week?

[peterjaimez]

Hi, I suppose that a single one at maximum intensity would work too! Cheers

I do bullworker isometrics throughout the day ...6 to 7 times ... holding for 15 seconds

[JackHu]

Can you build an Aesthetic physique by doing only isometric exercises ? Thanks

[FranekCyganek]

no wlasnie najwiecej hipertrofi wzrostu waskularyzacji i pompy doswiadzyl Ja tez glownie na treningu izometrycznym
byl to trening ze zamiast podnosic hantle 10 kilo 10 razy
to biore raz 10 kilo i trzymam tyle ile sie da az zaczna sie miesnie az trzasc( mniejsza ze ktos moze sie spojrzec zwrocic uwage ze to zla technika czy smiesznie niby wyglada- to wyglada tak jak trzeba a jak ktos zabawnie to doswiadczyl no to spoko jego sprawa)
w przysiadach tez mozna trzymac taka pozycje u dolu
nie u samego dolu jak bys kucal siedzial i nie za bardzo u gory czyli nie 90 stopni
miedzy kolanami tylko jakies 70-60 i wytrzymaj tak. najlepiej z ketlebelem lub hantlami ale ze sztanga tez mozna warto miec kogos do asekuracji albo mniejszy ciezar trzymasz dluzej.
no i pompki takie izometryczne
tez sa super trzymasz u dolu tulow i ciala na ugietych ramionach wsparte- tuz przy podlodze lub ciutke wyzej ale trzymasz.
I to zrobi taka pompe i pozytywne palenie w miesniach i przyrosty ze hoho.
takze na redukcje tak zwana czy wyrzezbienie
uwazam ze taki trening jest jednym z lepszych
by dac organizmowi bodziec do uwydatniania miesni
jednoczescie pobudza hormony i krazenie krwi przez co ulepsza to metabolizm tkanki tluszczowej

[UncleDanBand]

I have been 2 years on my fitness journey. Now, I don't do Isometrics but, this has always been my question. How much should I do. I have over trained, under trained. Now I just do 3 sets per day. 3 pulls and pushes upper and 3 sets of lower. 3 sets of mid and rear delts. About ten minutes of farmers walk and 30 minutes to 1 hour of brisk walking/hiking. If I feel run down, I might take a day or 2 off. Or, like this morning. This was my 5th day straight and I just was not feeling it. So, I did 2 sets of chin-ups, 2 sets of pull-ups, 2 mid delt raises and called it a day. I will probably do a couple of sets of body weight squats. My body has just had enough though.

[seehongkongsea]

i’m relatively strong and muscular just tried isometrics today, pushed against a wall with 100% effort for a 10 seconds hold made me sick to the bone. not used to this type of training. it just felt really weird and kind of damaging to my body. is this normal?

[grantmail]

I have a genuine question... I watched a video of yours from 5 years ago.. and I know you workout and have a great diet plan, etc over this time.. but you must have put in many many hrs ...weeks, and years at the gym of hard work during that time, but you still look exactly the same size and build as you did in 5 years ago. Would it not be just as easy to do less and still have the same results just to maintain what you have over the past 5 years? Or do you think we reach just a fairly good level and that's the best we can do, no matter how great we train and eat, etc.. as a natural trainer?