For a long time now I've been thinking about how exercise can be simple, safe and effective. Simple in that there is no great skill involved. Safe as in you won't easily injure yourself doing it. Effective by providing a stimulus to the body to initiate a series of benefits including strength. As I've got older the gym environment appeals less and less. Time is pressured. I exercise at home. Increasingly I settle on isometrics, primarily Timed Static Contraction. Is it optimal? I'm past the arguments. It works and I enjoy it. They fit my life. They keep me walking up hills which is a big thing. A fundamental has become the squat triad from Ken Hutchins. I recommend his book Balance Hip abduction - sit with a cushion or pillow between your knees. Squeeze gently for 30 seconds, then almost as hard as you dare for 30 seconds then as hard as you dare for 30 seconds... Immediately go to Hip adduction - with a belt around your thighs, or your thighs pushi...
I'm increasingly interested in isometrics, although I always have been. Hillfit included the wall sit as the lower body move. This made the Daily Telegraph. Isometric exercise training and blood pressure control Just one wallsit session per week could have a beneficial impact on blood pressure. Isometrics for blood pressure control - usually wallsits and planks - is an area where there has been a lot of research recently. It seems to work. However I am sceptical whether those who need it will actually do it, even though the moves are simple and accessible. For people unable to commit to training more often, just one session a week can help maintain significant health benefits, the researchers say. Isometric exercise training involves holding a pose for a few minutes at a time. Examples include remaining in a squat, holding a plank, or hand grip exercise. Previously published studies have shown that isometric exercise training reduces blood press...