Time
Isometric hold exercises, named for the holding of a stationary position for a certain length of time, are a wonderfully convenient way to improve strength. With many individual holds taking 60 seconds or less to complete, they are great for those who don’t have much time. Most holds can be performed for around 30 seconds as a beginner and the time can then be increased as your strength improves.
Rehabilitation
Regular isometric exercises help to improve the flexibility of your joints and are often used to improve muscle and joint rehabilitation after surgery. Especially effective on ball-and-socket type joints, the isometric exercises are popular among arthritis sufferers as they offer a low-impact way to keep fit while also helping to reduce pain.
Increase Strength
Despite being considered a low-impact exercise, this simply refers to a lower heart rate increase during the exercise when compared to other activities and doesn’t mean that isometrics aren’t a good way to build muscle strength or burn fat. The reason these exercises are great for rehabilitation is because you can target specific areas and increase strength in that area without overworking it, meaning you can do this after an injury, surgery or just because you want to. As one of the best ways to improve core strength, isometrics don’t have the fat burning capabilities of HIIT workouts, but the effort required will burn significant calories.
Flexibility and Relaxation
The beauty of isometric exercises is that they can be done anywhere, making them an incredibly flexible type of exercise. They’re also free, you don’t need any equipment or gym memberships. Maybe the biggest benefit to isometric exercises comes from the breathing techniques. The rhythmic breathing methods needed are often relaxing, and, as seen in disciplines such as pilates and yoga, low-impact isometric holds can have a calming effect on your body and help reduce stress.