Isometrics - Overrated Or Worth The Hype?

Isometrics. What actually is an isometric? Is it an exercise? Is it a movement style? An isometric is defined as a contraction type of a particular muscle or group of muscles in which they don't noticeably change length and the related joint doesn't move. This means that we can perform an isometric contraction type in nearly any position someone has in the ability get to. With this in mind, isos can be further distilled down into two main categories; yielding & overcoming isometrics. Isos also have numerous benefits spanning from performance applications to rehabilitation uses and everything in between.

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Yielding Isometrics (YI)

A yielding isometric encompasses setting yourself in a position and resisting deformation forces to continue holding said position. These deformation forces could be anything from weighted loads, band resistance to just gravity itself. Good examples of a YI are holding a weighted back squat, getting to the bottom of a push up and hovering off the ground without touching it or holding a static unweighted lunge without gravity pulling you out of position. The amount of possible YI's are nearly endless and only limited by your creativity. This would be the isometric type i would generally encourage most individuals to include in their programs as they're well suited for almost everyone.