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The Benefits of Static (Isometric) Exercise
When an astronaut is on a prolonged space
mission, he risks muscle atrophy. Without gravity causing our muscles to
work constantly to keep them fit, they begin to deteriorate at a quick
pace. To keep themselves healthy and able to survive life on Earth when
they get home, astronauts perform isometric exercises in space. These
exercises include things like pulling on straps and pushing as hard as you
can.
Dynamic exercise is exercise that involves
movement. It can include running, playing sports, swimming, dancing and
aerobics. Dynamic exercise can be hard on joints because of impacts, but is
a good way to maintain and gain muscle strength. Static exercise is
exercise done while holding still. Holding a push up at the halfway point
is a static exercise to increase arm and stomach strength. Weight lifting
is also a static exercise, and is arguably the most popular form of static
exercise performed today.
Isometric exercises are also known as
resistance exercises, and can be as simple as clasping your hands together
and pushing with both arms. You make your muscles contract for extended
periods without actually doing any “work”. This kind of exercise can be
very boring, but it does build muscle if done frequently enough and
forcefully enough. These isometric exercises usually are conducted in
almost absolute stillness, and are part of the static exercise grouping.
Static exercises can involve a focused range
of movement, as in weight lifting. The action means that it is often less
boring than simple isometric exercises and the low impact nature of the
exercises means that your joints will not suffer in the name of healthy
living and muscle growth.
While aerobic exercise increases your heart
health and endurance, it does not usually help you to build upper body
strength. If you are looking to tone muscles and burn fat, then it is in
your best interests to give static exercise a shot. Also, while it does not
help with blood pressure problems (isometric and static exercises tend to
raise your blood pressure), static exercise can be responsible for helping
you to maintain bone density and improve digestion. No one wants to fall
and break a bone because they are becoming frail and brittle. No one wants
to deal with osteoporosis, either, which is an exaggerated curvature of the
spine. In addition to the bone density and digestion issues, static
exercise also seems to lower your LDL (dubbed the “bad” cholesterol)
levels.
Even the elderly, who might not be able to
participate in more dynamic exercise, can benefit greatly from static
exercise and strength training. Gentle resistance training can help older
people stay active and under their own power for longer, and prevent
stooping and bone breakage due to low bone density.
Static exercise generally requires equipment
to perform, but the good news is that the equipment does not have to be
expensive. A filled water bottle or a bag of sand can be just as easy to
work with as a weight set, and cost a lot less. In fact, everyone performs
some small level of static exercise every day. This everyday activity
includes things like going from sitting to standing and pushing open doors.
These activities help us to maintain the muscle tone that it takes to
function daily.
Static exercise is a great way to tone
muscle, burn fat, have fun and look good. It has many benefits, which can
improve your life for years to come, and well into the years when you will
see friends being sent to convalescent homes. Do yourself a favor and work
now for your health and independence all throughout your life.
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