The Principles of Isometric Exercises:

1.  - Continuing to breathe normally

2.  - Tensing (without external movement) one or several groups  of muscles

3. - Achieving maximum contraction

4. - Maintaining this contraction for between one and seven even breaths, while keeping the rest of the body relaxed

5. - Releasing the muscular tension

6. - Breathing out deeply to relax.

  Above all do things gradually and NEVER STRAIN.

â EXAMPLES OF ISOMETRIC EXERCISES:

a) To strengthen your back

   Say goodbye to painful and debilitating back pain!

You will now be able to create a strong back by strengthening the deep-seated musculature that supports the spine.

   Here is a specially adapted isometric exercise:

   Join your hands in front of your head, with your palms pressed against your forehead. Pull your arms backwards, pushing your head forwards against the resistance of your hands.

 Join your hands behind your head, with your palms resting on the back of your head, above the nape of your neck. Push your hands forward against the resistance of your head.

   Observe the techniques of isometric contraction. For this exercise, which can be done sitting or standing but with the back straight, your head must be perfectly aligned and your eyes looking straight ahead (you can check your position by standing in front of a mirror).

b) To strengthen your abdominal muscles

   This will enable you to accumulate a great deal of energy around your stomach area and consequently form abdominal muscles that maintain the digestive organs in place (crucial to prevent you getting a “stomach”!)

   Lie down on your back, with your arms resting on the ground at your sides (use a relatively firm surface, for example a carpet or, better still, an "exercise mat " rather than a soft mattress).

   As you breathe in, raise your legs, keeping them straight and without supporting yourself with your hands. Maintain the contraction for several even breaths. Then release the contraction by lowering your legs to the ground.

   Start from the same position and raise your legs and your back. At the same time raise your arms, keeping them straight and  parallel in front of you. Only the lower back and upper part of the buttocks should remain in contact with the floor.

   Look at the tips of your toes, while trying to keep your back straight.

   Maintain the contraction, for several even breaths. Lie back on the floor as you breathe out. 

   Practising this exercise each day, for a few minutes at a time, will ensure good digestion and clear intestinal transit. No more flatulence or constipation!

  c) To relieve pelvic congestion

   This exercise, which aims to draw blood into the muscles of the buttocks, is an effective cure for bleeding of the uterus, period pains, gynaecological problems, haemorrhoids and to prevent prostate problems.

   Several times a day, tense the muscles of your buttocks, perineum (area between the anus and genitalia) and the anal sphincter muscle, according to the isometric principle. This exercise can be done in any  position.

d) Isometric exercises for the face

   This exercise is extremely useful for relaxing tension in the face and eyes.

Following an isometric contraction, the subcutaneous muscles placed under tension relax deeply. Their improved elasticity prevents them becoming wasted which is one of the principle causes of ageing of the skin.

   In  fact, imperfections of the skin (wrinkles, age spots) are more effectively treated from the inside, by developing the musculature of the face, than the outside (beauty creams, plastic surgery, etc.).

   The regeneration of the facial muscles leads to a remarkable improvement in the circulation of the blood. This in turn leads to the elimination of waste tissue and revitalises the layers of the skin.

   All you have to do is practise as many different grimaces as possible, stretching the facial muscles as far as you can and holding each position for a few seconds (isometric contraction). Breathe evenly as you do it and then relax the taut muscles as you breathe out.

   All these movements are beneficial, provided they are not excessive or painful.