What Are Isometric Exercises?

Isometric exercises involve the creation of muscle tension without visible movement of the joint involved or a change in length of the muscle. It can be used for increasing strength along with rehabilitation. Isometric training allows athletes to strengthen muscles and perform exercises at maximum capacity without excess fatigue and soreness that can occur from the eccentric loading during traditional lifting.

The Motivation Behind Our Project

We aim to provide UC San Diego with a reliable device to measure isometric forces amongst their athletes. This device is specialized so that the athletes can train squats, pulls, overhead pressess, and various other barbell exercises isometrically. We also hope to bring light to isometrics and demonstrate its various training and rehabilitation benefits. 

Why Training Isometrically Matters?

Isometric exercises is a newly researched method of resistance training that has been scientifically proven to have various benefits. Some of these benefits include:

• Muscle Stabilization and Hypertrophy

• Increasing Maximum Strength at Specific Joint Angles

• Strengthening of Connective Tissues (Tendons and Ligaments)

• Increased Rate of Torque Development

• Decreased Mechanical Delay

• Injury Prevention and Rehabilitation

• Arthritis Mitigation

• Safer Training

Training isometrically is beneficial for athletes because it allows them to safely strengthen certain ranges of the exercise without having to perform the whole movement. This is beneficial for building strength in those ranges which can translate to the ability to lift heavier weights and grow muscle.

Isometrics and Pain Managements

There are certain isometric exercises, such as wall sits, that are good for when an athlete is in season and they don't want to add too much load with eccentrics on top of the stress that they are already experiencing which could increase pain and inflammation.

One systematic review looked at many studies and various loading protocols in different exercises and determined that "isometric exercises appear to be more effective during competitive seasons for short-term pain relief, whereas HSR (heavy slow resistance) or eccentric exercises are more suitable for long-term pain reduction and improvement in knee function." 

Quantitative

Factors Of Safety

Lowest Factor of Safety for Vertical Adjustment: 2.58

Lowest Factor of Safety for Horizontal Roller: 7.3

Max Loads Before Failure

Vertical Adjustment Mechanism : 10,750 N (about 2,417 lbs)

Horizontal Roller Mechanism: 23,360 N (about 5,251 lbs)

Qualititative

1. Vertical adjustments can be completed by one person, and the barbell is constrained in all directions. 

2. Horizontal adjustments can be completed by one person as well, although it can be done faster with a trainer. 

3. Previous iterations featured complex components with easier adjustments but a higher risk of failure. The redesigned version requires slightly more user input but ensures enhanced safety.

4. The Software only requires two clicks after athletes' data is entered before force data is ready to be collected.