Isometrics: Isometric Exercise Short history and Results
The Jack Savage Files
Q: Jack, if I understand this right, Isometrics were popular for a time, then unpopular, now getting popular again. What gives? -Jimmy Wilson
A: Good question Jimmy! I have often wondered this myself and have researched it for years.
This is what I believe to be the truth:
In the early 60s, isometrics burst on the scene as a result of scores of SCIENTIFIC studies ( real ones, not the fake ones like you see in the popular muscle and fitness rags, that often have studies showing the effectiveness of certain supplements; studies which were funded BY THE VERY SAME supplement companies! Talk about the fox guarding the hen house! As a side note: do you know that the supplement companies OWN most of the fitness magazines outright! Being the main money tree for the mags and able to exert great influence on the articles just wasn't enough! Also, there is the fact that many of these companies are owned or largely run by former steroid dealers gone "straight" -seems there is BUUCUU more $$$$$ in legitimacy!).
These studies showed astounding effectiveness for strength development of simple isometric exercises which can be performed for about 6 seconds each once per day! Great results are also experienced for every other day workouts.
From a marketing standpoint, this was NOT GOOD for the various companies making their livelihood selling various strength apparatus. Shucks, you don't even NEED any equipment to do a isometric workout!! However, they had to play ball-at least for a while! To keep the coffers full of beautiful $$$$ they came out with various isometric devices and courses while at the same time chipping away thru various articles at the foundation of isometric effectiveness.
This steam rolled over the years until a point was reached where they had the general public convinced that isometrics were totally useless.
Coincidentally, at the same time steroid use became known to the general public. The various companies that needed to discredit isometrics did a good job convincing the public that much of the fantastic gains initially credited to isometrics was actually a result of steroid use.
With that logic, considering the huge number of athletes that have taken ( and still do ) "the juice" over the past generation then ALL exercise is worthless!
Luckily, the truth will eventually win out. Athletes and trainers are again using the tried and true method of isometrics with great results!!
Going thru old muscle building and fitness materials ( from 1962 ) I've come across some interesting feedback concerning results from isometric programs:
Pat Flanagan writes:
My main interest besides body building and good health is in developing strength for hand balancing and gymnastics. While experimenting with this hypertension (isometrics) I , by accident, developed strength to perform a stunt I had never seen done. Since I developed this stunt I have been requested to perform it on television here in Houston. I will try to describe this stunt as accurately as possible. I lie flat on the floor with arms extended as far as they will reach below my hips, palms flat on the floor, then slowly applying pressure to my arms, raise my body in a straight arm planche to a full handstand position. I had tried this stunt before but didn't make any progress till I experimented with hypertension ( isometrics ). My routine was very simple: all I did was lie on the floor, as explained, and exert constant tension on the floor for 60 seconds every other day.
***
No other method, before or since, other than isometrics could have possibly given Pat that kind of strength. And as you can see, no equipment needed = no money for the various companies promoting fitness equipment!
Remember, if you are ever confused as to what is going on in a situation : FOLLOW THE MONEY!
Your Fitness Pard,
Jack Savage
Talking to DeeDee is like going back in time to when men were men- umm no maybe when men were BARBARIANS! He is often positively medieval in his views!
I may not agree with maybe 80% of what he says, but he keeps me laughing! And, I have to admit there is some strange logic in his thinking.
DeeDee would say " I just say what everyone else knows deep down is the truth but are too chickencrap to admit ".
I don't know about THAT, but be it as it may, prepare to be entertained with
DEEDEE'S BOOK REVIEWS
The other day I noticed DeeDee finishing yet another of the Casca series with the comment- " That one was not very good, he only killed 6 people and got 4 pieces of azz!"
Sounds like a more in depth review is in order!
DeeDee looks at the Casca series by Barry Sadler
This is a really good series tha should be on everyone's reading list. Not just about sex and violence it gives you a better perspective on what it would be like to live forever
Although I have often thought of how great it would be there are many negatives as well. Think of the sadness ofd constantly losing loved ones and never being allowed to rest.
Historical research - Saddler did a good job researching the religions, fighting styles, way people think in past societies and even the religious fear inbeded in certain groups of people ( which Casca often uses to his advantage).
Historical battles are really good- you learn a lot about the how and why different cultures fought a certain way ( such as the Romans, Mongols , etc ) .
It don't hurt to have some good sex scenes.
I like the fact that most of the sex scenes have some sort of feeling , build up and relationships.
Not like in "The Pirate" one where the girl just stripped off her clothes and said lets get it on!
I especially liked the one where he had a son ( the Sentinel ) that he really loved. He showed a lot of fatherly love. A tender side to Casca! I even got into the torturing of the evil bastage that was the bad guy in that one.
Humor : Good humor interwoven throughout. Keeps you in stitches at times!
The first one was especially good-The Eternal Mercenary.
Other good ones- the Sentential, the God of Death, the Legionnaire, Soldier of Fortune, anything with Gus in it ( haven't read Panzer Soldier yet ) , African Mercenary.
Don't like my review of the Casca series? Maybe it is because you are just CHICKENCRAP!!
Q: Jack, if I understand this right, Isometrics were popular for a time, then unpopular, now getting popular again. What gives? -Jimmy Wilson
A: Good question Jimmy! I have often wondered this myself and have researched it for years.
This is what I believe to be the truth:
In the early 60s, isometrics burst on the scene as a result of scores of SCIENTIFIC studies ( real ones, not the fake ones like you see in the popular muscle and fitness rags, that often have studies showing the effectiveness of certain supplements; studies which were funded BY THE VERY SAME supplement companies! Talk about the fox guarding the hen house! As a side note: do you know that the supplement companies OWN most of the fitness magazines outright! Being the main money tree for the mags and able to exert great influence on the articles just wasn't enough! Also, there is the fact that many of these companies are owned or largely run by former steroid dealers gone "straight" -seems there is BUUCUU more $$$$$ in legitimacy!).
These studies showed astounding effectiveness for strength development of simple isometric exercises which can be performed for about 6 seconds each once per day! Great results are also experienced for every other day workouts.
From a marketing standpoint, this was NOT GOOD for the various companies making their livelihood selling various strength apparatus. Shucks, you don't even NEED any equipment to do a isometric workout!! However, they had to play ball-at least for a while! To keep the coffers full of beautiful $$$$ they came out with various isometric devices and courses while at the same time chipping away thru various articles at the foundation of isometric effectiveness.
This steam rolled over the years until a point was reached where they had the general public convinced that isometrics were totally useless.
Coincidentally, at the same time steroid use became known to the general public. The various companies that needed to discredit isometrics did a good job convincing the public that much of the fantastic gains initially credited to isometrics was actually a result of steroid use.
With that logic, considering the huge number of athletes that have taken ( and still do ) "the juice" over the past generation then ALL exercise is worthless!
Luckily, the truth will eventually win out. Athletes and trainers are again using the tried and true method of isometrics with great results!!
Going thru old muscle building and fitness materials ( from 1962 ) I've come across some interesting feedback concerning results from isometric programs:
Pat Flanagan writes:
My main interest besides body building and good health is in developing strength for hand balancing and gymnastics. While experimenting with this hypertension (isometrics) I , by accident, developed strength to perform a stunt I had never seen done. Since I developed this stunt I have been requested to perform it on television here in Houston. I will try to describe this stunt as accurately as possible. I lie flat on the floor with arms extended as far as they will reach below my hips, palms flat on the floor, then slowly applying pressure to my arms, raise my body in a straight arm planche to a full handstand position. I had tried this stunt before but didn't make any progress till I experimented with hypertension ( isometrics ). My routine was very simple: all I did was lie on the floor, as explained, and exert constant tension on the floor for 60 seconds every other day.
***
No other method, before or since, other than isometrics could have possibly given Pat that kind of strength. And as you can see, no equipment needed = no money for the various companies promoting fitness equipment!
Remember, if you are ever confused as to what is going on in a situation : FOLLOW THE MONEY!
Your Fitness Pard,
Jack Savage
Talking to DeeDee is like going back in time to when men were men- umm no maybe when men were BARBARIANS! He is often positively medieval in his views!
I may not agree with maybe 80% of what he says, but he keeps me laughing! And, I have to admit there is some strange logic in his thinking.
DeeDee would say " I just say what everyone else knows deep down is the truth but are too chickencrap to admit ".
I don't know about THAT, but be it as it may, prepare to be entertained with
DEEDEE'S BOOK REVIEWS
The other day I noticed DeeDee finishing yet another of the Casca series with the comment- " That one was not very good, he only killed 6 people and got 4 pieces of azz!"
Sounds like a more in depth review is in order!
DeeDee looks at the Casca series by Barry Sadler
This is a really good series tha should be on everyone's reading list. Not just about sex and violence it gives you a better perspective on what it would be like to live forever
Although I have often thought of how great it would be there are many negatives as well. Think of the sadness ofd constantly losing loved ones and never being allowed to rest.
Historical research - Saddler did a good job researching the religions, fighting styles, way people think in past societies and even the religious fear inbeded in certain groups of people ( which Casca often uses to his advantage).
Historical battles are really good- you learn a lot about the how and why different cultures fought a certain way ( such as the Romans, Mongols , etc ) .
It don't hurt to have some good sex scenes.
I like the fact that most of the sex scenes have some sort of feeling , build up and relationships.
Not like in "The Pirate" one where the girl just stripped off her clothes and said lets get it on!
I especially liked the one where he had a son ( the Sentinel ) that he really loved. He showed a lot of fatherly love. A tender side to Casca! I even got into the torturing of the evil bastage that was the bad guy in that one.
Humor : Good humor interwoven throughout. Keeps you in stitches at times!
The first one was especially good-The Eternal Mercenary.
Other good ones- the Sentential, the God of Death, the Legionnaire, Soldier of Fortune, anything with Gus in it ( haven't read Panzer Soldier yet ) , African Mercenary.
Don't like my review of the Casca series? Maybe it is because you are just CHICKENCRAP!!
posted by Jack Savage at 9:11 AM
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