By Neal Prokop, Sport Performance Specialist
Hey Everyone!
We hope that you are doing well, staying healthy, and enjoying time with your family during this unbelievable time around the world. Exercise is a great way to boost energy levels, keep a positive attitude about things, and blow of some steam from being stuck in your house for long periods of time.
Every Wednesday, Sport Manitoba Performance posts a weekly challenge to help get you through the COVID-19 pandemic. This week’s challenge . . .
The Isolation Isometric (Iso-hold) Challenge!
Equipment Needed: Body weight, a backpack with books inside for added weight, a duffle bag with towels or bed sheets stuffed in it to add weight, a bar to pull yourself up.
Guidelines:
* This challenge will involve isometric movements that add a stability and endurance component to each exercise. Movements are done slow, and in control. It will burn, and it will be tough!
*Follow the movements in the videos, but some are done at a slower speed in the videos so follow the tempos listed beside each exercise. As a reminder, tempo is the speed of the contraction. Example, 1-5-1 means, 1 second time on the lowering or eccentric phase, 5 second pause, and 1 second time on the lifting or pulling concentric phase.
Good Luck!
A1 Isometric Squat Hold (Tempo: 1-10-1) – 5 reps
A2 Isohold Push Ups (pause at the bottom) (Tempo: 1-5-1) – 5 reps
A3 Hollow Hold (10s) to Rollover Superman Hold (10s) (Tempo: N/A 10s holds) 3 reps
A4 Isometric Pull Aparts (Tempo: 10 seconds) 5 reps
A5 Rest 60s.
Move directly from A1 to A2 to A3 to A4. You can take a 30 second rest between exercises. Complete 4 sets of this exercise block.
B1 Isometric DB Split Squats (Backpack held at chest level with arms) (Tempo: 1-10-1) – 5 reps each side
B2 Side Plank Hold Top Leg on Bench (Hold for 30 seconds)
B3 BB Inverted Row with Isometric hold at top (pause at the top) (Tempo: 1-5-1) – 5 reps
B4 Alternating Contralateral Plank Hold (3-1-3) – 4 reps per side
B5 Alternating Contralateral DB Deadbug (3-1-3) – 4 reps per side
B6 Rest 60s
Move directly from B1 to B2 to B3 to B4 to B5. You can take a 30 second rest between exercises. Complete 4 sets of this exercise block.
You can view a full playlist of the workout below.
Good Luck! Remember to email us at performance@sportmanitoba.ca to let us know how you did. Stay healthy, and happy training!
