Isometric exercises might sound fancy, but the truth is, you probably do some form of isometric training every single day, whether you realize it or not. If you’ve ever hung onto a heavy suitcase while waiting for the airport shuttle, held up a giant framed painting while your partner tells you if it’s level or not, or carried a baby on your hip while waiting in line at the grocery store, congratulations—you’ve done isometric exercises.

And if you’re looking for an easy, equipment-free way to build strength and endurance without putting a lot of stress on your joints, consider adding isometric exercises to your workout routine. Here’s everything you need to know about isometrics, from the benefits of isometric training to real-life isometric exercise examples you can incorporate into your workouts today.

What Are Isometric Exercises? 

An isometric exercise (aka static exercise) requires you to hold a position while your muscles are under tension, so they’re contracting without changing in length, according to the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM). This differs from traditional strength training exercises, which typically involve some form of dynamic movement where your muscles are contracting while lengthening and shortening. 

For example, during a traditional biceps curl, you move your elbow joint through its entire range of motion to lift your hand up to your shoulder; your biceps muscles lengthen as you lower the weight, and shorten as you lift it up. If you wanted to use an isometric exercise to work your biceps muscle, you’d hold a weight with your elbow bent at 90 degrees, and keep it there, unmoving. Your biceps muscle is still working to hold the weight, but it’s contracting without changing in length. More common examples of isometric moves include planks, wall sits, or squat holds, says Peloton instructor Selena Samuela. 

With isometric exercises, you’re likely to really feel the “burn” as you continue to hold the position. It isn’t the result of your muscles tearing into tiny pieces while you sweat, Selena says. It’s actually caused by the buildup of microscopic hydrogen ions in your bloodstream.

Every time you do a plank (or a wall sit, or any exercise, isometric or not), your body starts to break down the glycogen (aka glucose, or sugar) that’s stored in your muscles for energy. This process releases hydrogen ions and lactate into your bloodstream. As hydrogen accumulates, your blood becomes more acidic, which induces that burning sensation. “The longer you hold the muscle contraction, the more hydrogen builds up, and the more intense the burn will be,” Selena says. 

Isometric Exercise Examples

Wondering how isometric moves can fit into your routine? Here are a few examples. (Scroll down for a longer list of isometric exercises below).

Plank: Whether you’ve attended barre, bootcamp, or even yoga classes, you’re probably familiar with planks. A classic plank involves holding your body off the floor while balancing your weight on your hands and feet. There are multiple variations on the plank, but they all target your abdominal muscles. When done right, you also target your deep stabilizer muscles, such as the transverse abdominus. Try them at the beginning of your workout to get your core activated or at the end as part of your cooldown routine.

Wall Sit: Also popular in bootcamp and barre classes, wall sits make an excellent addition to leg day, especially if you’re working out at home or in a hotel room. During a wall sit, you’re holding a squat position with your back and hips pressed against a wall. It targets all the same muscles as a squat but requires zero equipment.

Squat Hold: Similar to a wall sit, a squat hold simply involves staying in the bottom position of a squat for an extended period. It works the same muscles as a squat, and is perfect for the days when you want to feel your legs burn but don’t have additional equipment like a barbell, dumbbell, or kettlebell handy.

Do Isometric Exercises Build Muscle?

Yes, isometric exercises can help build muscle and strength, though they may not be as effective as dynamic moves and will work best as part of a more robust strength training routine.

One of the main ways to stimulate muscular hypertrophy (the growth of muscle tissue) is through mechanical tension (the stress placed on muscle fibers while they’re contracting against resistance). Even though you may not be moving during isometric exercises, your muscles are still being placed under tension, and research confirms that this can challenge your muscles enough to lead to hypertrophy. One small 2023 study, for example, put adult men through a 9-week isometric training program and found that it increased the size of the targeted muscle as well as the maximum force of contraction that the muscle could create in the isometric position.

That said, if your goal is to build strength and muscle, it’s a good idea to include dynamic exercises, too. “For strength and hypertrophy goals, you’re better off with traditional strength training,” Selena says. “If the focus is on strength, emphasize lifting heavy weights in the three to five rep range. For hypertrophy goals, focus on lifting moderately heavy weights, somewhere in the eight to twelve rep range.”

Other Benefits of Isometric Exercise

“Feeling the burn” doesn’t exactly sound like fun, but trust—if you stick with isometric exercises, you’ll start to see some major payoffs in your fitness. Here’s what you have to look forward to with the benefits of isometric training.

Improves Endurance

Isometrics are an excellent way to improve your muscular endurance, or how long your muscles can keep performing the same movement. “The sustained contraction of the muscle increases time under tension, thus asking your muscles to work for a longer duration,” Selena says. “So adding isometrics to your routines helps your muscles adapt to producing and maintaining force.” 

Muscular endurance is key for muscles like the ones in your core and back, which need to fire all day long to stabilize your spine and help you maintain good posture. It’s also helpful for endurance athletes, including runners, cyclists, rowers, and swimmers. “Sports like running and cycling require repeated muscle contractions over long periods of time, and that’s exactly the type of muscle contractions that isometrics train,” Selena says. “Just about every endurance athlete can benefit from isometrics.”

In fact, a small 2012 study on male cyclists found that after just one week of isometric training, the cyclists used significantly less oxygen at moderate intensities. While isometric training had no effect on the athletes’ high-intensity efforts, this study suggests they’d make a great form of cross-training if you’re targeting a longer event like a century (100-mile) ride. 

Helps Build Strength Without Soreness 

If you tend to avoid strength training because you don’t want to delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) to interfere with your next ride or run (or even taking the stairs), isometric training is a perfect alternative. While it creates less muscle damage than, say, a heavy lifting session with a barbell, it does still work to build strength—minus the tender muscle tissue. 

Enhances Cardiovascular Health 

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends shooting for a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity per week. And while the best type of exercise is the one that you’ll actually do, a 2023 study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine suggests that isometrics might be especially good for heart health.

The study, which analyzed nearly 300 randomized controlled trials, compared the resting blood pressure of people who performed various forms of exercise, including aerobic exercise, dynamic resistance training, a combination of strength and aerobic training, high-intensity interval training, and isometric training. Those who participated in isometric training (the wall sit, in particular) experienced much lower resting systolic and diastolic blood pressure than those who did other forms of exercise. 

Works for All Fitness Levels

A 2019 study found that isometric training elicited less fatigue than traditional strength training. While you should always check with your doctor before starting an exercise program, the low-impact nature of isometric exercises makes them “excellent for anyone who is managing chronic pain, joint issues, or those who are pregnant or postpartum,” Selena says.

Helps with Pain Management

If you know you need to work on your strength but you’re worried about aggravating an angry joint or an old injury, isometric exercise could be the way to go. A 2016 Technology and Health Care study shows that isometric exercises were effective in managing pain for adults with knee osteoarthritis, while a Medical-Surgical Nursing Journal study found that it was also effective in reducing pain for individuals with lower limb fractures. 

How to Fit Isometric Exercises Into Your Routine

While you could certainly swap out your current lifting routine for an isometric-focused day, that’s not really necessary—there are plenty of other ways to add them to your routine. For example, if you love lifting heavy but are curious about isometrics, you can tack on a few sets of isometric exercises to the end of your next lifting session as a finisher. 

They’re also a great warmup, particularly before a lifting session, run, or bike ride. (Cue up a strength warm-up class on the Peloton App, and you’re sure to do at least one isometric.) Warming up with planks and glute bridges can act as activation exercises, getting your core and glutes firing and priming them to perform well during your training.

And if you’re low on time or just want to insert some bites of movement snack into your day, isometrics are easy to do in between calls or when you need a pick-me-up. You don’t need a lot of space (or time) to do a plank or a wall sit by your desk—plus you won’t need to change clothes or shower. 

As you get stronger, beware—the exercises that used to burn might leave you bored. Here are a few ways to keep things interesting (and effective): 

15 Isometric Exercises Worth Adding to Your Workout

If you’re sold on the effectiveness of isometrics but aren’t sure where to begin, we’ve got you covered. Try holding any of these exercises for 20 to 60 seconds and gradually increasing the time under tension as you get stronger. 

1. High Plank 

The high plank is a classic fitness move that looks basic but requires attention to form and detail if you really want to feel the burn in your core, shoulders, triceps, and back. New to planks? Start on your knees (your body should form a straight line from knees to the crown of your head) before progressing to your toes.

2. Low Plank

If you frequently experience wrist pain, try a low plank instead of high plank as your isometric core exercise of choice. You’ll follow mostly the same steps as a high plank, but you’ll support yourself on your forearms versus your wrists. Like the high plank, you can drop to your knees as you’re building your stamina.

3. Bear Plank

The bear plank is a classic functional strength move (meaning it trains the body for real-life daily activities, like crawling on the floor with your kids). If wrist pain bothers you, try making a fist instead during this isometric exercise. 

4. Reverse Plank

Put that plank down, flip it, and reverse it—that’s how the Missy Elliot song goes, right? In all seriousness, a reverse plank is a tricky move that challenges you in completely different ways than the traditional plank. (If you have poor shoulder mobility, this may not be the best isometric exercise for you.)

5. Side Plank

Yup, your obliques need some isometric love too. A side plank is similar to a low plank, just on one forearm and with your body opened up toward one side of the room. Like regular planks, don’t be afraid to drop your knees if you’re still building your strength.

6. Hollow Body Hold

This challenging core move requires patience as you build your endurance—and it’s one of those isometric exercises that never really gets any easier. Want to modify? You can bend your knees slightly, lift your legs further off the ground, and play around with arm position. Alternatively, start in a dead bug position and gradually extend your legs longer and longer until you’re in a true hollow body hold.

7. Hip Bridge

If you think hip bridges (aka glute bridges) are easy, think again. This full body isometric exercise should be challenging if you’re doing it properly. Be careful not to overarch your lower back—focus on engaging your core and maintaining that straight line from your knees to your shoulders. 

8. Single-Leg Hip Bridge

Runners, listen up: Single-leg glute bridges are the VIP of your running-specific isometric exercises. That’s because while you’re running, you’re constantly on one leg, meaning you have to be secure in your balance. Incorporate this into your cross-training to avoid muscle imbalances (and injury).

9. V-Sit

This isometric exercise is for fans of the Pilates teaser. Your balance will be challenged with this move, but if you’re really struggling, bend your knees while keeping your shins parallel to the floor.

10. Squat Hold

Be careful with your form on this isometric exercise. All too often, squatters bend forward too far at the waist or allow their knees to cave in. If you find that your form is compromised in an effort to squat low, it’s perfectly okay to hold your squat a little bit higher (versus trying to get your hips in line with your knees). 

11. Calf Raise Hold

Yes, standing on your tippy-toes is an isometric workout. This is another great exercise for runners, who need balance and calf strength. Make this move more challenging by holding a pair of light weights at your sides.

12. Triceps Dip Hold

We love a good triceps exercise. With this isometric hold—a static version of the triceps dip—it’s key to avoid hunching your shoulders. Repeat to yourself “proud chest,” and imagine that the person in front of you needs to read the logo on your shirt. To modify, bend your knees and walk your feet in toward you.

13. Bird Dog Hold

Whether you’re doing it as an isometric exercise or a dynamic one, bird dog challenges your core stability and is a great move to add to your warm-up routine. Take your time and fight to extend your arm and your leg as long as possible—like you’re trying to reach both sides of the room at the same time.

14. Wall Sit

This isometric exercise will have you feeling the burn fast. Make sure you’re positioned perfectly before committing to your hold. Your lower body should form a right angle; if your hips are too high on the wall, you’re not getting the most out of this move.

15. Front Raise Hold

Want an upper-body isometric exercise? Meet the front raise hold. You’ll need a pair of light dumbbells for this one, and when we say light, we mean light—as in, don’t go above three pounds (resistance bands are an option here too). To target a slightly different part of your deltoids (shoulders), also try this isometric with a lateral raise.