If you’ve ever held a plank, paused at the bottom of a squat or pressed your palms together in front of your chest, you’ve done an isometric exercise. Ta-da! These holds might look simple — after all, ...

Beth Skwarecki is Lifehacker’s Senior Health Editor, and holds certifications as a personal trainer and weightlifting coach. She has been writing about health for over 10 years. While many types of ...

Isometric exercises are exercises that involve the contraction of muscles without any movement in the surrounding joints. Most muscle strengthening exercises involve moving the joints, using the ...

We’ve all been there: holding at the bottom of a squat or plank, feeling your legs start to quiver like crazy. Congrats—you’ve experienced the burn of an isometric hold. These strength-boosting pauses ...

Isometric, isotonic, and isokinetic exercises refer to the different techniques for activating and strengthening muscles. Isometric exercises, like planks, involve activating muscles with no movement.