Section 1 1

Section 1
Isometric Training
Muscular Contraction
The Resistance Band
The Running Process

©2013. Dr. Larry Van Such. www.AthleticQuickness.com

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ISOMETRIC TRAINING
The word ISOMETRIC is defined as follows: ‘Iso’ means equal or the same, and ‘metric’
means length. Combining these two definitions we get ‘equal or the same length’. Isometrics,
as it pertains to muscle training, involves tensing muscles against other muscles or against an
immovable object while the length of the muscle remains unchanged. For isometric training to
be effective, this muscular tension must be maintained over a certain period of time.
Therefore, isometric training is best defined as follows:

The sustained contraction of a muscle over a certain period of time where the length of the
muscle remains unchanged.

The following are a few examples of an isometric contraction:

Example 1. Take a 20 pound weight and perform a biceps curl. Hold a position halfway
between the repetition for 10 seconds. The length of your biceps muscle doesn’t change during
this time. A force is still being applied. See Figure 1-1 below:

Figure 1-1.

Example 2. Push against a steel pole for 10 seconds. The pole doesn’t move and neither does
the length of the muscles in your arms pushing against it. A force is still being applied. See
Figure 1-2 below:

Figure 1-2.

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Isometric training has been around for a long time, and so it is nothing new. Many
extraordinary results in muscle strength have been achieved in a very short period of time with
this type of training. However, because of the number of new training products and techniques
on the market today, its use by athletes is often overlooked.

MUSCULAR CONTRACTION
In order for you to appreciate the value of isometric training, it will be necessary to briefly
discuss some basic anatomical principles of muscular contraction. To start with, all skeletal
muscles consist of three main fiber types. These fiber types are listed below:

1) Slow twitch fibers - Responsible for the endurance and strength of a muscle.
2) Fast twitch fibers - Responsible for the speed and strength of a muscle.
3) Intermediate twitch fibers - Possess qualities of both slow and fast twitch fibers.

In most muscles, these fibers are intermingled. However, there is usually a predominance of
one or the other. For example, in postural muscles of the spine, the slow twitch fibers
dominate. This is because slow twitch fibers can undergo extensive repetitive contractions
without fatigue. In non-postural limb muscles like the arms and legs, the fast twitch fibers
dominate. This allows for powerful forces to be generated over a short period of time.

All of these fiber types are arranged into groups known as motor units. A motor unit is defined
as one motor neuron and all the muscle fibers it supplies. There are many motor units within
the overall muscle. When a muscle begins to contract, an action potential is carried down the
motor neuron across the motor endplate to the muscle fibers it supplies. Initially, only some of
the motor units become active. As the demand on the muscle increases, more and more motor
units are recruited to help support this demand. As the demand on the muscle decreases, the
number of motor units also decreases. This is a general description of muscular contraction.

With isometric training, a muscle opposes some form of resistance and is contracted to a certain
length and then held for a certain period of time, usually 10 seconds or more. There are no
repetitions required here as in weight training.

The biggest advantage to this type of training is twofold. First, by forcing your muscles to hold
a position for a certain length of time, your body starts to recruit more and more motor units to
help maintain this contraction. Motor units that are rarely exercised within a muscle are now
brought into use, perhaps for the first time. Second, the motor units that are recruited are forced
to hold their contraction continuously, time after time, until your muscles achieve a state of
maximum intensity safely and effectively. The end result is that the entire muscle matures very
quickly.

THE RESISTANCE BAND

One of the most popular forms of exercise training today deals with what is known as resistance
training. Essentially most forms of training deal with some type of resistance aid (weights, etc.)
but the way the term resistance training is used today means to utilize things such as rubber
bands or flexible pieces of metal to provide you with a simulated form of weight training. One
of the new and more popular types of resistance training aids is what is known as the resistance
band or exercise band. See Figure 1-3 on the next page:

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Figure 1-3. The resistance or exercise band.

This is an outstanding product that has a very unique physical property known as a hyper-
elastic potential. This means that the more you stretch the band the more force you will have to
apply. The amount of resistance found within an elastic band is therefore a function of its
length when stretched. When used properly, the resistance band is the ideal speed training
device.

Here’s a very basic idea of how and why it works: Imagine first that you are performing a
biceps curl, much like that shown in Figure 1-1 on page 2, except that instead of holding a
weight, you are holding one end of a resistance band with the other end either attached to the
floor or perhaps secured under your foot. Since we are using an isometric contraction, this
position with the elbow flexed at about 90 degrees is held for 10-15 seconds without moving it.

While holding this position, imagine the band is already stretched and exerting a significant
amount of force back into your biceps muscle. For some, this may be a 40 lb equivalent force,
for others, perhaps more. After a few seconds, your biceps muscle will naturally start to
weaken. When this happens, your body will begin to recruit more and more motor units to help
keep your arm and elbow in this fixed position.

Eventually, and rather quickly if the resistance is high enough, you get to the point where you
can no longer hold the band still and maintain the same amount of force efficiently. The muscle
has become over-stimulated This causes your arm to give out or start to shake a little, since the
over-stimulated muscle weakens and your coordination dissipates. This is one of the desired
states for your muscles to be in to train them for speed and quickness.

These movements in your elbow and arm, however small and in whichever direction,
instantaneously alters the amount of force that the resistance bands supply. Unlike weights,
which always have the same amount of resistance, the band’s resistance is variable and changes
as its length changes. Even small changes in distance, whether greater or less than the starting
position, will affect the amount of resistance your muscles exert.

Your muscles constantly perceive these small changes in resistance and alter their typical
recruitment pattern of motor units to try and maintain the held position. This new pattern is
considerably different than that observed while undergoing a similar exercise with a 40 lb
dumbbell, because its resistance is not subject to a change in position.

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This is a great benefit to athletes since with each new recruitment pattern of motor units, a
muscle’s weakness and lack of coordination on a much deeper level than normally experienced,
is instantly exposed, forcing the over-stimulated muscle fibers to immediately get stronger and
with more precision than before. Furthermore, the mass of the muscle typically does not
significantly increase with this type of training, which, if it did, could potentially offset these
gains.

So, whenever you are able to increase a muscle’s strength and coordination without adding any
additional body weight, your speed, quickness and athletic performance will automatically
increase. This again is just one of the reasons how and why this type of training works.

Imagine now applying this strategy in not only conventional ways, as in the biceps example
here, but also in ways and positions you may have never thought of before. When you do this
to your muscles, you will immediately expose and then eliminate greater weaknesses in them
leading to a vastly improved athletic performance.

Therefore, throughout this entire program, we will be using the resistance band with an
isometric training strategy to increase the strength, coordination and contraction rate within
specific muscles located in your lower extremities - all of which play important roles in the
running process.

THE RUNNING PROCESS

The Running Process consists of three main phases: 1) the push phase, 2) the swing phase and
3) the return phase. These three phases constitute a complete leg sequence for each leg during
the entire time one is running. For example, the right leg will sequence as follows:

Push phase > Swing phase > Return phase > Push phase > Swing Phase > Return Phase etc.

The left leg follows a similar pattern however, the phases of running for the left leg are not in
synch with the phases of running for the right leg.

The Push Phase. The push phase is perhaps the most popular of the three phases since it is
typically associated with the start of a race however, like the other two phases, it is involved
throughout the entire time one is running. It begins when the thigh of the foot touching the
ground is perpendicular to the ground, and ends when the toes of this same foot are barely
touching the ground behind you. Figures 1-4a, 1-4b, 1-4c and 1-4d show the stages of the push
phase shortly after the start of a race for the right leg. See below:

Figure 1-4a. Start of the Figure 1-4b. Middle of the Figure 1-4c. Continuation of Figure 1-4d. End of push
push phase. Right thigh is push phase. Right thigh and push phase. Right thigh and phase. Right thigh and leg fully
perpendicular to the ground. leg are extending. leg near complete extension. extended. Right foot makes last
contact with ground.

©2013. Dr. Larry Van Such. www.AthleticQuickness.com

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The muscles involved in the push phase are the knee extensors (Figure 1-7, page 7), hip
extensors (Figure 1-8, page 7) and the ankle plantar-flexors (Figure 1-8, page 7).

The Swing Phase. The swing phase begins when the toes of the foot that finished the push
phase have just left the ground behind you and ends when this same foot strikes the ground in
front of you. The distance covered by the swing phase is what many people refer to as their
stride. Training to improve your stride is not very difficult however, it is perhaps one of the
greatest oversights athletes make. Improving this phase of running can make a big difference in
your running speed. Figures 1-5a, 1-5b, 1-5c and 1-5d below show the basic stages of the swing
phase for the right leg:

Figure 1-5a. Start of the Figure 1-5b. Middle of Figure 1-5c. Continuation of Figure 1-5d. End of swing
swing phase. Right foot has swing phase. Right thigh is swing phase. Right thigh is phase. Right foot strikes the
just left the ground. being pulled forward. now flexed in front of runner. ground in front of runner.

The muscles involved in the swing phase are the hip flexors (Figure 1-7, page 7), knee flexors
(Figure 1-8, page 7) and knee extensors (Figure 1-7, page 7).

The Pull Phase. The pull phase begins once the foot strikes the ground in front of you and
your thigh is still flexed, and ends when the knee and thigh of the same foot are perpendicular
to the ground directly beneath you. This is the shortest of all the phases and it too is often
overlooked by a lot of athletes. Improving this phase of running can also make a big difference
in your running speed. Figures 1-6a, 1-6b, 1-6c and 1-6d below show the basic stages of the
pull phase for the right leg:

Figure 1-6a. Start of pull Figure 1-6b. Middle of pull Figure 1-6c. Continuation of Figure 1-6d. End of pull
phase. Right foot on the phase. Right thigh (arrow) pull phase. Right thigh phase. Right thigh (arrow)
ground; right thigh (arrow) is flexed but is now starting to (arrow) almost perpendicular perpendicular to ground; push
flexed on the hip. be pulled underneath runner. to ground beneath runner. phase set to repeat.

The primary muscle groups involved in the pull phase are the hip extensors (Figure 1-8, page 7)
and to a lesser extent, the knee flexors (Figure 1-8, page 7). Note: the hamstring muscles have
two functions: 1) hip extension and 2) knee flexion.

This completes the basic motions of the three phases of running. Many athletes have different
styles of running that best suits their needs however, the muscles involved all remain the same.
©2013. Dr. Larry Van Such. www.AthleticQuickness.com
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Hip Flexors: Hip Flexors:

Psoas
Pectineus
Iliacus
Adductor Longus
Sartorius
Adductor Brevis
Vastus Rectus

Knee Extensors Hip Adductors:

(Quadriceps): Adductor Magnus
Vastus Lateralis
Adductor Longus
Vastus Rectus
Gracilis
Vastus Medius
Adductor Brevis
Vastus Intermedius
(not shown)

Figure 1-7.

Hip Abductors:

Gluteus Medius

Tensor Fascia Lata Knee Flexors

(Hamstrings):
Gluteus Maximus Semitendinosus
Gluteus Minimus
Biceps Femoris

Hip Extensors Semimembranosus

(Includes Hamstrings):
Gluteus Maximus
Ankle Plantarflexors
Semitendinosus (Calf Muscles):
Biceps Femoris Gastrocnemius
Semimembranosus
Soleus

Plantaris (not shown)

Figure 1-8.
©2013. Dr. Larry Van Such. www.AthleticQuickness.com