Previously I’ve written about isometric stretching and some of the benefits. Isometric anything is really pretty incredible. Steve Justa—a super strong dude—said that isometrics made him feel like a machine and gave him incredible results in terms of being stronger in physical tasks (in his case, bailing hay). Bruce Lee used them. Nuff said.
There is something super-beneficial about controlling your muscles.
Several things here with isometric stretching. First controlling your muscles and developing strength in extreme ranges. Then there is the matter of restoring positions to your body that you haven’t had since you were a kid. It’s super-freeing. With isometric stretching, you get stronger, more flexible, and you feel springier and more mobile.
Now, don’t get me wrong. I like relaxed stretching. But relaxed stretching is a little more passive and you don’t get the strength benefit. I like relaxed stretching when on the floor with the kids or at the park. Consider isometric stretching and dynamic stretching workouts of their own and dedicate more attention to the activity and to the recovery. Two times per week is sufficient, and results can be had with once per month once you establish your new baseline.
Other than the split, there are three stretches I really like to perform isometrically. You can check them out in the video, along with some more explanations about the benefits of isometric stretching: