Isometric exercises

Can't help it. That is what they're called and what I'm doing lately. They are good for core stability, something that disappears quickly in old people. Yes, I officially fall in the old people category, age wise, although no one (not even me) actually believes that.

To demonstrate them there exercises, I have asked a supermodel for help with the photographs.

These exercises are not about sets and repeats or so. You take a position and hold that for a while. Start with 15 seconds, and do that for 3 repetitions, with breaks in between. A week later: 3 x 30 seconds. A week later, try for 3 x 1 minute.

Let me tell you, it's pretty intense. So here we go.

Position 1:

Horse stance. Pretend to sit on something without sitting on something, legs apart. (You may notice that the supermodel did not show up.)

Position 2.

Lie on your back, lower back FLAT on the ground (important) and lift arms and legs. If possible, extend your arms and legs into a slight 'bowl' shape (my back won't allow that without coming off the ground and my shoulders refuse to cooperate). Same set of repetitions and times as position 1. You may find a pattern here, so I won't repeat that.

Position 3.

Lean on hands and knees, then lift your knees about an inch off the floor. That looks easy. Try it.

Final position. 4.

Sitting against the wall. Push your back against the wall and 'sit' that way, without a chair.

It's challenging, trust me.

After a while I got the awareness that this kind of exercises resembles what yoga positions aim for. Stability in the core. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Have you ever heard about this kind of 'isometric' exercise before?