History in a glance

Static strength training, also known as isometric exercises, from time immemorial was the secret of the order physical training systems of many medieval orders of chivalry. The Knights Templars’ system was considered the most efficient of them. This system gave them great physical strength without exhausting exercises and workouts which became popular nowadays. The Knights Templars’ system has common background with Indian yogi’s exercises. It is assumed that this common background could be the geometric exercises.

In the early 20th century Dr A.K. Anokhin’s system of exercises became very popular. The book describing Anokhin’s system was 7-time-republished when the author was still alive. Even the Niva magazine, being far from sports, published the entire system in the year 1909 and named it “the best indoor exercises”. Many athletes of the past had used its principles in their workouts.

To perform Anokhin's exercises one does not need special sport equipment and special premises. Anokhin believed that there are no new moves – one can not contrive ones. One can only talk about some principle of their performance.

Anokhin’s system was named The Volitional Training. Its principle lies in the fact that while performing the exercises without any load (i.e. without dumbbells, an expander, weights or other sport equipment) one deliberately should tense the respective muscles as if they were overcoming resistance.

Anokhin’s system is still relevant nowadays. His exercises not only allow increasing the strength, but also achieving the ability to tense and relax separate muscle groups, which is extremely important either in sports, or in any physical work.

In the early 20’s of the past century Alexander Zass, a Russian athlete, whose stage-name was Samson, applied isometric exercises in his workouts and due to them he achieved great tendon strength as well as developed great physical strength. He also described his system of exercises.

The meaning of isometric exercises consists in the fact, that while making those exercises, the muscles are being tensed up, but their length does not change and there is no visible movement at the joints. You may press one palm against the other in front of your chest or unbend a horseshoe, tear a chain apart. Outwardly unsuccessful attempts being repeated time and again may prove to be very efficient when the muscle and tendon strength is being developed.

In the mid-19th century isometric exercises caused a sensation in the sports world. Many sportsmen, having included isometric exercises in their workouts, had been improving their sports results rapidly.

In The School of Efficient Leaders’ program there is a course devoted to the body work basics. The course is directed to the formation of the proper energy distribution (innervation) in the body, normalization of nerve trunks patency. The elimination of energy exchange blockages ensures the organism’s efficiency, good plasticity and physique much more efficiently than various sports systems of workouts.

Isometric exercises suggested below are based on Anokhin’s classic system and may be used as a good introductory, as well as optional though, course to our systems of body-oriented practices. When spending daily quite a little time and relatively little effort, the exercises will allow you remaining physically fit and control your physique.