Oscillatory Isometric Muscle Actions
A New Class of Isometrics.
Introduction By Jim Seitzer
The kinetic journey leading up to the remarkable discovery of Oscillating Isometric Muscle Action began years ago in a collaborative effort between Westside Barbell and Jim Seitzer, one of the original founding members and now owner/developer of BandBell, LLC.
What started out as a simple idea for hanging kettlebells from a wooden broomstick using 41" mini bands, they quickly learned that this unstable bar setup activated the stabilizing muscles of the shoulder girdle and produced dramatic results in shoulder health and mobility.
The rest, as they say, is history. Since that first "shaky bar" experience nearly twenty-years ago, much has been written and researched about unstable load training and the benefits thereof. And so, with each and every chapter finalized and published, the book remained closed...until now. Waiting to be uncovered, like a rare gem, was the relationship between tissue and band resonance which was brought to light by Absolute Sport Science, and is the basis of this article. Welcome to the world of Reactive Strength.
Isometric Classifications
Throughout the literature as has been discussed previously at Absolute, isometric muscle actions can be categorized into two different classes: a Holding Isometric Muscle Action (HIMA) or a Pushing Isometric Muscle Action (PIMA).1
In the Absolute framework of training for reactive strength, which we have defined as being a behaviour of connective tissue and therefore a trainable special strength necessary for all athletes at the Level of Competition, neither the HIMA nor the PIMA is specific enough as a training input to create a vibrational stimulus that determines a tissue response from the connective tissues. Due to this limitation, we at Absolute have started to implement the use of what we have termed Oscillatory Isometric Muscle Actions (OIMA).
In short, OIMAs or oscillatory isometrics, provide a chaotic, high-frequency stimulus2 that signals connective tissue self-organization while simultaneously promoting morphological expansion of the connective tissue architecture network.
This type of isometric training enhances reactive strength by improving both the structure and function of connective tissues—ensuring they can self-organize and react to the demands of high-force, high-velocity force transmission outputs.
How To Perform an OIMA
Traditional isometric methods—holding and pressing isometrics—rely on a top-down neural drive to sustain or press against a static load. Oscillatory Isometric Muscle Actions (OIMA) maintain this intent but introduce a dynamic load, causing high-frequency oscillations within the connective tissue network while the neuromuscular system maintains a holding isometric contraction.
To perform an OIMA, there must be a way to input oscillation into the system, thus creating a resonant frequency that stimulates the connective tissues. To do this the use of an oscillating barbell, resistance bands with external loads attached, or a combination of both are effective strategies.
Once the oscillatory loading strategy is determined, it is necessary to position the athlete appropriately in an isometric position whereby it would be considered a HIMA by the setup and intent. The reason being that during the isometric “hold” the oscillation of the barbell and the externally loaded resistance bands will be magnified and the athlete will be exposed to the increased demand of holding during the oscillation.
During OIMA:
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