Ever wondered if you can muscle without moving? Or more precisely will static exercises build muscle and strength as effective as dynamic exercises? Let’s break down the whole static vs dynamic exercise debate and see how effective each type really is!
Types of Exercises
First you need to understand how these types work: While exercising, your muscles go through different types of contractions, which can be differentiated into two overarching categories. static and dynamic.
Dynamic contractions
Dynamic contractions consist of two individual types: concentric and eccentric.
Concentric
Concentric movement is when the muscle shortens while producing force (Overcoming resistance).
Eccentric
Eccentric movement is when the muscle lengthens while producing force (slowing down against resistance).
Static contractions
Static contractions on the other hand are producing force while you’re not moving and the length of your muscles doesn’t change.
Dynamic vs Static: Which one is better?
Now which one of these is better or superior? Well it really depends on what you want to achieve and what your body currently needs.
If your main goal is to learn a static calisthenics skill you’ll have to work with static exercises to get the best results.
Of course you can do it along with dynamic versions of the same move (Tucked Planche Press on the left image), but it is still recommended to focus more on the static version to improve the static strength for this particular move (Tucked Planche Press on the right image).
On the other hand: If your main goal is to get better at a dynamic exercise, let’s say Pull Ups for example, you should mainly focus on doing repetitions instead of Pull Up Holds. However you can also include static holds to work on specific parts of the Pull Up or just to mix things up a bit. A good example would be Frenchy Pull Ups because here you add holds at the hardest points of the Pull Up to emphasize these parts a bit more. This mix between static and dynamic strength is especially helpful for sports that require both types like climbing for example.
Another benefit of static exercises is what they can provide for someone who has an injury, where movement could be too painful.
Since you are not lengthening or shortening a muscle, you can use statics to help contract a muscle while avoiding painful movements.
Dynamic or Static Mobility
When it comes to mobility you can and should work with static and dynamic exercises, but depending on the goal you can emphasize one of them more or less.
For example: If you want to increase your overhead shoulder mobility to master a straight handstand, you can emphasize the hold at the end range a bit more because this is the position you need to improve the most.
On the other hand if you’re working on your spine mobility and stability as a whole, it is recommended to move through the complete range to make your spine mobile and stable in all positions instead of just pushing it’s range at the end point.
Can You Build Muscle with Static Exercises?
Ok now it’s time to talk about building muscle with statics. The real question is are they as good as or even superior to dynamic movements? Well this really depends on the exercise and intensity. Let me give you an example for that:
If you compare a dynamic Push Up to a Push Up Hold, the dynamic push up offers a greater stimulus for hypertrophy because the muscles get stretched in every rep and you have to overcome gravity instead of just holding it.
However it also depends on which point you add the static hold for the Push Up. If you add the hold at the top it’s basically an active rest position for your chest, shoulders and triceps because there is very little force applied to those muscles. If you do the hold at the bottom it’s the opposite, because this is the point where greatest force occurs for these muscles. Similar to the Frenchie Pull Up it’s also possible to combine both types into your training routine. So you could do the following:
Let yourself down for 2 seconds, hold the lowest position actively for 1 second and then push yourself up as fast as you can.
Little fun fact for the Regular Push Up: It’s actually a dynamic movement for your chest, shoulders and triceps but also a static one for your abdominals, hip flexors and legs. So any dynamic exercise could be static at the same time, depending on the muscles you’re referring to.
Ok now we’re talking about building muscle with static calisthenics skills like Levers, Flags and Planches. To cut it short: Yes you can and will build muscle with these moves as long as you set the muscle under tension with the right intensity.
However, a dynamic version of these skills or dynamic exercises that mimic the same movement, would still be a bit better for building muscle.
In summary, if you want to learn a Frontlever or Planche and build some muscle along the way, you can absolutely accomplish that. It’s only not the best tool for building as much muscle as possible if you got dynamic alternatives of the same movement.
Ok so what’s the conclusion? Static and dynamic exercises have their pros and cons, so it’s best to consider your fitness goals before deciding which to prioritize. Unless you have a health concern or specific goal, we recommend using both to build a well-rounded training program that taps into the benefits of each.
If we get black and white about it, dynamic exercises are usually a bit better for increasing strength and building muscle mass, while static exercises get the edge for specific things like improving weak points, recover from injury or learning static skills.
All right, now you are ready to try static and dynamics exercises! And if you want to learn both type of exercises make sure to check our comprehensive workout guides on calimove.com. No matter if you want to dynamic or static movements, get stronger, learn skills or work on your mobility we got your covered. Just pick the right program for your needs and start improving now!
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