Isometric Exercises for Runners: How Strength Holds May Help Manage Tendon Pain

Clayton Young’s Chicago Marathon result makes a case for a less familiar tool in a runner’s injury kit: holding a strength position instead of stretching. Young said he’d torn his hamstring before the race, yet still planned to compete—and finished as the [first American](https://www.runnersworld.com/news/a74055320/chicago-marathon-results-2026/). Among his strategies was [isometric exercise](https://www.facebook.com/citiusmag/videos/1636652461384281/). That choice resonates beyond elite racing. My physical therapist, New York City sports performance specialist [James Chung](https://www.jameschungdpt.com/), recommends isometric strength work for tendon problems, including my Achilles tendinopathy. And runner-focused physical therapist [Mandy Fox](https://www.instagram.com/mandyfoxdpt/?hl=en) says isometrics can help a broad range of people. ## Why runners are turning to isometrics An [isometric exercise](https://www.runnersworld.com/training/a37681279/isometric-exercises/) makes a muscle produce force while its length and the joint angle stay fixed. Think of holding a plank for 30 seconds. That’s different from the lifting phase of a biceps curl, a concentric movement, or the controlled lowering phase of a calf raise, an [eccentric movement](https://www.runnersworld.com/training/a37793055/eccentric-exercise/). For runners with hamstring, Achilles, or hip and glute tendon pain, the distinction may matter. Fox says tendons respond to load but not to lengthening in the same way muscles do; isometric holds can help some runners keep running while managing tendon symptoms. The idea also applies to healthy runners: Chung says the exercises may help reduce the risk of [running injuries](https://www.runnersworld.com/health-injuries/a70521462/exercises-to-prevent-common-running-injuries/). That said, tendon pain can have causes that need a different plan. A doctor or physical therapist can assess the injury and rule out other problems. Here’s what to look for, why isometrics may help, and how runners can work them into training. ## How to recognize a tendon problem Tendon pain often sits near a joint, Chung says. Achilles symptoms may be closer to the ankle; hamstring tendon pain can show up at the sit bone or near either side of the knee. Muscle strains tend to hurt where the muscle contracts. A [calf strain](https://www.runnersworld.com/health-injuries/a73652533/calf-strain-running-prevention/) may be most noticeable when you push off the ground. With a [hamstring strain](https://www.runnersworld.com/health-injuries/a73611172/guide-to-common-running-injuries-program-hamstring-strain/), pain may flare as the knee extends late in the running stride—and stretching the strained muscle can hurt, too. Tendon pain is often a dull ache, Chung says, and may ease once you warm up. A runner might feel better after the first mile or two. That warmup effect can offer a clue, though it isn’t a diagnosis. ## What an isometric hold may do Fox and Chung point to several possible benefits. One is circulation: a sustained contraction compresses nearby blood vessels, and releasing it allows blood to flow back into the area. Tendons have relatively little blood supply and are made of collagen fibers distinct from muscle tissue, which can contribute to slower healing, Fox says. The resulting blood flow may bring oxygen and nutrients that support tissue recovery. For example, holding a single-leg [glute bridge](https://www.runnersworld.com/training/a65488600/glute-bridge-exercises-for-runners/) with the heel pressing into the floor for 30 seconds contracts the hamstring area. When you release, blood flows back into the region, Fox explains. Isometrics may also help restore muscle activation when pain disrupts the signals between the nervous system and muscles. Contracting without moving the joint can recruit the muscles that support a tendon while limiting movement around an irritated area, Fox says. Chung adds that better muscle activation can help tendons repair and remodel so they’re better prepared for running loads. The point isn’t to keep a tendon completely unloaded. Chung says tendons need stiffness to transfer muscle force across a joint, so neither total rest nor [stretching](https://www.runnersworld.com/training/a69204484/stretching-myths-for-runners/) is automatically the answer. There may also be short-term pain relief. Fox says a sustained isometric hold can reduce tendon pain for 30 to 45 minutes, sometimes a couple of hours, which is why some clinicians use the exercises before a run or a physical therapy strength session. Chung compares the effect to rubbing a spot after you bump it. ## Fitting holds into training Chung recommends frequent practice, even daily. Because the exercises involve little lengthening, they’re less likely to cause soreness, he says, and regular exposure can help runners build capacity over time. Before a run, Fox has clients do two or three sets of bodyweight holds lasting 15 or 30 seconds. Bridge holds or calf raise holds can activate the glutes, hamstrings, and calves as part of a [warmup](https://www.runnersworld.com/training/a71167389/threshold-pace-warmup-hack/). On strength days, Fox and Chung use weighted holds, often for three sets of 30 to 45 seconds. Chung favors machines because they make it easier to add weight gradually and track progress. Healthy tendons can respond well to substantial loading, he says; for an injured tendon, the aim is to rebuild toward that capacity. How soon you notice a change depends on the problem. Fox says a recent bout of tendon pain without a recurring history may begin to improve within one to three weeks. Chronic tendinopathy may take six to 12 weeks to show meaningful changes in tendon strength and fiber alignment. There are two common forms of isometric work. In an overcoming hold, you push against something that won’t move—such as a heavily loaded barbell you’re trying to lift from the floor. Chung says it can be difficult to measure and track the force you’re applying. A yielding hold means maintaining a position against a load, such as the top of a calf raise or a single-leg hamstring bridge. Fox often starts runners here. Chung also prefers yielding holds when possible because gym machines make it easier to set up the exercise and increase the weight in trackable steps. ## Isometric exercises for runners’ tendons The exercises below target common tendon problems. The hamstring options differ by location: the long-lever bridge targets the distal tendon near the knee, while the seated curl targets the proximal tendon near the sit bone. ### Hamstring tendon **Bodyweight: Single-leg long-lever hamstring bridge hold** For distal tendon pain closer to the knee. 1. Lie on your back with your arms at your sides, knees bent, and feet hip-width apart. 2. Press your feet into the floor and lift your hips. 3. Walk your feet out until your knees are almost straight, keeping a slight bend. 4. Lift one leg and hold for 30 to 45 seconds. 5. Release and repeat on the other side. Complete three sets per side. **Machine: Isometric seated hamstring curl** For proximal tendon pain higher up, near the sit bone. 1. Sit at a hamstring curl machine and flex your hips slightly, with your knees higher than your hips. 2. Press down on the lever to bend your knees. 3. Hold at the bottom for 30 to 45 seconds. 4. Release and repeat for three sets. ### Achilles tendon **Bodyweight: Bent single-leg floating heel isometric**

Isometric holds for the lower leg and hips

The closing exercises share a simple format: build tension, hold it for 30 to 45 seconds, then repeat for three sets. That structure makes them easy to follow, though the fragment doesn’t explain how to choose an appropriate load or whether these holds suit a particular injury. For the calf, one option uses a wall for balance. Stand with feet hip-width apart, bend both knees, lift one foot, then raise the heel of the supporting leg slightly. Hold, switch sides, and complete three sets per leg. A soleus machine offers a seated alternative: pull the toes toward the shins, lift the heels an inch or two, and hold for the same duration across three sets. The final pair targets the glute tendons, including those connected to the gluteus medius and minimus. For the wall version, stand side-on with a stability ball between your hip and the wall. Balance on the opposite leg with the knee softly bent, then press your hip and thigh into the ball as if lifting the knee outward. Repeat on both sides for three holds each. At the gym, sit in a hip abduction machine set to a heavy weight, press the thighs outward just enough to lift the stack slightly, and hold for 30 to 45 seconds. Do three sets. The details here are practical, but the guidance is limited: “heavy” is subjective, and no pain or progression advice is included. If you’re using these exercises as part of rehab, that distinction matters.