Anyone looked at this book? Contents here: http://www.poker-isometrics.com/Poke...ofContents.pdf

I wonder if they could have designed a cover that was tougher to look at.

I immidietly thought of equity calculators when I read Poker Isometrics.. Writing to much code...

I have it, its basically a manual on how to do isometric exercises while looking inconspicuous, for example at a poker table. Plus some basic nutrition info (Peak Performance has way better nutrition information, and I am sure a nutrition specific book would be even better.)

I have no idea if the stuff actually works, but I will try it I guess – I am curious.

It works. I have the muscles to prove it. The key is to do each rep to total failure. I'm not saying that the book in the OP is the best teacher, though. I have never read it. But isometrics works.

What do you mean by total failure? Say I am playing a 4 hour session, how many reps?

You only do 1 rep per set of any exercise, and only do 1 set. But you do it till you can't do it no more.

Video Example But do it with all your might and all your heart. 100%. The video is just a demonstration of how to do it but does not show the kind of effort required. Your face should be grimacing and your body should be shaking because you are doing it with 100% effort, no less. Only one repetition per set. Only one set. Two days rest in between per exercise.

Hello. I'm Anton Drake, the author of "Poker Isometrics and Poker Fitness."

I happened to find this thread while I was doing some SEO stuff. I've actually been meaning to jump into one or two poker forums to discuss the book a bit and possibly answer a few questions, and I am aware that TwoPlusTwo is tops in the industry. Anyways, I have received some questions and inquiries about the techniques in the book and I am happy to help out.

Regarding Alvin's comment above, which recommends executing an isometric technique "with all your might and heart", that is certainly a valid technique and is used in some forms of martial arts and wrestling training; although there are specific breathing techniques and awareness you'd need to be focused on, so as not to skyrocket your blood pressure. Done correctly, isometric training will actually lower your blood pressure and is a fantastic preventative for hypertension and related disorders.

Regarding POKER isometrics however, you definitely don't want to be pushing yourself "to the max" for various reasons. At the poker table, you certainly don't want your face to be grimacing or your body to be shaking. Additionally, because you are in a seated, sedentary position, you need to be even more mindful of your blood pressure.

The book goes deep into the technical aspects of using isometrics for poker. One of the things that many people don't realize is that a moderate, sustained isometric contraction can have tremendous value for your muscles--as much or even more than more intense types of contraction.

The techniques of poker isometrics emphasize:

1. Staying very relaxed

2. Breathing normally and smoothly at all times

3. Flexing specific muscles or muscle groups at a time

4. Sustaining the muscular contraction while keeping the rest of the body relaxed and not stopping or holding the breath.

5. Maintaining a solid awareness of what your muscles are doing, and cultivating a mind-body connection and muscle control.

6. Explicitly relaxing the target muscle group after releasing the isometric contraction.

The techniques of Poker Isometrics are intended to be applicable at the poker table, covertly and discreetly. As an added benefit, if you’re actively using your muscles isometrically, you’ll tend to not fidget as much and will have greater ability to conceal and control your physical poker tells. Using isometrics can also help you to burn excess adrenaline and other stress hormones produced by the body’s fight or flight response system.

Obviously, no one is going to be doing isometrics continually at the poker table. However, if a player mixes in some isometrics at key moments in a session, say after a bad beat or when he is getting frustrated during a bad run of cards or after he’s just won a big pot, he can attenuate his natural stress response, energize and oxygenate his body and keep himself centered and grounded, as well as building and strengthening his muscles. There is more and more research that points to the conclusion that a sedentary lifestyle is dangerous and some recent articles have said for instance that an excessively sedentary lifestyle is worse than smoking cigarettes, and that watching TV on the couch for one hour virtually subtracts 22 minutes from the end of one’s life. There are more and more reports of death from deep vein thrombosis and other disorders involving hardcore gamers, office workers, etc which are directly attributable to being overly sedentary.

If a player practices isometrics for just 2% of the time he is sitting at the poker table, he can get a tremendous amount of benefit and tilt the balance more in his favor. In an eight hour session that is just 9.6 minutes of isometric exercise, which although it doesn’t seem like much can make a difference. If a player plays 4 times a week, eight hours each session, that adds up 33 hours of very targeted exercise during the course of one year. By comparison, a motivated person who goes to the gym might only spend 20% of his total gym time (including locker room, shower, sauna, waiting on machines, walking around, etc) actually engaged intensely working his muscles (this is probably an overestimate). So in a 2 hour gym session he is maybe getting 24 minutes of actual intense muscular contraction—at best.

The book has a lot of very in depth isometric technique and a lot of subtle body adjustments that really make a big difference as far as results. I’m a yoga teacher and I’ve been studying yoga for more than 25 years, and I’ve really made an effort to explain not only the body positions and angles, but also the way that the muscles counterbalance each and can be used to work against each other isometrically, creating a kind of equilibrium. The book features a lot of very detailed pictures, with a lot of arrows and markers for emphasis, to make the techniques as clear as possible. The book has 170+ images and is designed to be a visual learning tool so that anybody can quickly get a handle on how to use the techniques.

There’s also a few Youtube videos that are currently in the process of being published and uploaded, just to give kind of a sample of how the techniques look in action.

If anybody has any questions, about the book or just about isometrics etc in general, just let me know.

Hey Anton,

Was wondering if you give a discount on the paperback if I have already purchased the Kindle version.

Also where can I get that suit coat that is worn in this book. I call it the villain jacket.

Oh the book is available on kindle now? Any way to get a discount if I already have the paper version (or get an e-book for free maybe since I already paid for the material).

Does the kindle version works on sony readers?
Is it available on pdf?

I just checked, and that coat is from Tommy Hilfiger. It's somewhat similar to this one:

http://www.menswearhouse.com/webapp/...ye?cm_vc=40159

As I recall, I actually got that coat at a thrift store in LA or Phoenix, when I was hanging out with some friends.

PM me and I can send you a copy of the book, I have a few promotional copies here. I'd appreciate it if you'd consider reviewing the book on Amazon, if you feel so inclined.

PM me.

The Kindle version is supported on the Android, iPhone, iPad, Kindle and Kindle DX platforms.

From what I see, the Sony Reader doesn't support the Kindle format (.prc). However, I will look further into that; I don't have a Sony Reader myself. If SR definitely doesn't support .prc, I might do a SKU for the Sony Reader if it's practical.

I read now that kindle format isn't supported by sony readers
btw I (and potentially many people) have a sony reader and would be really glad to purchase your book

Ok thanks very much. I will definitely look into it, and will let you know if/when it's available on that platform.