A question about a lifter named Charles Atlas

According to what I have heard, he never used weights, but something called dynamic tension. It works on the principles of stressing out your muscles. Say, if you wanted to build your triceps, you would push upon something that is not possible move, like a wall in your house. You would do this till you could no longer. Does this exercise work in building your muscles, and if so, how effective is it?:bnghd:

Dynamic tension is just another way of describing isometrics. Dancers and other athletes have been using the isometric approach or isometric exercises for years to build deep muscles and lengthen current ones.

Isometric – Pushing against an immovable object.

Isotonic – Involving repetitive movement.

An isometric movement is a movement in which no movement occurs. An example is holding a weight in a semi-contracted and motionless state for a period of time. Another example is pushing on an immoveable object for a given period of time. Many of you have probably done the trick where you stand in a doorframe and with your hands by your sides, you press out again the doorframe as if you're doing a partial lateral raise.

Here are a few links to alternatives like car lifting and using your own body weight to build up muscle.

Body building
Isometric Movement

Good luck and have fun.