Gravity vs Inertia

Traditional strength training is generally done by lifting some sort of weight – such as a barbell, dumbbell and weight stack machines – against gravity to create resistance.

In flywheel training or isoinertial training, resistance is created through the inertia of a flywheel, which is accelerated or decelerated with muscle force. The level of inertia of the flywheel rather than the weight determines the force needed. The principle is equivalent to that of a traditional yoyo device.

The resulting force in a flywheel training exercise depends on a combination of the inertia and the intensity you work with. With a higher inertia, the motion will be slower and more controlled, and your muscle will be able to produce a higher force. With a lower inertia, the motion will be faster which also puts higher demands on skill, balance and technique.