Thread: Full range of motion overrated?

I lift things up and put them down

Originally Posted by LAM

sure, partials are useful to break fast sticking points. we used to use them all the time on the PL team at my old gym in PA. power lifters use them all the time.

maximum force can not be generated across the joint unless a full rom is used to create maximum tension on both ends of the muscle. it's one of the basic principles learned in exercise physiology and the physics of muscle contraction.

Very nice explanation. Anyone who has spent any time studying Exercise Physiology or Kinesiology should understand this fairly simple idea. A useful tool, but hardly the mainstay of any training philosophy. We often deadlifted off blocks and such, but not at the expense of or as a replacement to pulling off the floor. I had a low sticking point at the bottom of my bench during my career, and I used partials to work on pushing off the chest. But again, I was already a very accomplished lifter, and had over 10 years of lifting experience behind me. Partials don't build the foundation, they are finishing work on a highly developed physique.

Originally Posted by LAM

sure, partials are useful to break fast sticking points. we used to use them all the time on the PL team at my old gym in PA. power lifters use them all the time.

maximum force can not be generated across the joint unless a full rom is used to create maximum tension on both ends of the muscle. it's one of the basic principles learned in exercise physiology and the physics of muscle contraction.

I see what your saying but it seems like your coming from a PL not BB angle.
your talking about force across a joint, but what about force at the muscle itself?
I may be sounding dense here but i've never read up on exercise physiology, so humour me.

Originally Posted by MDR

Very nice explanation. Anyone who has spent any time studying Exercise Physiology or Kinesiology should understand this fairly simple idea. A useful tool, but hardly the mainstay of any training philosophy. We often deadlifted off blocks and such, but not at the expense of or as a replacement to pulling off the floor. I had a low sticking point at the bottom of my bench during my career, and I used partials to work on pushing off the chest. But again, I was already a very accomplished lifter, and had over 10 years of lifting experience behind me. Partials don't build the foundation, they are finishing work on a highly developed physique.

yep, very common in the PL world to use blocks like that. I have data dumped most of what I learned in college from studying EP but I'm pretty sure the effect that blocks have has something to do with the way bi-articulate muscles like the hamstring are loaded from a bio-mechanically inefficient position which effects the force velocity relationship. it forces you to increase velocity from the disadvantaged position which increases power.

Originally Posted by trapzilla

I see what your saying but it seems like your coming from a PL not BB angle.
your talking about force across a joint, but what about force at the muscle itself?
I may be sounding dense here but i've never read up on exercise physiology, so humour me.

Muscles move and control joints. Therefore force across a joint means that muscles are contracting (although not necessarily moving). You really can't have one without the other.

OK I see. So in that case the partial range of motion being utlised in Jason Huh's video whilst placing the muscle under tension does not generate a full contraction across the muscle?

The muscle contracts, but the joint does not fully move through it's full potential range of motion. You're just thinking that muscles move - they really don't. It's the joints that move.

For example, if I do a leg curl, my hamstring muscles contract and move my knee joint closer to my hip joint. If I do half a curl, then the joint doesn't move as far. Does that make sense?