3 Reasons Why You Need To Lift With A
Full Range Of Motion
By David Kathmann, MS, RSCC,
CSCS, NSCA-CPT
Written on April 30, 2014
Exercises
preformed with a limited range of motion, whether intentional or not, are
fractions of a lift. Lifting with a
short range of motion does not get to be called a full lift. For example, a squat performed above parallel
(parallel being the crease of the hip just below the top of the knee) is not
considered a full squat; rather it is a fraction of the squat. Any lift that isn’t performed correctly and
with the proper range of motion is simply cutting yourself short. Put your ego
and previous knowledge aside, drop the weight, and start reaping three benefits
of lifting with a full range of motion.
- Get stronger
- Better for the joints
- Gain flexibility
1.
Get
stronger – We all know “Half-Rep Harry” at the gym. This is the guy that
thinks he is impressing everyone with how much weight he is lifting, but only
moves those weights half way (or less!) through the proper range of motion.
Yes, it is true that you can lift more weight through a partial range of
motion, but it does not impress anyone. Check your ego at the door and start
moving those weights through a full range of motion. Moving weights through a
full range of motion engages more muscles and muscle fibers (1,3,4). This results in more testosterone and growth
hormone production to aid in muscles strength, growth, and a drop in body fat
(5). Performing exercises over a full range of motion requires more work; and
yes it is harder, but harder leads to stronger gains.
As you get stronger
with a full range of motion, you naturally will get stronger through the
partial ranges of motion too, but it doesn’t necessarily work the other way
around. Lifting with a partial range of motion only strengthens the muscles
through that specific range, leaving the rest of the range weak. Utilizing a
full range of motion strengthens the muscles utilized through their complete
range of motion. Lastly, as muscles get utilized over a full range of motion
and get stronger, the tendons must also get stronger leading to a decreased
chance of injury during sporting events.
2. Better for the joints – Lifting with a partial
range of motion gives the lifter false confidence in the amount of weight his
body can truly handle and is most apparent when it comes to the joints (2). Heavy, unaccustomed weights load joints and
their associated ligaments and tendons heavier than they can handle. This
overload can cause damage to the joints, ligaments, and tendons. Lifts
performed with partial ranges of motion can lead to inflammation in joints,
tendonitis, and/or some other injury. However, exercises performed over a full
range of motion with proper form and with weights that can be safely handled
allow muscles and their tendons to take part in stabilizing and protecting the
joints, without improperly overloading the joint (4). Side note - Incorrectly performed exercises do not get to label a
correctly performed movement as “bad” or “dangerous”.
Hamstrings help keep the knee
neutral when squatting properly.
3. Gain flexibility – Moving weights
through a proper, full range of motion allow the muscles to stretch and
contract over a longer distance. As mentioned above, lifting weights through a
partial range of motion only strengthens (and moves) the muscle through that
specific range of motion. A common half-rep exercise is the bench press. Many
people like to bench press with the elbows only going to 90 degrees because
they feel it is “safer” on the shoulders and they can move heavier weights.
However, the muscles, especially the pectoralis major (“the pecs”), only move a
short distance and only get strengthened through that short range of motion.
This causes the pectoralis muscle to shorten and draw the shoulders forward
into a rounded position. Moving the weight through a full range of motion and
letting the pec muscles stretch, while getting stronger throughout a full range
of motion, can solve this shortening issue (as well as balancing out upper body
pushing movements with pulling movements). This same principle can be applied
to many other lifts and provide increased flexibility throughout the entire
body with minimal time spent with static stretching (6).
Put the ego aside, learn the proper
form for each lift (i.e. squat, deadlift, overhead press, pull up, and bench
press) and start moving through a full range of motion. Yes, the weights may be
significantly lighter, but consistent focus on lifting through a proper range
of motion will ultimately lead to bigger strength gains, happier joints, and
increased flexibility.
Disclaimer:
Photos in this article are not property of Pro Fit Strength and Conditioning
and are intended only for visual entertainment.
REFERENCES
1. Clark, D.R.; Lambert, M.I.; and Hunter, A.M. Muscle Activation in the Loaded Free Barbell Squat: A Brief Review. J Strength Cond. Res. 26(4): 1169-1178, 2012.
2. Drinkwater, E.J.; Moore, N.R.; and Bird, S.P. Effects of Changing From Full Range of Motion to Partial Range of Motion on Squat Kinetics. J Strength Cond. Res. 26(4): 890-896, 2012.
3. Paoli, A.; Marcolin, G.; and Petrone, N. Influence of Different Ranges of Motion on Selective Recruitment of Shoulder Muscles in the Sitting Military Press: an Electromyographic Study. J Strength Cond. Res. 24(6): 1578-1583, 2010.
4. Pinto, R.S.; Gomes, N.; Radaelli, R.; Botton, C.E.; Brown, L.E.; and Bottaro, M. Effect of Range of Motion on Muscle Strength and Thickness. J Strength Cond. Res. 26(8): 2140-2145, 2012.
5. Shaner, A.A.; Vingren, J.L.; Budnar Jr, R.G.; Duplanty, A.A.; and Hill, D.W. The Acute Hormonal Response to Free Weight and Machine Weight Resistance Exercise. J Strength Cond. Res. 28(4): 1032-1040, 2014.
6. Simao, R.; Adriana, L.; Salles, B.; Leite, T.; Oliveira, E.; Rhea, M.; and Reis, V.M. The Influence of Strength, Flexibility, and Simultaneous Training on Flexibility and Strength Gains. J Strength Cond. Res. 25(5): 1333-1338, 2011.
2014 Pro Fit Strength and Conditioning www.pfstrength.com
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