Bodybuilders seeking significant muscle building often focus upon range of motion when aiming to improve the potency of a workout, with some abbreviating the distance of each rep in order to increase weight, with other bodybuilders opting for the widest range of motion in order to recruit the greatest number of muscle fibers for each weight training workout rep. Obviously, opposition between these two philosophies leaves most bodybuilders wondering which technique is more effective, and many bodybuilders, due to articles promoting the virtues of full range bodybuilding form, gravitate towards a lengthy range of motion, believing that they will achieve superior muscle building results.
This concept is valid when using relatively light weights and high reps in a particular weight training workout, as the joint and tendon stress is minimal, and therefore forcing a muscle through a more lengthy distance each rep will not result in adverse consequences. Yet, for bodybuilders who seek maximum muscle building, and decide to cycle low reps and heavy weight with higher rep workout sessions, full range of motion for certain exercises can actually increase the risk for injury and discomfort, especially in relation to joints, which experience substantial strain when they are trained under heavy stress in a full range of motion workout.
During low rep, high weight training sessions, range of motion is best trimmed, but not significantly, as for example, a 50% decline in range of motion will bring about less muscle gain, and actually cause instability in muscles, possibly resulting in future serious injuries, including muscle tears. The best technique used to reduce the chance of joint discomfort when performing heavier, lower rep weight training workout sessions is to reduce range of motion slightly at the point of complete muscle contraction, which means, for example, avoiding full lock out of the knees during squat, and the elbows during the bench press, to reduce the impact on joints when using heavy weights. This leads to a small decline in standard range of motion of about 10%, while still offering complete muscle stimulation.
Many bodybuilders believe that modifying squat range of motion at the bottom of every rep will reduce the chance of knee injuries, but this is not so, as squats with a complete range of motion, where you lower the body as far as possible, is more potent at building lower body muscle mass, and encourages stability in the legs that will not occur when significantly reducing range of motion. The reason many experience knee pain when squatting is not due to excessive range of motion, but rather poor exercise form which places unneeded stress upon the knee joint, as the deadlift and squat are two weight lifting movements where form is considerably difficult and crucial to the safety of each rep, and sadly, numerous bodybuilders aim to alter squat rep range as opposed to addressing the true cause of knee discomfort, which is incorrect form.
The same concept applies to elbow pain, as muscles have been designed to function synergistically, and when a link in the chain begins to function in a way that was not intended, other muscles attempt to compensate in an unnatural way, and soon after, joints are severely inflamed, and muscles begin to experience numerous injuries. Therefore, in addition to avoiding complete lockout on weight training exercises such as shoulder press and squat, if you are suffering from joint discomfort, you should make an effort to judge weight training workout form on all exercises to determine whether your body is executing each rep correctly, making any changes as necessary.
Those bodybuilders who attempt to relieve joint discomfort by greatly reducing weight training exercise range of motion are simply mortgaging their long term well being, as muscles that are not conditioned to perform in their natural strength curve will eventually cause instability in the joint and tendon regions, which will increase the risk for prolonged muscle injuries and annoying discomfort. Although abbreviating exercise range of motion increases the amount of weight used in each lifting movement dramatically, such artificial improvements do not lead to extra muscle gains, but rather reduce the necessary stimulation for consistent improvements in muscle mass.
Author Resource:-
Francesco Castano authors MuscleNOW.com, a bodybuilding program for building muscle mass without supplements or drugs. He also owns IncrediBody.com, an online fitness superstore selling weight lifting equipment at guaranteed lowest prices.
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