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J-Range Training

I can appreciate your position as someone that may not have done a lot of research on a shorter range of motion. It's easy to hear misnomers in the gyms about how someone is cheating with a shorter range, and how full range is always the best since it's allegedly tried and true, but realize that the very reason that you gave about doing anything working may be the very reason why full range has never been properly challenged.

Let's dissect the bench: Starting from the fully concentric position of the pectorals, triceps and deltoids, if locked pressure shifts onto the elbow. While the individual lowers it, the pectorals, triceps and deltoids all begin to move towards a stretch, reducing the total number of muscle fibers actually able to produce force. This is why most people "feel" more mid-way down than up all the way, since less fibers are contracting against the same weight. After a certain point the type II fibers of the pectorals cannot fire optimally (at a different point for everyone), thus shifting the load to the synergists (helping muscles). At this point the triceps and deltoids are also more towards a stretch as well, decreasing the number of fibers they can actually contract, making it impossible for them to take all of the pressure. Obviously the serratus anterior can produce the movement with protraction, and the corocobrachialis can produce some of the adduction of the humerous (movement of the upper bone in towards the midline of the body), but nothing can take over the load that the pectorals can past that point (after they can only contract 30% we'll say).

Because of this we end up with two things while going full range of motion. First our rotator cuffs end up contracting in an attempt to hold the massive amounts of stress that is now on the actual shoulder ligament, which has time and time again caused numerous shoulder injuries for body builders, power lifters, etc. Secondly we now will not be able to actually stress the muscles to their highest (safest) level since we would only be overloading the weakest point; the bottom of the movement or slightly higher with a cheat.

By paying attention to when the muscle cannot handle the load anymore (when the synergists take over more), then we are able to optimally work the muscles together without having to worry about causing synergistic dominance, leading to muscle imbalances.

Elasticity is not lost from using a shorter range of motion. I have been lifting that way for over 10 years with arms that still go to my side or any other invisible lat syndrome visual. I also have trained numerous clients with only a shorter range of motion that never actually paid attention to my advice towards them stretching more, while still increasing their flexibility. Shorter range has been proven to actually increase the amount of blood going into the muscle, which allows for more oxygen exchange with toxins, decreasing the possibility towards neurological inhibitions (nerve blocks), which is a leading reason for losing flexibility.

Most body builders are super tight from overuse injuries, such as doing 80 million sets of ego lift (bench press). Since they care more about working their pecs than their lats, they end up with an overactive pectoralis major / minor, and anterior deltiod, which causes the shoulders to roll forwards (based on Davie's Law). Add that to invisible lat syndrome (trying to look bigger than one is by flaring out the arms more) and you have an overly tight looking individual.

The fact is that there are far too many injuries from exercise (1.85 million / year) to say that what most people are doing (full range of motion) is correct. Since over 60% of people are going to hurt themselves that start an exercise program within the first 3 months, I'd say that it's safe to say we aren't doing something right. The fact that orthopods are convinced that working out shortens the life of our joints makes me wonder why it hasn't been associated with the load shifting off of the muscles onto the joints. The fact that I've personally helped numerous people wishing to grow gain 30-50 pounds of muscle within anywhere from 4 months to a year without the use of pharmaceutical aid or the like, I'm going to go out on a limb and say it's more efficient to use a shorter range. I would also argue that it's safer on the joints, better for flexibility, safer for the muscles, offers a better neurological benefit, burns more calories, and causes less muscle imbalances that lead to later injuries.

	#9 (permalink)
J-Range Training New Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 5 Rep Power: 0	Re: gym debate I can appreciate your position as someone that may not have done a lot of research on a shorter range of motion. It's easy to hear misnomers in the gyms about how someone is cheating with a shorter range, and how full range is always the best since it's allegedly tried and true, but realize that the very reason that you gave about doing anything working may be the very reason why full range has never been properly challenged. Let's dissect the bench: Starting from the fully concentric position of the pectorals, triceps and deltoids, if locked pressure shifts onto the elbow. While the individual lowers it, the pectorals, triceps and deltoids all begin to move towards a stretch, reducing the total number of muscle fibers actually able to produce force. This is why most people "feel" more mid-way down than up all the way, since less fibers are contracting against the same weight. After a certain point the type II fibers of the pectorals cannot fire optimally (at a different point for everyone), thus shifting the load to the synergists (helping muscles). At this point the triceps and deltoids are also more towards a stretch as well, decreasing the number of fibers they can actually contract, making it impossible for them to take all of the pressure. Obviously the serratus anterior can produce the movement with protraction, and the corocobrachialis can produce some of the adduction of the humerous (movement of the upper bone in towards the midline of the body), but nothing can take over the load that the pectorals can past that point (after they can only contract 30% we'll say). Because of this we end up with two things while going full range of motion. First our rotator cuffs end up contracting in an attempt to hold the massive amounts of stress that is now on the actual shoulder ligament, which has time and time again caused numerous shoulder injuries for body builders, power lifters, etc. Secondly we now will not be able to actually stress the muscles to their highest (safest) level since we would only be overloading the weakest point; the bottom of the movement or slightly higher with a cheat. By paying attention to when the muscle cannot handle the load anymore (when the synergists take over more), then we are able to optimally work the muscles together without having to worry about causing synergistic dominance, leading to muscle imbalances. Elasticity is not lost from using a shorter range of motion. I have been lifting that way for over 10 years with arms that still go to my side or any other invisible lat syndrome visual. I also have trained numerous clients with only a shorter range of motion that never actually paid attention to my advice towards them stretching more, while still increasing their flexibility. Shorter range has been proven to actually increase the amount of blood going into the muscle, which allows for more oxygen exchange with toxins, decreasing the possibility towards neurological inhibitions (nerve blocks), which is a leading reason for losing flexibility. Most body builders are super tight from overuse injuries, such as doing 80 million sets of ego lift (bench press). Since they care more about working their pecs than their lats, they end up with an overactive pectoralis major / minor, and anterior deltiod, which causes the shoulders to roll forwards (based on Davie's Law). Add that to invisible lat syndrome (trying to look bigger than one is by flaring out the arms more) and you have an overly tight looking individual. The fact is that there are far too many injuries from exercise (1.85 million / year) to say that what most people are doing (full range of motion) is correct. Since over 60% of people are going to hurt themselves that start an exercise program within the first 3 months, I'd say that it's safe to say we aren't doing something right. The fact that orthopods are convinced that working out shortens the life of our joints makes me wonder why it hasn't been associated with the load shifting off of the muscles onto the joints. The fact that I've personally helped numerous people wishing to grow gain 30-50 pounds of muscle within anywhere from 4 months to a year without the use of pharmaceutical aid or the like, I'm going to go out on a limb and say it's more efficient to use a shorter range. I would also argue that it's safer on the joints, better for flexibility, safer for the muscles, offers a better neurological benefit, burns more calories, and causes less muscle imbalances that lead to later injuries.