Full range reps and partials

[OuchThatHurts]

How many of you do short machine gun style reps through the strongest range of movement?

I know there is some additional recruitment in the extreme eccentric and concentric phase of the rep but is it appreciable to any degree? I guess I'm thinking (at least for size purposes) that as long as you have a lengthy time under load and with a heavy amount of weight, and that you are moving weight through space, what's the benefit to going to the extreme in either range? Is there any?

I've had powerful workouts doing both kinds but the extreme points in the range seem to be the most likely for injury.

Just interested to hear some thoughts on the subject.

Later,

OTH

 

[Rambo]

What exactly is this machine gun style? Sorry, but I've never heard of it
Is there another name for it.. perhaps

 

[PHIL HERNON]

GOOD POINT

How many of you do short machine gun style reps through the strongest range of movement?

I know there is some additional recruitment in the extreme eccentric and concentric phase of the rep but is it appreciable to any degree? I guess I'm thinking (at least for size purposes) that as long as you have a lengthy time under load and with a heavy amount of weight, and that you are moving weight through space, what's the benefit to going to the extreme in either range? Is there any?

I've had powerful workouts doing both kinds but the extreme points in the range seem to be the most likely for injury.

Just interested to hear some thoughts on the subject.

Later,

OTH

I HAVE MY CLIENTS DO THAT PERIODICALLY......I CALL IT STAGGERED REPS

 

[dragonfire101]

IRONMAN Mag calls them X-REPS I believe. I see a lot of the bigger bodybuilders at the gym doing them often. I do them on maybe 1 exercise per muscle group when training. Say middle part of smith machine military press. I like them.

 

[Rambo]

Oh that! lol

I did that twice I think, but it's not something I do very often. Very exhausting

 

[bigguns078]

I like to do them when the muscle is fatigued and i cannot perform full range reps... As an extended set or drop set to get as much blood into the muscle...

 

[OuchThatHurts]

I've been doing them on dips and bench and man! Pumped! One of my friends saw me and said I was going to kill my flexibility but I just kinda laughed.

I'm going to try them on the leg press next - not even getting close to lockout and not with my knees behind my ears either. Just short, 12 inch bursts with as many plates as I can for sets of 15 or so. Maybe only do a short rest too like 60 or 90 seconds.

Keep a bucket handy or sumthin'

 

[gmarceau]

I used strongest range stuff like crazy when power factor training came out and it probably wasn't the safest thing to do, my joints killed me. I think finishing a set off to failure in the strongest range inroads deeper, but I never noticed much from it.

I try to work heavily on the weakest range of a movement nowadays. I believe the whole "you're only as strong as your weakest link" argument. It's done more for adding size than worrying about how many plates I lifted.

An example would be taking squats from the bottom to only just above parallel and failing within that range.

Jreps is pretty interesting, too, where you break up your reps into sections and you can mix it up like staggered reps.

If it's harder, it's probably better.

 

[Titan1969]

I switched to this a few years back. I had a lot of joint pain and it was because going from full stretch to full extension at 6'4" was just not ideal for me. Ive been at BB for 24 years so i know what "feels" best for me.

Doing shoulder presses where I go to lockout or near lock out, rotates my joint and I dont want that. So I do more of a pumping motion from the bottom to about 3/4 up.

Same with bench. I tap my chest but only up 3/4. In order to go to full extension of near lockout, I have to release by shoulder blades from the pinched position, this in turn rotates my shoulder joints "OUCH"!

You need to find what feels right for you...forget most of what others tell you. If you feel the muscle working hard thats all that matters. I catch sh*t all the time about doing parallel squats. "GOTTA GO ROCK ASS BOTTOM"...the shorts guys say. I dont argue, they have there way I have mine...my legs are bigger anyway...hopefully Ill see them onstage.

 

[ironfreak83]

I've been doing them on dips and bench and man! Pumped! One of my friends saw me and said I was going to kill my flexibility but I just kinda laughed.

I'm going to try them on the leg press next - not even getting close to lockout and not with my knees behind my ears either. Just short, 12 inch bursts with as many plates as I can for sets of 15 or so. Maybe only do a short rest too like 60 or 90 seconds.

Keep a bucket handy or sumthin'

you can do the same thing with squats and yeah it burns like hell!

 

[mike1107]

my gf (who is at national level in powerlifting) includes that from time to time in her contest movments

she only works on the "hard" part of movment, by example on bench press when u are at this point at about 2-3 inches from ur chest

it works well in terms of strength gain .. not sure about the benefits in term of muscle gains though

 

[Phidias]

I HAVE MY CLIENTS DO THAT PERIODICALLY......I CALL IT STAGGERED REPS

I love them.