studies
22 November 20251 min read
The Revolution of Long Muscle Lengths: Why Full ROM Might Be Overrated
Recent studies challenge the dogma of "Full Range of Motion." We explore why training muscles in their fully stretched position (lengthened partials) induces significantly more hypertrophy than training in the shortened position, specifically for muscles like the quadriceps and biceps.
The Mechanism of Stretch-Mediated Hypertrophy For decades, we were told to "squeeze" the muscle at the top. However, mechanically, the sarcomeres (muscle units) experience the highest tension when they are stretched under load. This is known as "Stretch-Mediated Hypertrophy."
The Pedrosa Study (2022) A landmark study compared leg extensions done in the bottom half (stretched) vs. the top half (squeezed). The result was shocking: The group performing only the bottom half of the movement saw nearly double the muscle growth in the rectus femoris compared to the top-half group.
Practical Application You don't necessarily need to abandon full ROM. However, you should emphasize the bottom part of movements. For example, on an Incline Dumbbell Curl, focus deeply on the stretch at the bottom rather than the contraction at the top. If you fatigue, do "lengthened partials" at the bottom instead of cheating to get the weight up.