The Boom Boom Performance Podcast

How should we be training, to optimize results? Specifically hypertrophy (muscle growth) results? Should we ALWAYS use a full range of motion? Or can we use partial ranges as well, in some context? The answer goes both ways, but definitely leans heavily on the full ROM side of things - which is what we dive into today; a study on full vs. partial ROM. Example 1 + Study: if increasing the ROM causes a deloading of the muscle then using a shorter ROM may be more beneficial. Skullcrushers (supine lying tricep extension) - Goto et al., 2019 found that partial ROM caused about 20% more hypertrophy in the triceps. Example 2 + Study:  if increasing the ROM results in more loading in the stretched position. Leg extensions - McMahon 2014 - full ROM resulted in 22% more hypertrophy compared to half ROM. Biceps curls - Pinto 2012 - full ROM resulted in ~5% more hypertrophy than partial ROM. Meta-analysis:  A recent meta-analysis from Pallares et al. that examined 16 published studies reported that “full range of motion”