Getting better contractions by not using Full Range of Motion...

[skinsfan]

What do you guys think about this. I'm not saying on every exercise, but there seems to be some for me where I simply get a much more forceful contraction by only doing a very small ROM.

Like for instance, barbell rows and seated cable rows. For me I pull the barbell up all the way to the top of the motion and get a strong forceful contraction all the way down my back, then I only lower it a few inches and recontract it back up. If I lower it too much then I lose the contraction in my back muscles. The same goes for seated cable rows. I pull it in close then restrict my movement to only a few inches. When my workout is over I feel like I have worked my back way more than when I do full ROM.

 

[Jocques Straap]

Constant tension. Maintain constant tension on the muscles for best results.

 

[skinsfan]

Constant tension. Maintain constant tension on the muscles for best results.

So you would say its ok on some exercises, and I'm not cheating myself in anyway? Some people look down upon you when your only doing half reps with dumbbell rows/barbell rows/cable rows.

 

[Jocques Straap]

big difference between half reps, and good reps with constant tension. But yes, don't lose tension.

I'm not that experienced with hypertrophy training, however constant tension seems to be a general rule for hypertrophy training.

 

[trauck1506]

It just depends on what your trying to accomplish. Just whatever you do don't stop at 90 degrees on bench or go down 4 inches on squat. The guy I'm training with now does this and I'm trying to talk him out of it, but he still thinks he squats 550. If you are trying to work an individual muscle or not work a muscle (which I do a lot) you sometimes have to do this.