IM
POWERBUILDING
How Important Is ROM ?
Your devotion to range of motion should vary on the exercise .
By Tucker Loken
PHOTO : BINAIS BEGOVIC ; MODEL : JAYE HARDBODY
When strength athletes eventually morph over into bodybuilding ( and it happens a lot more than you would think ), they always want to do full range of motion ( ROM ) on their movements because that ’ s what they were taught and that ’ s what they have practiced for years and years . And a full ROM is definitely important on your squat , bench , and deadlift , as well as several other exercises . However , what about other movements when it doesn ’ t serve such a good purpose ?
Adherence to a full range of motion has improved in guys over the years , thanks to the popularity of online powerlifting-based programs for the fitness everyman , as well as CrossFit , which tries to adhere to strict movement standards . And keep in mind that 90 percent of the time I ’ ll tell someone I ’ m training to use full range of motion on their exercises . However , below are a couple reasons why a maximum ROM can hinder your progress rather than help it .
Loss Of Muscle Connection When you ’ re using dumbbells or machines , you ’ re not being tested on your strength ; you ’ re trying to train your stability and muscles rather than a movement pattern . Let ’ s use a machine pec flye as an example . Since everyone is built differently , some people have better connectivity in certain muscle groups than others . I ’ ve always been a shoulder and triceps dominant presser , so my chest development has lagged . When I allow the handles to come too far back , my chest stops engaging and my front delts take the brunt of the movement . It took me years to realize this , and when I finally did I had to drop my ego and find what worked for me .
I started with little baby movements for my little baby chest . I only did as much as I could feel . I dropped the weight and kept the ROM very short . I probably only let my hands come open two feet and then I pushed them back together . If you have to do this , don ’ t worry ! The situation will improve . The more mature , stronger , and bigger a muscle is , the easier it is to feel . I worked for a couple weeks only letting my hands open two feet , then I tried a little wider and I was able to feel it , so I moved on to three feet . Over time I was able to get my arms back to being just about parallel with my body . It ’ s stuck there for a while , but as I ’ ve continued to develop the muscles and nerves that activate them , I ’ ve made progress and can now bring them back a little bit farther , and I ’ m still be able to feel my chest muscles . These types of training adaptations are important to powerlifters because everyone will have lagging bodyparts , and learning
70 JUNE 2017 | ironmanmagazine . com