Muscle Gains: Partial vs Full Workouts

Resistance training is a big part of fitness. It's about lifting weights to make muscles stronger and bigger. People often wonder if they need to do full movements or if shorter ones will do the trick. A recent study looked into this. It compared two types of workouts: lengthened partial repetitions (LPs) and full range of motion (ROM) resistance training (RT). The goal was to see if both types lead to similar muscle growth. First, let's talk about the types of workouts. LPs are when you don't do the full movement. You might lift a weight halfway up or down. ROM is when you do the full movement, from start to finish. The study found that both types of workouts can lead to similar muscle growth. This is good news for people who might not be able to do full movements. It means they can still see results. But here's where it gets interesting. The study only looked at trained individuals. This means people who already have some experience with resistance training. So, what about beginners? Would the same results apply? This is something to think about. It's possible that beginners might need full ROM workouts to see the same benefits. More research is needed to find out. Another thing to consider is the type of muscle growth. The study didn't look at different types of muscle growth. For example, it didn't look at strength gains or endurance gains. It only looked at muscle size. So, while both types of workouts might lead to similar muscle size, they might not lead to the same strength or endurance gains. Finally, it's important to remember that everyone is different. What works for one person might not work for another. This is true for resistance training too. Some people might see better results with LPs, while others might see better results with ROM. It's all about finding what works best for you.