Happy Sunday!

I train a lot of people. Like a lot. Both in person and online (via an app - CoachRX). My in person clients have the benefit of me being able to correct every little thing they are doing right then and there.... nip it in the but before any bad mechanics happen! My online clients don't have that luxury and need to send me form check videos. The most common cue I constantly say to many of them "you need to use a full range of motion"...if you want to get stronger, gain muscle and see results. Let's talk about why this is important. 

When we exercise, our muscles contract - meaning they lengthen and shorten. The best way to picture this is the bicep curl. When you curl your forearm towards you, you are concentrically contracting your bicep, the muscle is shortening. When you lower your arm away from you, you are eccentrically contracting your bicep, your bicep is lengthening. Your muscles are going through what is called the sliding filament theory - how muscles contract. 

The only way the sliding filament theory occurs is when we take all of our muscles through a full range of motion. This is the best way for our muscles to:

• Grow
• Change shape
• Get stronger
• Attain that "toned" look that many of you want

We need to go through this full range of motion if we want to see any type of change like the ones mentioned above. Pulses, 1/4 reps, isometric holds and isometric contractions have their place for sure, but, they will not provide what most people are looking for. Those types of exercises should be done in these situations:

• In addition to our full range of motion exercises 
• As a drop set, burnout set or cluster set
• At the end of a strength training session
• On a recovery day or low volume/intensity day
• For PT, rehab or coming back from an injury

I just want more people to understand the type of exercise they are getting themselves into. Many exercises classes market themselves as one thing, but in reality, another thing is really going on. Meaning, you cant market yourself as a strength training class when you are elevating member's heart rates at 150 BPM's (beats per minute) for 10 straight minutes, that is NAHT strength training people, that would be more cardiovascular training. You also can't market yourself as a strength training class when MOST of the class consists of one position on an apparatus (think planking) or 1/4 rep booty exercises (think Suzanne Somers), those would be more plyometric based classes. Still great forms of exercise, just not going to give you the end result you want. 

Here's an Instagram post to gain a little more knowledge on why full range of motion matters. Just know what type of fitness you are looking for, what goals you have and which types of classes/gyms you are getting yourself into.