HOW TO PUT YOUR FULL RANGE IN MOTION!

There are countless times in class when I see someone barely bending their knees in a squat, swinging their weights through a bicep curl, or pulsing their arms like a butterfly in a side shoulder raise. Things like this are the equivalent to hearing nails on a chalkboard for a trainer, and all are examples of clients NOT using their full range of motion.

So what do I mean when I say “range of motion?” Range of motion means exercising through the greatest range possible while maintaining good and proper technique. We want a clear and consistent beginning and end point of each exercise we perform.

 But why is this important? If you are moving the same amount of weight over a greater distance, then you are doing MORE work. This will not only increase recruitment of the muscle, but assist in building flexibility as well. You do want to be careful, however, of pushing your range of motion too far, and potentially straining tendons and ligaments.

You may now be asking how utilizing full range of motion can be achieved. One way to improve your ROM is by the use of additional equipment. For example, standing on a platform when doing a deadlift will allow you to reach a further end point (if you’ve got the flexibility). Another way is to try a given exercise using dumbbells as an alternative. Sometimes, specific range of motion exercises are recommended by a physical therapist, for instance, in a rehabilitative setting, trying to increase or improve range of motion. In this article, I am only referring to healthy individuals with no movement limitations who are performing strength training exercises.

A little extra something to think about: when the muscle works, it is primarily through shortening AND lengthening, also called concentric and eccentric muscle contractions. BOTH types of contractions have big benefits, and recent research is really focusing on muscle strengthening being greatest during eccentric contraction. If I’ve already lost you, here’s an example…..bicep curls are an exercise we have clients do in both classes and personal training. The movement involves beginning with your arms straight by your sides, then bending at the elbow joint to move weight towards the shoulders, finishing with lowering the weight back to the bottom. We can all attest that sometimes, moving that weight up through space can be pretty tough! Well, research is showing that lifting that weight up may NOT be the part of the exercise that results in strength improvements. What is equally important is the lowering back down of the weight, or what is called your “eccentric” muscle contraction. So next time you are performing a strength training exercise, ask yourself if you could go a little lower, and maybe even a little slower. Utilizing full range of motion can help you build muscle, improve flexibility, and ultimately keep melting!

Megan Flavin is the Fitness Assessment Director at Next Generation Personal Training & Fitness. She brings a rich background of both practical experience and education with a Bachelors of Science in  Health Promotion and a Masters Business in Admintration. She is the lead SPIN instructor and brought the program to NGPT in the fall of 2012. Megan joined NGPT as a client after moving to Indiana and joined the team as an instructor and personal trainer in 2012.