Bodyweight Full ROM Strength

[Eoin Kenny]

I've noticed over the last year or so that strength for me appears to be most effectively built through as much a ROM as possible.

Intuitively this makes sense to me, but I was wondering if anyone has any science behind why this is?

People usually say you can learn a move by increasing the ROM over time, but in my experience this only works with pistol squats, I've had limited success using this approach with headstand push ups or one arm push ups. However whenever I use full ROM pike push ups or assisted one arm push ups (full ROM) my strength rapidly starts improving again.

 

[Tarzan]

A lot of powerlifters use partial ROM lifts in their training to allow them to move a heavier weight. Plate loaded bar bells are bit different to a fixed bodyweight though as you can fine tune the weight a lot easier.

I think lifting through the full ROM is limited in one sense because the heaviest weight you can do can do for the full ROM is restricted to what you can lift through the weakest position/s in that ROM.

Take a squat for example,if bouncing isn't allowed the weakest part for many people is in the hole or ATF position, the next sticking point is just above or below where your thighs are parallel to the floor. The top third of the lift is much stronger for most people.

So if you add a few heavy partials done in the top phase of the lift you can lift quite a bit more than you could for a full ROM lift. It's no replacement for full ROM strength but it can be a bit of hack to get someone used to lifting a bigger weight before they are ready to progress to training with that weight.