Other/Mixed Stretching for those muscle gains

[puddleduck]

It seems that a lot of the comments on this thread didn't really read the article or understand what the intent of the study was.

The study was a PoC study to prove if a mechanism exists to explain stretch mediated hypertrophy, *independent of other hypertrophy stimulus*.

It's not a suggestion that orthotic stretching, or even passive stretching in general, is an optimal way to get buff.

It does provide evidentiary confidence that stretch mediated hypertrophy is a real thing, independent of other variables, such as ROM.

Don’t think any of the replies indicate a lack of understanding in fairness m

 

[watchnerd]

Don’t think any of the replies indicate a lack of understanding in fairness m

Perhaps just a lack of reading the article at all, then.

 

[watchnerd]

I’d have to hunt a little for the exact article and study, but Chris Beardsley was citing research which showed that denervated muscles fibers hypertrophied after being exposed to stretch. It is part of the case for mechanical tension being the prime driver of hypertrophy.

Yeah, it was a critical pre-cursor in the "tension hypothesis", but it didn't answer the question of whether stretch-mediated hypertrophy was independent from ROM.

 

[Ricky01]

You're not meant to replicate it.

It's a PoC study to test a mechanistic hypothesis.

That is obvious....but with no real time way of doing it yourself outside of just holding positions....then the study doesn't really give us anything to world with.

 

[watchnerd]

then the study doesn't really give us anything to world with.

It does, though.

It gives us evidence that stretch-mediated hypertrophy is validated from a mechanistic point of view as an independent factor from ROM.

So you can use that to make exercise selection choices, e.g. bottom 1/2 squats.

 

[Ricky01]

It does, though.

It gives us evidence that stretch-mediated hypertrophy is validated from a mechanistic point of view as an independent factor from ROM.

So you can use that to make exercise selection choices, e.g. bottom 1/2 squats.

Or what I had said earlier, loading the stretch and performing 1+ seta of this.

 

[watchnerd]

Or what I had said earlier, loading the stretch and performing 1+ seta of this.

You could, but is that really better than normal approaches to hypertrophy?

The study does not say that loaded stretching is a superior method of hypertrophy vs other modalities.

It just says it exists.

 

[Ricky01]

Load does not have to mean external load .... merely placing load upon a muscle in a lengthened position.

If it is no worse for hypertrophy it certainly would be better for strength as strengthening a muscle in its lengthened (and therefore weakest) position is going to strengthen the entire range of motion and make an individual less likely to incur injuries (think sprinters pulling a hammy as the foot hits the floor and the hammy fires in its lengthened position).

 

[watchnerd]

Load does not have to mean external load .... merely placing load upon a muscle in a lengthened position.

If it is no worse for hypertrophy it certainly would be better for strength as strengthening a muscle in its lengthened (and therefore weakest) position is going to strengthen the entire range of motion and make an individual less likely to incur injuries (think sprinters pulling a hammy as the foot hits the floor and the hammy fires in its lengthened position).

Those scenarios are extending the hypothesis beyond what the PoC established.

The study didn't conclude loaded stretching is no worse than other hypertrophy methods.

You might be correct in your hypothesis, but it's getting beyond the data in this PoC.

 

[North Coast Miller]

Loaded stretch is a close cousin to loaded eccentrics, a lengthening of the resisting muscle under load.

 

[Ricky01]

Those scenarios are extending the hypothesis beyond what the PoC established.

The study didn't conclude loaded stretching is no worse than other hypertrophy methods.

You might be correct in your hypothesis, but it's getting beyond the data in this PoC.

Kind of brings me back to my point about the study, but I can see us potentially going round and round in circles.

 

[Ricky01]

Loaded stretch is a close cousin to loaded eccentrics, a lengthening of the resisting muscle under load.

Yes indeed.

They are linked to Long hold isometrics which aren't really isometrics, but super slow loaded eccentrics.

 

[watchnerd]

Kind of brings me back to my point about the study, but I can see us potentially going round and round in circles.

It's basically a medical study.

It's primary scientific research.

It doesn't have to have immediate applicability, but lays the ground for further research.

 

[Ricky01]

It's basically a medical study.

It's primary scientific research.

It doesn't have to have immediate applicability, but lays the ground for further research.

I think I have an idea where it will go next .... to make it applicable, transferable and generally useful to the public.

 

[bluejeff]

I have used this before....
Chest/Shoulders:
Long looped band held in a Y position (slightly behind me with wrists flexed towards me trying to pull hands to infrokt of me)....this Y position hits chest, shoulders and biceps in a lengthened position.
OR
Bottom of pushup

Lats:
Hanging

Quads:
Squat down on toes, lean knees forwards hovering them just off the floor and lean upper body back....
OR
Reverse Nordic.
OR
Bottom of rear foot elevated split squat.

Hamstrings:
Long glute bridge - feet away until legs almost straight. Tuck pelvis and lift hips. Fires hammies in lengthened position.

Calfs:
Bottom of one leg calf raise.

Richard

I remember you using the long/deep isometric holds in an older thread. Have you found any hypertrophic effects from them?

 

[Ricky01]

I remember you using the long/deep isometric holds in an older thread. Have you found any hypertrophic effects from them?

Great question and hard to say.

I did notice that I was better at other tasks, but I wasn't able to do them as prescribed and coach as I have to.

I was using the long lunge, hanging and bottom of pushup.

My long lunge PB's were 3.32 left leg forwards and 4.02 right leg forwards.
Hanging is 1.40
Pushups 2.30


You will be able to find lots of info from very knowledgeable people advising almost daily session of max length holds....and success stories to back it up.

That however is not me. I take my hat off to them but I found them hard on the CNS.

Richard

 

[North Coast Miller]

You could, but is that really better than normal approaches to hypertrophy?

The study does not say that loaded stretching is a superior method of hypertrophy vs other modalities.

It just says it exists.

I can’t speak to the study as it doesn’t really advocate a specific training regimen.

Generally Isometrics have been so therapeutic for my joints I feel like a young man walking around, with none of the constant residual heat and achiness from established hypertrophy approaches.

Hypertrophy wise I’d say its about 80% as effective. It’ll get ya there but if you’re in a hurry it isn’t the most efficient.

 

[watchnerd]

I can’t speak to the study as it doesn’t really advocate a specific training regimen.

Or even what the minimum exposure threshold needs to be.

 

[North Coast Miller]

Or even what the minimum exposure threshold needs to be.

Not to mention some muscles simply cannot be trained that way (biceps), and it would be excruciating for a full body regimen.

 

[watchnerd]

and it would be excruciating for a full body regimen.

Excruciating indeed.

And I don't think the rack is reported to have made people buff.