Bench Press full ROM vs. Partial reps

[FitModel]

I have an on going debate going on with my friends at the gym...they do 3-quarter reps (if that) on the bench and I say they would get more out of doing full ROM press'es

further more, I say that full ROM bench press is more EFFECTIVE for strength and mass gains, reasoning being, your recruiting more of the muscle fibers in your chest to do the exercise, the TUT is the same but also spread out, so your using more muscle fibers opposed to partial reps.

My friend disagrees and thinks that partial reps are more effective for strength gains, reasons being your isolating the muscle better, they're more difficult (according to him) and that last quarter (to the top) is so minute it doesn't matter/make a difference...and ronnie colemen and jay cuter only do 3-quarter reps.


I only found one reputable study and it said after testing both methods, No differences were found between groups.

About.com: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=15320644&query_hl=7



let me get some educated second opinions on this and any reputable studys that anyone might have, thanks...

 

[datBtrue]

I only found one reputable study and it said after testing both methods, No differences were found between groups.

Actually from that abstract they also concluded:

These findings appear to suggest that partial range of motion training can positively influence the development of maximal strength.​

It appears that the same number of reps & sets were used for all 3 groups.

From other studies we know that load and peak force is higher in partial ROM training then full ROM BUT that because of bar displacement the work is less over the same number of reps.

It seems likely that if the amount of work were equalized between the 3 groups (i.e. partial ROM group does a rep or two more) then perhaps the partial ROM group would have experienced an even greater increase in strength over the training period.

Or not. In any case the full ROM group did more work for the same strength increase as the partial ROM group. By this measure the partial ROM group had superior results.

 

[pmiller383]

Are they only going down three quarters of the way or are they not locking out the weight? I have a friend who will not lock out any way weight during pressing and I also have a friend that will only do the top half of the move, so that is why I am curious which way they go.

Partial pressing can be more beneficial to some people but it depends on a lot of outside circumstances. For example some people with shoulder problems will find that full ROM pressing causes to much stress on their delts and they are only setting themselves back. Also I believe that very skinny lifters would benefit more from 1 and 2 board presses that full range presses because it will put them at better leverage points which will allow them to fully stimulate muscle fibers as well as strengthen the nervous system. Now with that being said if your friends are just coming down until the weight gets to heavy and then switching to pressing up with no reference point to keep the reps consistent that is just a mix of being lazy and having to big of an ego.

 

[lonewolf0420]

I've read, partial reps on light lifting days for more time under tension. Full ROM reps on heavy days.

 

[datBtrue]

...partial reps on light lifting days for more time under tension. Full ROM reps on heavy days.

"Time under tension" is too general of a phrase.

Constant tension for the full set with a heavy load such that when you explode to initiate the concentric you generate a lot of force that is a far different stimulus then what you described.

I've read...blah, blah, blah...

You ain't reading the right "stuff" then bro. Here try this:

http://anabolicminds.com/forum/exercise-science/103142-partial-variable-roms.html

 

[datBtrue]

Are they only going down three quarters of the way or are they not locking out the weight? I have a friend who will not lock out any way weight during pressing and I also have a friend that will only do the top half of the move, so that is why I am curious which way they go.

Partial pressing can be more beneficial to some people but it depends on a lot of outside circumstances. For example some people with shoulder problems will find that full ROM pressing causes to much stress on their delts and they are only setting themselves back. Also I believe that very skinny lifters would benefit more from 1 and 2 board presses that full range presses because it will put them at better leverage points which will allow them to fully stimulate muscle fibers as well as strengthen the nervous system. Now with that being said if your friends are just coming down until the weight gets to heavy and then switching to pressing up with no reference point to keep the reps consistent that is just a mix of being lazy and having to big of an ego.

So if you ain't injured and you ain't skinny IF you are doing partials ONLY you are according to you either lazy of have a big ego. :toofunny:

Here's a guy that used partial ROMs his entire life. Since he chose to walk away from the sport when he could have still come back & destroyed most pros I guess we can rule out ego.

So here he is ...a lazy muthf@cka:

​

 

[jminis]

When doing say bench press I do a 3 quarter rep. The last quarter of that rep is mostly my triceps coming into play (which i don't want as I bodybuild and want to isolate as much as possible) Also keep in mind I'm 6'2 so I have long arms.

 

[Hank Vangut]

partial reps, double contractions, statics, etc......you need to use them all.

 

[LSU Gladiator]

I've noticed that I get a better pump and a lot more sore when I do full reps especially for incline bench press.

For the bodybuilder in the clip above: that dude is jacked but you can't use the exception as the example with these things. The biggest dude doesn't necessarily have the most efficient training methods, just possibly better access to drugs, better genetics, etc...

Many modes of training have a place in the bodybuilder's tool box. A novice will grow regardless of how he utilizes these tools. The tricky stuff is adding size and definition to the seasoned veteran.

See what kind of results experimentation yields.

 

[datBtrue]

For the bodybuilder in the clip above: that dude is jacked but you can't use the exception as the example with these things. The biggest dude doesn't necessarily have the most efficient training methods, just possibly better access to drugs, better genetics, etc...

Many modes of training have a place in the bodybuilder's tool box. A novice will grow regardless of how he utilizes these tools. The tricky stuff is adding size and definition to the seasoned veteran.

See what kind of results experimentation yields.

I wasn't really being fair... with that video I stacked the deck and hoped to coax out this type of response so I could go BOOM!

Sorry about THAT.

That guy is Phil Hernon. He trains people for hire now. Many of his clients are experienced bodybuilders & seasoned Vets.

He is a mod on PM as well so over there you can read posts from competitors, vets, intermediates who hire him. ...but don't expect to have him discuss his training methods in detail because he won't. He'd be the first to say that this is just one component.

I hope you can see that I read your post with a smile...

...because I DID choose a guy who was well on his way to becoming one of the guys that could have seriously contended for the Mr. O title before he was setup by a friend and incarcerated as a result. Yep he could have come back but he reprioritized his life...

...from what I can tell he appears to be a good guy. He has my respect.

But for purposes of this thread he trains people using some of the techniques touched on here and discussed in my other thread.

Later bro.