A new study looked at hypertrophy while training a muscle in its lengthened, or stretched, state. (Med Sci Sports Exerc, 2021)
This one looked at seated leg curls vs. lying leg curls, the seated version producing more elongation in the hamstrings during full-range performance due to the ham-stretching sitting position.
Interesting that the researchers had each subject do the seated version with one leg and the lying version with the other. That limited the margin of error—no variation in individual response.
They used five sets of 10 twice a week for 12 weeks. Results…
The seated version produced superior hypertrophy—more than double in the long head, the biceps femoris.
The big takeaway is that training a target muscle in a more lengthened position appears to result in better or at least faster growth.
While this is only a single study, it does seem to corroborate that stretch-position exercises, as well as end-of-set X-Rep partials in the stretch position, have special hypertrophic benefits. (I’ll have more on both in future newsletters.)
It may be why sissy squats are such an excellent quad developer and a favorite of the Quad Father, Tom Platz…
Note that both the seated leg curl and sissy squats are included in Doug Brignole’s ideal exercises.
For more on specific stretch-position exercises and the biomechanically ideal moves that are best for safe, efficient muscle hypertrophy, see the Positions-of-Flexion Exercise Matrix on pages 42 and 43 in Old Man, Young Muscle.
And you still get The Muscle-On, Belly-Gone “Diet” ebook FREE for a limited time when you add Old Man, Young Muscle to your mass-building library. Go HERE.
Till next time, train hard—and smart—for BIG results.
Steve Holman
Former Editor in Chief, Iron Man Magazine
www.X-Rep.com
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