Q: Lately there have been studies on how stretch is most important for growth. In Old Man, Young Muscle you use stretch add-on exercises after the ideal move. You also have contracted-position exercises as add-ons. But the research suggests that those are not necessary, or at least inferior, for hypertrophy. Considering the stretch studies, do you still use contraction exercises?
A: It appears that contraction-emphasized exercises, like the plate-loaded leg extension pictured above, are less effective for hypertrophy than stretch-position exercises like sissy squats for quads. At least according to the latest studies…
And even if an exercise is not a full-stretch move, the stretch area of the stroke on exercises, like dumbbell decline presses, is most important as well….
That’s the reason that the optimal resistance curve is harder at stretch and easier at contraction. That extra resistance at stretch is an ideal-exercise factor—along with others, including precise biomechanics alignment. (See OMYM for my top “ideal” factors and Doug Brgnole’s The Physics of Resistance Exercise for a deep dive into biomechanics and all of the ideal-exercise qualifications.)
So focusing on loading the stretch position of an exercise is more important than emphasizing contraction—the flex; however…
Exercises that emphasize resistance in the contracted position do provide variation in fiber recruitment. As I said in OMYM, once you exhaust the strongest area of the stroke, the stretch, with the ideal exercise, why not train the weakest area for some unique stimulation once in awhile?
Also, Brad Schoenfeld, Ph.D., performed a study showing that improving the mind-muscle connection leads to better hypertrophy. That’s no doubt due to improved neuromuscular efficiency in the target muscle.
In other words, improving your ability to feel the muscle contract against resistance teaches your brain to fire more muscle fibers within that target muscle. Contracted-position exercises improve that “feel,” which can increase strength and growth potential via extra recruitment.
Continuous-tension contracted exercises also produce an occlusion, or blood-blocking, effect that has been shown to produce growth, perhaps via the blood bath that immediately follows. Arnold liked ending a body part with contracted-position exercises like pushdowns, no doubt for that very reason—big pump.
Schoenfeld had this to say: “Research supports that lifting with continuous tension can provide a potent stimulus for muscular hypertrophy…. The true benefit probably has to do with an acute restriction of circulation to the working muscles…. Repetitive muscular contractions cause a compression of blood vessels, impeding both inflow and outflow during exercise and creating a hypoxic intramuscular environment. There’s evidence that the hypoxic effect mediates a hypertrophic response, conceivably by the buildup of metabolites and reduction in pH levels associated with such training.”
Bottom line: Emphasize the ideal exercises, add on stretch-position moves, but also periodically use a set of contracted-position work for variation in fiber recruitment, nervous-system improvement and a bigger blood bath for more muscle mass.
New: Get the ideal exercise for each muscle, the best add-on moves for ultimate mass, complete 35-minute workouts, exercise start/finish photos, and details on building muscle fast and efficiently 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
X-Rep.com
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