Studies continue to show stretch moves create more hypertrophy than contracted-position exercises. And they do—over a 12-week period. But…
Many researchers suggest that continuing the study for longer would have the contracted-exercise growth effects catching up and perhaps surpassing the mass created by the stretch exercise.
One reason may be different fiber activation from each exercise as well as unique areas of the muscle being stimulated.
There’s also the hypoxia effect of contracted-position exercises. Studies using a restricting cuff above the working muscle blocks blood flow during the exercise…
And that blood-flow restriction (BFR) training appears to increase hypertrophy considerably (Tanimoto, et al. 2005)…
But you don’t need a cuff. Maintaining tension on the target muscle, as you do with contracted-position exercises like leg extensions, restricts blood flow.
For example, on extensions, the quads never get a tension release as they do with squats at the top.
As you crank out leg extensions, you’re “starving” the muscle of blood throughout the set, creating the BFR effect that can increase fiber girth.
Part of that may be from the blood-bath tsunami that occurs after, flooding the muscle and pumping it up.
Tomorrow, we’ll add one more reason that contraction-position exercises are important for ultimate mass development.
Note: For the best contracted-position exercises for each muscle, see the chart on pages 42 and 43 of Old Man, Young Muscle.
Your Efficient Mass-Building Handbook: For complete mass workouts that include Speed Sets, the ideal exercise for each muscle, and the best stretch and contracted add-on moves, get your copy of 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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