I recently discussed two current studies with insight into how you can speed the muscle-building process…
One compared a seated leg curl and a lying leg curl. (Med Sci Sports Exerc, 2021.)
The seated version produces more elongation in the hamstrings during full-range performance due to the ham-stretching sitting position…
And that appears to be why the seated version produced superior hypertrophy—more than double in the long head, the biceps femoris.
Training a target muscle in a more lengthened position can result in better or at least faster growth, also the conclusion of another recent study…
This one compared two triceps exercises, overhead extensions vs. pushdowns. (Euro J Sports Sci, 2022.)
The overhead extension produced superior triceps growth in all three triceps heads as measured by change in muscle volume.
Again, the exercise with more stretch easily won out over arms down, which emphasizes contraction. What does this tell us?
No, not that you should use only stretch-position moves, classified as such in Positions of Flexion (see Old Man, Young Muscle); however, you should be emphasizing exercises with the most resistance at or near the stretch point on the stroke…
Optimal resistance curve, as explained in OMYM and Doug Brignole’s book, The Physics of Resistance Exercise…
For example, the dumbbell decline triceps extension, or “skull crusher,” is not a stretch-position exercise, but you do get good stretch, and the resistance curve is early phase loaded and late-phase unloaded—hardest at stretch and easiest at contraction.
I suggest you use an overhead extension, the stretch-position exercise, as an add-on exercise, as shown in OMYM.
For biceps, the dumbbell curl is not a stretch move, but it does have major resistance at the start when the biceps is elongated. And the resistance tails off at the top.
A stretch-position add-on for biceps is incline curls…
The ideal exercises for each muscle with suggested add-on moves are laid out in more detail in Old Man, Young Muscle. The printable Positions-of-Flexion Exercise Matrix on pages 42 and 43 is a listing and classification of the key exercises: ideal, stretch and contracted…
The OMYM workouts are fast and effective, but feel free to use all of the mass-building ammunition to construct your own workouts. (Note: There is a stretch-exercise-first alternate workout, based on Mike Mentzer’s training style, on pages 71 and 72 in OMYM.)
Strive for ultimate mass gaining with efficiency-of-effort training.
Tomorrow: How you can use varied lines of force for bigger mass gains, according to researchers.
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
Highly Recommended…
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Doug’s analysis and explanations on the science and logic behind muscular movement will show you why many of the so-called fundamental mass-building moves are inefficient time-wasters. Plus, he’ll show you the best alternatives.
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