Training BEYOND Failure - This NEW Study is Epic

Summary

This video delves into a study exploring muscle hypertrophy through a unique training method: lengthened partials. It compares this method with post-failure partials for calf training, showing promising results for lengthened partials in trained individuals. While the study found potential benefits, more research is needed for conclusive evidence. The video also discusses the effectiveness of lengthened partials for different exercises and muscles, highlighting how they may be particularly beneficial for calves and certain muscle groups, though not necessarily superior for all exercises. The takeaway: experimenting with lengthened partials may help optimize hypertrophy, but standard full-range training is still highly effective.

Takeaways

• 😀 Post-failure partials are a method of training beyond failure that involves continuing with partial reps after reaching failure in exercises that are hardest in the shortened position.
• 😀 Lengthened partials, a different method, involve training the muscle through the more lengthened portion of the range of motion and have shown potential for greater muscle growth in some exercises.
• 😀 A study found that lengthened partials resulted in greater medial gastrocnemius growth compared to post-failure partials when training calves.
• 😀 In a comparison study, lengthened partials were more effective than post-failure partials for calf growth, though statistical support was not strong, and there was a measurement error in the study.
• 😀 Lengthened partials appear to be particularly effective in exercises where muscles are most challenged in the lengthened position, such as calf raises, leg extensions, and certain glute exercises.
• 😀 A study on untrained individuals found that lengthened partials in exercises like calf raises and leg extensions led to greater muscle growth than full range of motion or shortened partials.
• 😀 However, recent research suggests that lengthened partials may not be superior for all muscles. Studies on upper body muscles, like biceps and triceps, have shown comparable growth between full range of motion and lengthened partials.
• 😀 There’s a possibility that lengthened partials are most effective with exercises that are 'shortened position challenged,' like calf raises, leg extensions, and some glute exercises, but may not provide significant benefits for all exercises.
• 😀 Lengthened partials could be particularly effective for specific muscles, such as the calves and potentially the traps and pecs, where generating greater tension at longer lengths is beneficial.
• 😀 To maximize hypertrophy, it's recommended to train calves with lengthened partials. For other muscles, it's advisable to maintain a full range of motion but experiment with lengthened partials where suitable.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the study discussed in the transcript?

The study focuses on exploring the effectiveness of post-failure partials versus lengthened partials for hypertrophy in trained individuals, particularly for calf training using the Smith machine.

What are 'shortened position challenged exercises'?

Shortened position challenged exercises are those where the muscle is hardest to contract at the final phase of the movement, such as calf raises, pulling exercises like rows, free weight shoulder raises, and leg curl/extension machines.

What are post-failure partials and how do they work?

Post-failure partials involve performing partial repetitions after reaching failure at the full range of motion, with the aim of continuing to challenge the muscle at longer lengths by performing as many partial reps as possible.

How does the calf muscle respond to different types of partials?

The calf muscle, being most challenging at the top position during calf raises, can benefit from both post-failure partials and lengthened partials, but lengthened partials might provide greater muscle growth by better targeting the muscle at longer lengths.

What did the study on lengthened and post-failure partials find in terms of muscle growth?

The study found that medial gastrocnemius growth was greater when using lengthened partials compared to post-failure partials, suggesting lengthened partials might be more effective for calf growth in trained individuals.

How did the study adjust the conditions for the post-failure and lengthened partials?

Subjects in the study trained one leg using full-range motion to failure, followed by post-failure partials, while the other leg used only lengthened partials. Loads were adjusted to match the total number of repetitions performed between the two conditions.

What were the statistical results and how reliable were they?

While the study showed a tendency for lengthened partials to lead to greater growth, the statistical analysis did not strongly support this conclusion. The measurement error was also relatively high, indicating that the results are not conclusive or robust.

Is there evidence that lengthened partials are superior to full-range motion across all exercises?

No, the evidence is mixed. While studies on the calves and certain other muscles show benefits from lengthened partials, there is no clear evidence that they outperform full-range motion exercises for all muscle groups.

What specific muscles may benefit more from lengthened partials?

The calves are a prime example, as they generate greater force at longer muscle lengths. Other muscles, like the traps and possibly the pecs, may also benefit from lengthened partials, though more research is needed.

What are the three possibilities for the effectiveness of lengthened partials?

1) Lengthened partials could be the best range of motion for all exercises. 2) They may only be superior for specific exercises, especially those that challenge muscles in the shortened position. 3) Lengthened partials could be superior only for specific muscles like the calves, traps, or pecs.