How is Your ROM?

Range of Motion is Critical For Building Muscle

By Sean Barker, CPT.

If your not sure what I mean by ROM, its Range of Motion. This is the complete range of movement that you perform every exercise from start to finish.

But how many people get carried away with increasing the weight they lift only to sacrifice the proper exercise execution in which the exercise should be performed. A good many, and I admit I have done it in the past as well.

We all like to load up that bar giving us the feeling that we are super strong by slapping plate after plate onto the barbell. But doing this only builds your ego, not your muscles. It also greatly increases your chance of serious injury when performing exercises without a complete range of motion.

Increasing your poundage's over time is the cornerstone of getting bigger and stronger in the gym. But not if it comes at the expense of doing the exercise with improper form. Whether it's bench presses, squats or any exercise that requires you work the muscles over a complete range, people have a tendency to slowly develop bad training habits of limiting the range in which they complete the exercise.

This might enable you to use a heavier weight, but its not maximizing muscular overload it's limiting it as the muscles are only getting half the stimulation that they should be. Plus, your joints and ligaments are picking up the slack, which is provoking injury.

Adhere to proper weight selection that allows you to work the intended muscle with your desired number of reps. Always remember that your weight should be chosen based on how well you can perform the exercise, not the other way around...

Sean Barker, CPT

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