Bodybuilders are flocking to long-length partials, as recent research suggests this stretched-position training can outperform shortened partials and full range of motion (ROM) training for maximizing muscle growth. (1)(2)
On Sept. 9, 2024, sports scientist Dr. Mike Israetel guided 2024 Mr. Olympia-bound Men’s Open bodybuilder Hunter Labrada through a leg workout emphasizing extended partials.
A study published in the Biology of Sport journal suggests that prioritizing the lengthened ROM, where muscles are at their weakest, can optimize mechanical tension and promote greater muscle growth. (3)
Long-length partial training typically involves slow, controlled eccentrics, increasing the time muscles are under tension, leading to greater muscle stimulation and hypertrophy. (4) Since the muscles are most vulnerable in the lengthened position, you don’t have to lift excessively heavy for optimal muscle fiber activation. This can reduce injury risk during training.
Lengthened partials target the muscles in their most challenging range; they induce fatigue more rapidly than other ranges of motion. This allows for effective training with reduced volume.
Hunter Labrada’s 2024 Olympia Leg Workout
Labrada’s long-length partial-focused leg workout comprised three exercises:
Superset — Safety Bar Squat & Bodyweight Squat
Lying Leg Curl & Leg Press
Labrada prioritized five to six-second eccentrics and a brief pause in the full extended position during lying leg curls to pre-exhaust the hamstrings before training lengthened partials.
Labrada switched to the leg press, executing two-thirds lengthened partials. He positioned his feet shoulder-width apart in the bottom half of the footplate, driving his knees outward during eccentrics to achieve a deep glute and quad stretch.
Labrada combined lengthened partials with myo-reps to maximize target muscle recruitment and growth. Myo-reps are a rest-pause training technique that involves performing an initial activation set to the point of momentary muscle failure followed by multiple mini-sets using the same weight until the desired number of repetitions is achieved.
Superset — Safety Bar Squat & Bodyweight Squat
Labrada employed a squat wedge to augment dorsiflexion and enable a deeper squat with an upright torso to better load the quads.
The narrower the stance, the better.
Labrada avoided locking out his knees at the top of his ROM to maintain constant tension on the quads.
Considerations For Long-Length Partials
Long-length partials can be a potent tool for breaking through strength and muscle plateaus. By introducing the muscles to novel stimulus, seasoned athletes like Labrada can overcome stagnation in their training.
While there is ample research to back the benefits of long-length partials, they are not a magic bullet for leg development. A meta-analysis suggests that full ROM resistance training is more effective than partial ROM for maximizing muscle strength and lower-limb muscle hypertrophy. (5)
So, incorporate lengthened partials into a balanced training program that also includes full-range movements to maximize hypertrophy and develop strength.
Key Takeaways
Exercise Selection: Pick exercises that work well with lengthened partials, such as squats, leg extensions, leg curls, and leg presses.
Weight Selection: Use a weight that allows for a slow, controlled movements.
Progressive Overload: Gradually increase the weight or reps over time — you don’t need to increase the weight with each set.
References
Pedrosa, G. F., Lima, F. V., Schoenfeld, B. J., Lacerda, L. T., Simões, M. G., Pereira, M. R., Diniz, R. C. R., & Chagas, M. H. (2022). Partial range of motion training elicits favorable improvements in muscular adaptations when carried out at long muscle lengths. European journal of sport science, 22(8), 1250–1260. https://doi.org/10.1080/17461391.2021.1927199
Kassiano, W., Costa, B., Kunevaliki, G., Soares, D., Zacarias, G., Manske, I., Takaki, Y., Ruggiero, M. F., Stavinski, N., Francsuel, J., Tricoli, I., Carneiro, M. A. S., & Cyrino, E. S. (2023). Greater Gastrocnemius Muscle Hypertrophy After Partial Range of Motion Training Performed at Long Muscle Lengths. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 37(9), 1746–1753. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0000000000004460
Azevedo PHSM, Oliveira MGD, Schoenfeld BJ. Effect of different eccentric tempos on hypertrophy and strength of the lower limbs. Biol Sport. 2022;39(2):443-449. doi:10.5114/biolsport.2022.105335
Burd NA, Andrews RJ, West DW, et al. Muscle time under tension during resistance exercise stimulates differential muscle protein sub-fractional synthetic responses in men. J Physiol. 2012;590(2):351-362. doi:10.1113/jphysiol.2011.221200
Pallarés, J. G., Hernández-Belmonte, A., Martínez-Cava, A., Vetrovsky, T., Steffl, M., & Courel-Ibáñez, J. (2021). Effects of range of motion on resistance training adaptations: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Scandinavian journal of medicine & science in sports, 31(10), 1866–1881. https://doi.org/10.1111/sms.14006
Featured image: @hunterlabrada on Instagram
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