Why do you assert its’ ineffective to train the fully shortened range?

[Nicholas Ashford]

Hey Joe,

Great video Q&A Dec 1 piece debunking the ‘every angle’ bro science.

There was a section where you proposed that there is little merit for hypertrophy in working the fully shortened range e.g. (top sets)

3 x Squat
3 x Leg press

Will product greater muscle growth than

2 x squat
2 x leg press
2 x leg extension

So where total sets (and let’s assume reps) are the same, your assertion is that it’s better to miss out the shortened range and do more on the lengthen and middle range.

Why is that so?

From feel, it seems like you can only squeeze the quad in isolated maximally in the leg extension; the squat/press is more fatiguing for sure but as an ‘overall’ leg feeling not that almost crapping squeeze you can obtain with the leg extension. Appreciate what feels great may not be the best for growth.

You teased in the Q&A video that it probably needed a longer answer…

Cheers,

N

[Joe]

It’s all about force production. Feel is important, but that specific “crampy” feeling is not. And it’s associated with the range where you produce the least force. (Actually look through my IGTV videos on Instagram. I have one labeled “the lie of mind muscle connection” that goes into this a bit more). And you can/should still go into the shortened range, it’s very easy to include in every workout. I just wouldn’t keep it as a “meat and potatoes” exercise.

[Anonymous]

Joe wrote:

…(Actually look through my IGTV videos on Instagram. I have one labeled “the lie of mind muscle connection” that goes into this a bit more). And you can/should still go into the shortened range, it’s very easy to include in every workout. I just wouldn’t keep it as a “meat and potatoes” exercise.

I’ve listened to that like 5 times already so definitely worth listening ????

[Nicholas Ashford]

Joe wrote:

It’s all about force production. Feel is important, but that specific “crampy” feeling is not. And it’s associated with the range where you produce the least force. (Actually look through my IGTV videos on Instagram. I have one labeled “the lie of mind muscle connection” that goes into this a bit more). And you can/should still go into the shortened range, it’s very easy to include in every workout. I just wouldn’t keep it as a “meat and potatoes” exercise.

This makes a lot of sense, as does the video, thanks. so for example, leg extensions might have a place as a warm up set at the start of the quad session to focus in to the feel of quads, so that when you hit the squats you can really make the focus on the quads b cause you have “activated” them first. Or as a finisher.

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