Partial Reps

I am going to discuss partial reps and their benefits. A standard repetition in weight training is to move the weight through the full range of motion. It doesn’t matter which exercise you perform, throughout the rep there is

1) the weakest point
2 the sticking point
3) the strongest point

Some muscles respond better to partial reps. This is well documented by exercises such as 21’s for biceps. To perform a set of 21s, you do 7 reps in the bottom half of the range of movement, 7 reps in the upper half and 7 reps in the full range.

Partial reps at the weakest point
An example of this is the bottom of the bench press or the bottom of a squat. You would only lift the weight halfway up and then back down for each rep. Some benefits of working within the weakest range of motion are that you will be using relatively light weight therefore minimising your risk of injury. Don’t be deceived by the light weight though, as you are completing all partial reps in the weakest range of motion. This is where the muscles contract the hardest as they struggle to complete the reps due to maximum forces throughout every rep. The weight may be light but the training is intense, it also allows for higher volume work.

Take the challenge with the barbell squatAfter a couple of warm up sets – select LESS weight than you would normal squat. Squat down, now only come halfway back up, and then back down again and keep repeating for sets of 12, 15 and 20. Feel the burn, you get the point.

Partial reps at the strongest point
You may have heard of this as “power factor” training. The theory behind this is that you work in the top half of the movement – the strongest point. This will allow you to lift maximum weight. As there is no sticking point or weak point, you will be lifting very heavy weight, heavier than usual. As you may already know lift big and get big, there is a risk of injury and overdoing it, however use common sense, warm up properly and use a spotter to get maximum results.

Take the challenge with the barbell bench press.
After a few warm up sets, begin to add weight, increasing it gradually. Work within the 4-8 rep range.Once the bar is loaded, lift it off, and only bring it half way down, stop before the sticking point and lift back up. Always aim to beat your personal best, the goal here is to lift as much weight as possible. Unlike working in the weakest range, this time the actual weight forces intense contractions, not the angle of the movement.

Which one is better?
Neither, they both have their place, use one for a few weeks, then try the other for a few weeks, before going back to a more traditional routine. You can also combine the two methods with full reps in the same workout. This is called matrix training and be used as a 3rd option.

As a drug free trainer you need to find enough variations in your routine to force the muscles into growth. You want to limit plateau’s by not sticking to any one routine for too long.Use partials every now and then and I am sure you will be more than pleased with the results.

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