Range of motion.
Do we need to train through our full range of motion?
Well, that depends on your needs.
As the people I work with are in athletics of some description, be they combat athletes, extreme sports, adventure races, kettlebell sport and erm, Golf.
Do they need to train a full range of motion?
My answer is always yes.
Now, if I was a body building coach or simply concerned with aesthetics, then my answer would be different. These guys would use a deliberately reduces range to maintain constant tension on the muscle for maximal growth.
From time to time I have my guys do that, but mostly I use full range.
Because in the chaos of competition you will be taken to full range, maybe even beyond, and if you’ve not trained to go there, you will break.
You will get hurt.
The same goes for training outside of “perfect” alignment.
If you never experience a so called “misalignment” in training, how will you cope in the field?
It’s important that we train in a manner that develops the tendons, the ligaments, the connective tissues.
It’s important to let the nervous system know the limits of these ranges.
And it’s important to put some strength into these ranges in order to bullet proof the body.
Yes the standard linear, saggital plane dominant lifts are the best for basic brute force development.
But higher rep bodyweight drills helps the connective tissues.
Swinging implements challenge us at odd angles, such as the Mace, the Kettlebell and the Sandbag.
And of course the gym rings, we love them for upper body work.
Check your training, are you working full range?
Are you sticking to linear movements?
Are you balancing out the dominant movements of your sport with gym training?
Or do you need help?
I can help you.
And you don’t even need to be in Dublin for that to happen!
Check out the new online training I’m offering here:
Regards
Dave Hedges.