Long-Length Partials: A Fast-Track To Big Gains?

Partials might not just be ‘half reps for ego lifters’ anymore. Ever wonder why body builders out there are swinging half reps? Well…

Many get stuck in their process of getting putting on muscle mass and turn to things like creatine, however could there be a cheaper or faster way to increase your gains? Well, research is supporting the use of long-length partials and I can tell you from experience that these really burn your muscles. So, lets get into it...

There are two types of partials- short length and long-length. Short length trains the part of the movement where the muscle is the shortest (E.g. top half of a bicep curl), whilst long-length is the part of the movement where the muscle is the longest (e.g. bottom half of a bicep curl). Research has shown that long-length partials are the partials are the partials which you want for muscle growth.

Research has shown that most of the muscle growth comes from the part of the movement where the muscle is the longest. Long-length partials effectively skip the part of the movement where the muscle contraction is less, therefore you get a more effective lift. Also, you can, lift a lot heavier because you are only doing 50% of the movement.

Well that’s the theory at least, but what’s the truth? Are you going to be getting more gains for half the work? Are you about to be fast-tracked to wham?

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Research of how long-length partials increase muscle growth

A lot of research has been performed on this new method hyped up method of training and the results are very positive for those of you considering starting long-length partials (1).

• 7 out of 8 studies comparing short-length partials to long-length partials showed long-length partials are better for promoting muscle growth and strength.

• 4 out of 5 studies showed that long-length partials increased muscle growth better than doing full range of motion movements.
  

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Possible risks

when doing long-length partials you need to be careful that you are actually able to re-rack the weight. For things like bench press you may need a spotter because the bar will not go all the way up on your reps.

Also, make sure not to increase the weight too drastically even though you are just doing 50% of a rep. Your body is not used to these weights yet so you need to increase slowly, this decreases your risk of injury.

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Best exercises to do long-length partials with

• Bicep Curls

• Preacher Curls

• Latt Pull Downs

• Chin-ups

• Pull-ups

• Seated Row

• Bent Over Row

• Skull Crushers

• Overhead Tricep Extension

• Lateral Raise

• Dumbbell Chest Fly

• Squats

• Lunges

• Leg Extensions

• Hamstring Curls

There are more exercises which are great for long-length partials than just the ones on this list but some may require a spotter.

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How to use long-length partials in your training

Long-length partials are a great way of being able to push yourself more when you cannot do anymore full range of motion reps. This means that adding 2-6 long-length partials at the end of your set is a great way to incorporate long-length partials to your training. Some people only add these reps to the last set of each exercise but some like to add them to every set.

You can use long-length partials to either lift heavier or do more reps. But be cautious because some exercises can be dangerous to do long-length partials with, especially if you do not have a spotter. So, proceed with caution and enjoy your new gains.

If you want to increase your adaptations and recover better then go and check out this page about the best supplements for the gym: https://www.georgelewishealth.com/post/top-5-supplements-for-gym-goers

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