Build Muscle Faster: This NEW Study is Exciting

Key Takeaways #

Lengthened Supersets Can Enhance Muscle Growth: A recent study shows that lengthened supersets, where you perform partial repetitions at longer muscle lengths after reaching failure in your normal range of motion, can lead to greater muscle growth compared to traditional training.
Targeting Longer Muscle Lengths is Promising for Hypertrophy: While further research is needed, the existing evidence strongly suggests targeting muscles at longer lengths can be beneficial for building muscle.
Experiment with Different Training Strategies: The study highlights potential benefits of lengthened supersets, purely lengthened partials, and integrated partials. Feel free to experiment with these techniques to find what works best for you.

What are Lengthened Supersets? Lengthened supersets involve performing partial repetitions at longer muscle lengths immediately after reaching failure with a full range of motion exercise.
Why Are They Effective? Exercises like calf raises, rows, pulldowns, and lateral raises are most challenging when muscles are at shorter lengths. Lengthened supersets challenge the muscles at longer lengths, potentially leading to greater growth.

Participants: 23 untrained men.
Exercise: Calf raises.
Training Groups:
- Full Range of Motion: Trained to failure with a full range of motion.
- Lengthened Supersets: Trained to failure with a full range of motion, followed by as many partial repetitions as possible at longer muscle lengths.
Results: The group using lengthened supersets experienced significantly greater calf muscle growth than the full range of motion group.

Potential Limitations:
- Study participants were untrained, so the results may not apply to trained individuals.
- The study only examined calf raises, so the results may not generalize to other exercises.
- Lengthened supersets involve greater volume, making it hard to determine the specific contribution of lengthening versus volume to the results.
Interpretations:
- It is too early to claim that lengthened supersets consistently produce superior results for all exercises and individuals.
- However, the study suggests that for exercises like calf raises, training beyond failure with lengthened supersets can lead to greater muscle growth.

Evidence for Targeting Long Muscle Lengths:
- Studies on leg extensions and hip extensions demonstrate that partial range of motion at longer muscle lengths can lead to greater muscle growth.
- Evidence suggests that exercises that inherently place the muscle at a longer length (e.g., leaning back leg extensions) may be more effective for building specific muscles.
Other Training Options:
- Purely Lengthened Partials: Performing only partial repetitions at long muscle lengths.
- Integrated Partials: Alternating between full range of motion repetitions and partial repetitions at long muscle lengths.
Finding What Works for You: Based on your individual preferences and goals, choose the training strategy that best suits you.

Starting Point: Experiment with lengthened supersets or partial reps on a few sets within your workouts.
Adjustments: If you experience excessive fatigue, consider reducing the volume or frequency of these techniques.
Alternative Approach: Focus on exercises that naturally challenge muscles at longer lengths.

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"The study suggests that for exercises like calf raises, training beyond failure with lengthened supersets can lead to greater muscle growth."

"It is too early to claim that lengthened supersets consistently produce superior results for all exercises and individuals."

"Feel free to experiment with these techniques to find what works best for you."

Summary for: Youtube