Range of Motion and Exercise Selection
Pick exercises that load the muscle in its stretched position. Partials in the stretched range match full range of motion.
Bottom line
- Default to full range of motion, with emphasis on the stretched position
- Prioritize exercises that load the muscle when it is stretched. For example: overhead extensions for triceps, incline curls for biceps, seated leg curls for hamstrings
- When you hit failure, you can add a few partial reps in the stretched range only (lengthened partials)
Full range vs partials
Full range of motion (or a longer range) is slightly better. The difference is small.
Meta-analysis (Wolf 2023). Effect sizes were “trivial to small.”
Partials in the stretched range are as good as or better than full range. Partials in the shortened range are worse.
- In a systematic review of 11 studies, full range and lengthened partials beat shortened partials (Kassiano 2023a)
- In an RCT of 30 trained lifters, lengthened partials matched full range. Bayes factors of 0.16–0.3 supported “no difference” (Wolf 2025)
- In the quadriceps, lengthened partials produced the most distal growth. The subjects were untrained women (Pedrosa 2022)
Exercises that load the stretched position
The same muscle grows more with exercises that train it in a stretched position.
| Muscle | Stretched-position exercise | Compared with | Result | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Triceps | Overhead extension | Extension with arms at the sides | About 1.4–1.5x (long head +28.5% vs +19.6%) | Maeo 2023 |
| Hamstrings | Seated leg curl | Lying leg curl | +14% vs +9% | Maeo 2021 |
| Calves | Lengthened partials | Full range | Medial gastrocnemius +15.2% vs +6.7% | Kassiano 2023b |
The effect differs by muscle, and many of these studies used untrained subjects. Whether training at long muscle lengths makes muscles grow lengthwise is still debated (Wolf 2026).
Whether partials after failure add anything is still unclear.
A study comparing past-failure partials with lengthened partials was inconclusive, with a Bayes factor of 1.2 (Larsen 2025).
References
- Wolf M et al. 2023. Partial Vs Full Range of Motion Resistance Training: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Int J Strength Cond 3(1). doi:10.47206/ijsc.v3i1.182
- Kassiano W et al. 2023a. Which ROMs Lead to Rome? A Systematic Review of the Effects of Range of Motion on Muscle Hypertrophy. J Strength Cond Res. PMID 36662126
- Wolf M et al. 2025. Lengthened partial repetitions elicit similar muscular adaptations as full range of motion repetitions during resistance training in trained individuals. PeerJ. PMID 39959841
- Pedrosa GF et al. 2022. Partial range of motion training elicits favorable improvements in muscular adaptations when carried out at long muscle lengths. Eur J Sport Sci. PMID 33977835
- Maeo S et al. 2023. Triceps brachii hypertrophy is substantially greater after elbow extension training performed in the overhead versus neutral arm position. Eur J Sport Sci. PMID 35819335
- Maeo S et al. 2021. Greater Hamstrings Muscle Hypertrophy but Similar Damage Protection after Training at Long versus Short Muscle Lengths. Med Sci Sports Exerc. PMID 33009197
- Kassiano W et al. 2023b. Greater Gastrocnemius Muscle Hypertrophy After Partial Range of Motion Training Performed at Long Muscle Lengths. J Strength Cond Res. PMID 37015016
- Wolf M et al. 2026. Does longer-muscle length resistance training cause greater longitudinal growth in humans? Sports Med Health Sci. PMID 41646176
- Larsen S et al. 2025. Resistance Training Beyond Momentary Failure: The Effects of Past-Failure Partials. Eur J Sport Sci. PMID 40850937