30 Seconds Summary
Specificity of Range of Motion for Strength: Does it Pay to be a Jack of All Trades?

  • Strength gains are typically specific to the range of motion (ROM) trained, with different ROMs offering unique benefits such as greater absolute loads or enhanced muscle growth.
  • Recent discussions and a meta-analysis highlight the specificity of strength training: to improve strength in a certain ROM, one should train in that ROM.
  • Mixed ROM training, where not all training is specific to the desired ROM but includes some shorter ROM sets, isn't necessarily inferior to only specific ROM training.
  • There are potential benefits from non-specific ROM training like psychological readiness, and muscle and tendon adaptations due to handling heavier loads.
  • While most strength training should be specific to the task ROM, incorporating variations with both longer and shorter ROM could optimize strength and muscle development.
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