“Use a full range of motion!” — you've probably heard this fitness mantra repeated by every trainer, influencer, and armchair gym guru. But what if that advice is wrong—or worse, sabotaging your gains?

In this post, we'll dismantle the myth that full range of motion (ROM) is always superior. With real-world examples and expert insight from coach Jason Ferruggia, you’ll learn how partial reps can actually boost growth, enhance safety, and target muscles more effectively.

1. Debunking the Full ROM Dogma

2. Real-Life Examples That Prove the Point

3. Why Partial Reps May Be Safer (and Smarter)

4. Full ROM Doesn’t Always Equal Full Tension

5. Strategic Partial ROM: When and How to Use It

6. Conclusion: Stop Following ROM Rules Blindly

1. Debunking the Full ROM Dogma

Fitness folklore insists that you must train through a full range of motion for maximum muscle growth. The idea is simple: fully stretch the muscle and contract it completely to recruit more fibers.

But this “rule” ignores two things:

• Muscle tension is more important than joint travel

• Not all exercises (or bodies) are suited for full ROM without risk

In fact, some of the best mass-builders don’t use a full ROM at all.

2. Real-Life Examples That Prove the Point

Let’s look at reality—not just lab theories:

Calves:
Heavy individuals often have massive calves without ever doing a calf raise, stretch, or contraction. They simply walk under load all day. Volume + tension wins.

Gymnasts:
Female gymnasts, despite low testosterone, have tree-trunk legs. But their training rarely involves deep squats or full-ROM lifts. It’s mostly explosive, partial-movement work.

Manual Laborers:
Mechanics and baseball players build dense forearms from repetitive motion—not full stretch and contraction protocols.

Powerlifters:
Huge legs from squatting to parallel. Massive traps from deadlifts—which involve no actual ROM for the traps. The muscle contracts isometrically under load.

Deadlifts, cleans, snatches—none of these “hall of fame” lifts train muscles through full ROM… and yet they build beasts.

3. Why Partial Reps May Be Safer (and Smarter)

For many exercises, going too deep under load can wreck your joints.

Examples:

• Dumbbell presses: Letting elbows dip below bench height risks shoulder damage.

• Dips: Dropping too far increases the chance of impingement.

• Leg presses: Excessive depth rounds your lower back and loads the spine dangerously.

Going too deep doesn’t mean you’re training harder—it could mean you’re heading for an injury.

4. Full ROM Doesn’t Always Equal Full Tension

Muscles grow under tension, not just motion.

Example: In many pressing movements, the triceps dominate the final lockout portion. If you're training for chest or shoulders, stopping short of lockout keeps more tension on the target muscles.

Lou Ferrigno, in Pumping Iron, famously used ¾ reps for military presses. He wasn’t being lazy—he was being intentional.

Also, in many exercises, the “fully contracted” position provides no resistance. Think about rows or pull-ups at the very top—muscle engagement often drops off.

5. Strategic Partial ROM: When and How to Use It

Here’s how to leverage partial reps smartly:

✅ Use partials when:

• You want to keep tension on the target muscle (e.g., pressing for chest, not triceps)

• You're training around joint issues (e.g., knees or shoulders)

• You're using heavy compound lifts where depth adds risk (e.g., leg press)

• The full ROM adds no benefit (e.g., trap-focused deadlifts)

⚠️ Don’t abuse partials:
They're not an excuse to ego-lift or cheat reps. Use them with intent, not laziness.

Conclusion: Stop Following ROM Rules Blindly

Full range of motion can be useful—but it’s not a universal law. In many cases, partial reps:

• Build more tension

• Reduce injury risk

• Target muscles more directly

If you’ve been stuck believing full ROM is the gold standard for every lift, it might be time to break that mold.

Try This:
Next chest day, stop your presses 2 inches before lockout for 3 sets. Notice the pump and reduced triceps dominance.