The Benefits of Strength Training Beyond Simply Getting Stronger: Installment #3

There are a lot of misconceptions out there regarding strength training. The first being that building strength should be the primary focus of all physical fitness & rehabilitation programs. Although strength is one extremely valuable trait to develop, there are so many other traits worth addressing to improve overall health, fitness, & function of the human body which often go overlooked.

In ‘Installment #3’ of this series, let’s discuss…

Range of Motion

Now, before we go on, it’s important to realize that range of motion can be further broken down into different categories. Today we’ll discuss joint mobility and muscular flexibility. Every exercise will address both to a degree but certain exercises bias one more than another depending on your body’s unique design.

Following a thorough evaluation, you’ll be able to better understand your needs to select the most relevant exercises to achieve your desired outcome. Possessing more range of motion doesn’t necessarily always lead to better results from a training & injury recovery standpoint. Rather, having enough range of motion to complete important activities/tasks without overloading your muscles & joints and causing injury is preferred.

Within a strength training workout, you can add exercises/drills to address your range of motion anywhere. Whether it be to prepare for the workout in the dynamic warm-up, during or between the main sets, or to unwind in the cool down. There are certainly situations where timing is important. But for sake of simplicity, figure out what works best for you and get started.

Based on the Functional Range Conditioning courses, I really like CARs, or Controlled Articular Rotations, to teach the body how to move through the ranges of motion it has immediate access to. As opposed to adding more range of motion, our first step should always be to preserve what we have since the active demands of our lifestyle tends to decrease as we get older which can lead to tightness. These drills can be impactful first thing in the morning or as a warm-up to prepare for your strength training workout.

Four of my favorite CARs that I commonly prescribe to my clients, include:

Hip CARs

Shoulder CARs

Spine CARs

Neck CARs

Like I mentioned, these aren’t necessarily aimed at opening up more range of motion but greasing the motion we already have. If increasing range of motion is a goal of yours, PAILs/RAILs directly addresses the muscle, joint, joint capsule, and nervous system to provide a huge bang for your buck.

PAILs stands for Progressive Angular Isometric Loading and RAILs stands for Regressive Angular Isometric Loading. This is simply a muscular contraction on either side of the joint you are intending to open up for a specific duration of time. People often fall victim to simply holding static stretches when more results can be achieved by taking a more active approach to expand range of motion and teach the brain/nervous system what it has access to.

Some common areas people are tight where PAILs/RAILs can be effective are…

Great Toe Extension - PAILs/RAILs

Hip External Rotation - PAILs/RAILs

Hip Extension - PAILs/RAILs

Shoulder Internal Rotation - PAILs/RAILs

Depending on your training program and intent, PAILs/RAILs can fit within the warm-up to open up restricted ranges or completed as a strength exercise a with higher level of intensity. Yes, you are aiming to increase range of motion but also building strength with the contractile component.

During the main sets, selecting exercises which move you through a larger range can be effective while also building strength. Tight groin/adductors? Try the lateral squat! Tight hamstrings? How about the Romanian Deadlift! Tight shoulders/lats? Consider the Pike Push-Up.

Performing exercises that move the muscles/joints more to their end-range can help improve range of motion. Depending on the area you want to address, there are no shortage of options to bias that particular area. You’ll naturally feel the demand of the strengthening aspect with a degree of stretch involved on each repetition.

Here are three strength training recommendations that can push your range of motion…

Lateral Squat

Romanian Deadlift

Pike Push-Up

Each of these exercises strengthen key areas while moving the joint and surrounding muscles more towards their end-range of motion. Of course, when loading these exercises AND challenging an area where you’re tight, you have to listen to your body to respect how far you can push without going too far.

Maybe weakness or a lack of stability is driving your tightness since the body is not confident moving into that position… That’s where a smart strength training approach can create a plethora of benefits.

Do you suffer from tight muscles and joints and want to create a smart strength training program that helps you move more closely to your health & fitness goals? If so, you can likely accomplish both at the SAME time with the right approach. Stop wasting time and learn more about in-person (Portage, Michigan) or online training options and let’s get to work!