Stretch Muscle Gains - Stevenson

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You’ve rehearsed today’s workout in your head all morning long. How will that first, telltale warm-up set feel? Just the thought of those clanging plates when you’re squatting gets your palms a little sweaty. Occasionally you

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You’ve rehearsed today’s workout in your head all morning long. How will that first, telltale warm-up set feel? Just the thought of those clanging plates when you’re squatting gets your palms a little sweaty. Occasionally, you test your arm, diagnosing the achy elbow that’s been giving you trouble for a few weeks. When you finally arrive at the gym, ignited by the adrenaline that’s been building all day, you make a beeline for the weights. Striding past the stretching area, you barely notice the yoga class slowly filling in as usual. Your mission today is clear, and very far from creating the slender, sleek and flexible physique like the yoga instructor you just passed by. After all, it’s no secret that weight training, not stretching, is the way — dare you say — the only way to develop the powerful physique you’ve been working so hard for. STRETCHING OUTSIDE THE BOX

Let’s examine that notion and stretch outside the box a bit, if you will. What if I told you that men who didn’t just stretch, but prioritized it in their training built some of the most impressively muscular and powerful physiques of all time? Even six-time Mr. Olympia ??? NOVEMBER 228 NOVEMBER ||

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Holding the bottom position of a dumbbell flye is one way to aggressively stretch the pectorals with weights.

FASCIAL STRETCHING: WHO SAYS WHAT? FST-7

PARRILLO SYSTEM

DC EXTREME

Extra Pump Sets

7 Sets

None

None

The Stretch

Self Stretching

Deep, partner-assisted

Weighted (extreme)

When

Between sets

Between sets/ post-workout

Post-workout

Focus on the Pump

+++++

+++++

+++

Loading Under Stretch

++

++++

+++++

+: means less emphasized; +++++: means highly emphasized

Dorian Yates, the alpha-male among the considered two of the hardest-training IFBB’s first generation of “mass mon- bodybuilders of all time.) Well-respectsters,” is shown stretching extensively ed iron guru Vince Gironda emphasized in his training video, “Blood & Guts.” that the maximum stretch portion was Tom Platz, creator of perhaps the most the most important part of an exercise’s impressive set of legs of all time, empha- range of motion.1 sized stretching in his training and was While few would argue that working renowned for squatting Olympic style a muscle through its full range of motion — ass to the grass. (It’s also probably will help it grow, some have taken this not a coincidence that these men were notion even further, arguing that aggres-

sive stretching in and of itself may foster greater muscle size. Ohio-based body building aficionado John Parrillo may have been the first to formalize stretching as a part of a hypertrophy (muscle building) regimen. In his training manual, Parrillo calls stretching the “forgotten exercise,” explaining that fascial connective tissue that encases muscle tissue may in fact limit muscle growth, shape and separation.2 (See “What Is Muscle Fascia + Why Should It Be Stretched?” on the right) Parrillo goes so far as to say that stretching is even an effective solution for forcing unresponsive, stubborn muscles to grow. He favors stretching repeatedly during a workout, between sets, when the muscle is engorged with blood. Beyond enhancing muscle size, both Parrillo and Platz believe that by limiting the inhibitory effects of what are called the golgi tendon organs, aggressive stretching can even increase strength per se.2, 3 STRETCHING THEIR LIMITS

You may have heard of two highly popular bodybuilding training programs today,

Doggcrapp Training (DC Training) and FST-7 (Fascia Stretch Training-Seven), which both use fascial stretch as a trigger for muscle growth, though in substantially different ways. DC Training is an abbreviated, progressive overload-based training system invented by Dante Trudel and made popular by 202 Mr. Olympia David Henry and top NPC national contender Dusty Hanshaw. Trudel’s focus on fascia comes in the form of “Extreme Stretches,” performed by heavily loading the just-trained, pumped muscle group in a deep-stretch position, creating a fascial stretch greater than would otherwise be possible and an excruciating build-up of

painful metabolites like lactic acid. Trudel gives credit to Parrillo for initiating his interest in fascial stretching, and he weighs in heavily on the science, suggesting that “under various circumstances, a stretched muscle under load has produced hyperplasia [an increase in the number of muscle fibers], increased IGF-1, increased MGF (two very potent growth factors), increased protein synthesis and increased long-term production of prostaglandin F2 alpha, an anabolic stimulator of myofiber growth.”4 Above all, Trudel cites two decades of real-world evidence in the form of thousands of feedback emails from clients he’s trained with this method.

WHAT IS MUSCLE FASCIA + WHY SHOULD IT BE STRETCHED? Muscle fascia is the dense, fibrous network of connective tissue that surrounds and interweaves itself throughout the skeletal muscle of the body. It transmits force to muscular tendons, gives muscles their individual shape and contours, and defines the separation between muscles in a muscle group (e.g., between the four quadriceps muscles on the front of the thigh). Although often attributed to the individual fibers themselves (which are too small to see individually with the naked eye), it’s actually the shape of muscle fascia that gives muscles the “striations” that are visible in contest-lean bodybuilders. The fascia therefore can limit the size of the fiber growth in which they encapsulate the muscle fibers. Aggressive stretching of the muscle fascia may remove the physical, compressive limits placed on a muscle’s size (giving it room to grow), as well as foster muscle growth in and of itself (e.g., by triggering the local release of growth factors). 20

STRUCTURE OF A SKELETAL MUSCLE

Fascicle Perimysium

Bone

Muscle Fiber

Blood Vessel

Epimysium Tendon

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Endomysium

The muscle fascia (called the epi-, peri-, and endomysium) bundles the muscle fibers together and gives the muscle its characteristic three-dimensional structure.

n a m r o B y l l o M y b n o i t a r t s u l l I

LIGHT TO AGGRESSIVE STRETCHES In the case of FST-7, successfully employed by IFBB pros Phil Heath and three-time Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler, Hany Rambod’s training paradigm includes a fascial stretch component within a more “traditional” higher-volume bodybuilding-style workout. FST-7 appends several (typically seven) high-repetition, short rest-interval (30–45 seconds) sets to the normal training of each muscle group, usually as a finishing move. Ram bod’s goal is “to bring as much vitamins, minerals, amino acids, oxygen, etc. into the muscle, and also [to] stretch the fascia surrounding it to help encourage maximal muscle growth.”5

S P E C I R D A U Q

BICEPS Grab horizontal bar, palms down and sit down into stretch. OR

STRETCHING FOR MUSCULARITY

Even if you’re not a DC Training fanatic or FST-7 advocate, there’s good reason to include aggressive stretching in your weight-training approach. That is, of course, if you’d like to make greater gains in muscularity. However, how and when you stretch is important, depending on which approach you take to bodybuilding training. Like Parrillo, with FST-7 Rambod suggests aggressive stretching during a workout, between sets, when the muscles are pumped. Because these kinds of stretches limit blood flow and trap metabolites, muscle perfusion rebounds after the stretch, further enhancing the pump. 6,7,8 (If you doubt this, try it during your next training session and you’ll quickly see what I mean.) Restricting blood flow in this fashion may even have an ergogenic effect, improving performance on the following set.9,10 Typically, Rambod’s program finishes off its attack on a muscle’s three-dimensional network of fascia with “seven sets” to maximally engorge the muscle. If you subscribe to the “volume training” principle of muscular overload (multiple sets of multiple exercises) to generate hypertrophy, Rambod’s techniques are right down your alley. On the other hand, with DC Training, Trudel suggests extreme stretching only after training a given muscle, and for good reason: Extensive stretching may adversely affect your performance in the weight room, reducing the weights ??? NOVEMBER 232 NOVEMBER ||

Grasp vertical post, pronated with thumbs down. (Not pictured)

Grab ankle and pull leg up and back toward glutes.

S D I O T L E D

HAMSTRINGS

Pull arm across body, hand facing up.

With a staggered stance, front forefoot pulled up (dorsiflexed), with an arched back, bring torso forward by bending at the hips.

PECTORALS

ADDUCTORS Seated “Indian style,” press knees down with your hands or grasp ankles and press down with forearms/elbows.

OR

LATISSIMUS DORSI

Stretch bilaterally: palms on doorframe, body falls forward. (Not pictured)

Holding a stable post, pull lat into stretch at desired angle.

Unilateral pec stretch with stable post.

TRICEPS Place hand behind head with elbow up, push down on elbow.


you can handle.11 Because a DC-style extreme stretch is heavily loaded with actual weights (see “Light to Aggressive Stretches for Each Muscle Group” on p. 232) and typically held as long as safely tolerable, the technique is often likened to “stretch overload” models of muscle

S E V L A C Standing on block or step with one foot or both, allow heel(s) to sink.


growth used in animal research. However, these protocols involve a stimulus applied around the clock, a far cry from even a most impressive extreme stretch that lasts 90–120 seconds (which is less than 0.1% of a 24-hour day). More relevant research, performed with people,

suggests that extreme stretching, as with DC training in general, literally kicks in the front door of the muscle-growth department. Passive, light stretching, even for long periods, does little for protein anabolism, and low-intensity isometric contractions (in which a muscle doesn’t

HEAVY/DEEP/BILATERAL

BICEPS Perform Light stretch with bar

you can handle.11 Because a DC-style extreme stretch is heavily loaded with actual weights (see “Light to Aggressive Stretches for Each Muscle Group” on p. 232) and typically held as long as safely tolerable, the technique is often likened to “stretch overload” models of muscle

growth used in animal research. However, these protocols involve a stimulus applied around the clock, a far cry from even a most impressive extreme stretch that lasts 90–120 seconds (which is less than 0.1% of a 24-hour day). More relevant research, performed with people,

suggests that extreme stretching, as with DC training in general, literally kicks in the front door of the muscle-growth department. Passive, light stretching, even for long periods, does little for protein anabolism, and low-intensity isometric contractions (in which a muscle doesn’t


BICEPS Perform Light stretch with bar higher and /or sink down further. OR

Deepen Light stretch by extending arm back like a pec stretch, and “roll” elbow under to point at the floor (pronating hand). (Not pictured)

Place foot on waist-high surface (or higher if you can) and perform the Light stretch (keep your back arched).

DELTOIDS

S P E C I R T

Grasp horizontal bar, palms up, and then sit down (not shown) into stretch.

LATISSIMUS DORSI

Do Light stretch seated, with partner standing over you and manually assisting to deepen stretch. OR

Squat 3–4 inches and grasp pole behind head. Stand up to deepen stretch. (Not pictured)


HAMSTRINGS


Lat pulldown stretch at the top of the range of motion. (Not pictured) OR

Supported T-bar stretch at bottom of the range of motion. (Not pictured)


ADDUCTORS Spread legs and do “the splits,” supporting yourself with hands on a bench or the floor. OR

At the most abducted position of the adductor machine, lean forward as if stretching hamstrings. (Not pictured)

S P E C I R D A U Q

S E V L A C

Squatting underneath a waist-high Smith or secured barbell (like doing the limbo), hold the bar to support yourself and let your knees fall forward over your feet.

Hold dumbbells and perform Light stretch.

actually shorten, such as pushing against a building) only modestly elevate protein synthesis.12 Extreme stretches, on the other hand, require heavy isometric exertion in a deep-stretch position. Interestingly, research published after Trudel first introduced DC training to the body building community demonstrates isometric training at 60% of maximal effort totaling two minutes per session (nearly identical to Trudel’s prescription) produces impressive muscle growth.13 Additionally, extreme stretching occludes blood flow (evidenced by searing pain), which potentiates the stimulus of resistance exercise to produce hypertrophy and release growth hormone. 6, 7, 14, 15 Thus, if your training style is progressive overload-oriented like DC, where adding reps and/or weight day in and day out ??? NOVEMBER 236 NOVEMBER ||


PECTORALS Partner pulls arms back (at hands) to stretch pecs.

LOADED/EXTREME/UNILATERAL is your priority and you’re a glutton for punishment, this kind of post-training stretching will probably suit you well. Whereas the “seven sets” of FST-7 could be likened to spreading the icing on your workout cake, extreme stretching is like pouring a bucket of the sweet stuff on top of your confection — it may not look pretty, but it makes for tasty results.

Seated, reclining on incline bench, hold dumbbells at bottom of curl position, hands supinated.

BICEPS

PECTORALS Weighted pec-deck stretch; unilateral to focus stretch. OR

Flat, incline or decline dumbbell flye stretch; hold in the bottom position. (See page 228)

QUADRICEPS

I S R O D S U M I S S I T A L

Place front of one ankle on pad (t he pulldown thigh pad), squat down and drive hips forward.

S D I O T L E D Unilateral handcuff stretch. Using a D-handle and your arm behind your back, the cable pulls hand (palm facing away from body) toward opposite shoulder blade.

Unilateral lat pulldown stretch: Angle arm overhead and add weight as desired. OR

Squat deeply into a sideways lunge to stretch one adductor at a time.

Hang in pull-up position with loaded dip belt for added weight (use straps if needed). (Not pictured)

OR

Place foot on waist-high surface to your side and sink sideways as with stretch above. (Not pictured)

ADDUCTORS

S P E C I R HAMSTRINGS T Deep stretch (with safe back position) at bottom of range of motion for a Stretch at bottom of overhead dumbbell triceps extension.


stiff-legged deadlift. Not much load is needed here ( no more than 135 pounds for most trainees).


S E V L A C Calf stretch on standing or seated calf machine at bottom of range of motion.


STRETCHING: THE TRUTH

Direct studies examining how stretching can enhance gains from weight training are lacking, but there are good reasons to believe fascial stretching, within a workout and/or after weight training, can be beneficial. See “Fascial Stretching: Who Says What?” on p. 228 for a comparative breakdown of Rambod’s (FST-7), Trudel’s (DC extreme stretches) and Parrillo’s stretching prescriptions. Volumeoriented trainees would be best served by Rambod’s or Parrillo’s approaches, whereas strength fanatics might first train heavy and then stretch heavy with an extreme-stretch protocol. Either way, if you thought stretching was for lightweights, it’s time you paid closer attention to what the top bodybuilders are doing to advance staggering degrees of muscle growth. Scott W. Stevenson, PhD, LAc, is an exercise physiologist, licensed acupuncturist and competitive bodybuilder residing in Tucson, AZ. He can be reached via www.ScottStevensonPhD.com. References

Stretching isn’t a component that’s overlooked by serious bodybuilders. While common stretches are relatively pain free, aggressive stretching can actually be quite painful. 4. D. Trudel. Interview regarding DC Training. June 2010. (Personal Communication) 5. H. Rambod. 2008. What is FST-7? http://www.fst-7.com/. 6.1.10. 6. K. K. McCully. Adv Exp Med Biol, 2010. 662: p. 317. 7. T. Sadamoto, et al. Eur J Appl Physiol Occup Physiol, 1983.

11. E. C. Rubini, et al. Sports Med, 2007. 37(3): p. 213. 12. J. R. Fowles, et al. Can J Appl Physiol, 2000. 25(3): p. 165. 13. H. Kanehisa, et al. Eur J Appl Physiol, 2002. 87(2): p. 112. 14. Y. Takarada, et al. Eur J Appl Physiol, 2002. 86(4): p. 308. 15. Y. Takarada, et al. Jpn J Physiol, 2004. 54(6): p. 585.

STRETCHING: THE TRUTH

Direct studies examining how stretching can enhance gains from weight training are lacking, but there are good reasons to believe fascial stretching, within a workout and/or after weight training, can be beneficial. See “Fascial Stretching: Who Says What?” on p. 228 for a comparative breakdown of Rambod’s (FST-7), Trudel’s (DC extreme stretches) and Parrillo’s stretching prescriptions. Volumeoriented trainees would be best served by Rambod’s or Parrillo’s approaches, whereas strength fanatics might first train heavy and then stretch heavy with an extreme-stretch protocol. Either way, if you thought stretching was for lightweights, it’s time you paid closer attention to what the top bodybuilders are doing to advance staggering degrees of muscle growth. Scott W. Stevenson, PhD, LAc, is an exercise physiologist, licensed acupuncturist and competitive bodybuilder residing in Tucson, AZ. He can be reached via www.ScottStevensonPhD.com. References 1. V. Gironda. 2010. www.ironguru.com. 6.15.10. 2. J. Parrillo. Parrillo Performance Training Manual. 2004. Parrillo Performance: Fairfield, OH. 3. T. Platz. 2010. 2008 Back Day DVD. http://www.youtube. com/watch?v=sopwNW1aTQA. 6.15.10.

Stretching isn’t a component that’s overlooked by serious bodybuilders. While common stretches are relatively pain free, aggressive stretching can actually be quite painful. 4. D. Trudel. Interview regarding DC Training. June 2010. (Personal Communication) 5. H. Rambod. 2008. What is FST-7? http://www.fst-7.com/. 6.1.10. 6. K. K. McCully. Adv Exp Med Biol, 2010. 662: p. 317. 7. T. Sadamoto, et al. Eur J Appl Physiol Occup Physiol, 1983. 51(3): p. 395. 8. T. Osada, et al. J Physiol Anthropol Appl Human Sci, 2003. 22(6): p. 299. 9. J. R. Libonati, et al. J Strength Cond Res, 2001. 15(3): p. 362. 10. J. R. Libonati, et al. Cardiologia, 1998. 43(12): p. 1355.

11. E. C. Rubini, et al. Sports Med, 2007. 37(3): p. 213. 12. J. R. Fowles, et al. Can J Appl Physiol, 2000. 25(3): p. 165. 13. H. Kanehisa, et al. Eur J Appl Physiol, 2002. 87(2): p. 112. 14. Y. Takarada, et al. Eur J Appl Physiol, 2002. 86(4): p. 308. 15. Y. Takarada, et al. Jpn J Physiol, 2004. 54(6): p. 585. 16. J. B. Feland and H. N. Marin. Br J Sports Med, 2004. 38(4): p. E18. 17. D. R. Wagner. J Am Diet Assoc, 1999. 99(2): p. 207. 18. N. S. Stachenfeld. Curr Sports Med Rep, 2008. 7(4 Suppl): p. S7. 19. C. Kerksick, et al. J Int Soc Sports Nutr, 2008. 5: p. 17. 20. G. Goldspink. J Anat, 1999. 194 (Pt 3): p. 323.

STRETCHING FOR MUSCLE GROWTH: ADDED NOTES Move into stretches slowly, without bouncing, especially when doing weighted DC-style stretches. Use a spotter for weighted stretches and stay in constant communication if your partner is a ssisting with your stretches. Have a safe “out” of every weighted stretch, including a partner to take over. Terminate any stretches that cause joint or tendon pain or aggravate (or cause) injury. Stretch “intuitively”: Find the particular stretch variation to target the intended muscle. Slight changes in joint angle and rotation can make or break a successful stretch. Also, note that fascial stretching intends to stretch fascia, rather than improve flexibility. For example, impressive lower back flexibility might allow you to place your palms flat on the floor while standing with straight knees without focusing the stretch on your hamstrings (where you intend it). An effective fascial stretch might not look impressive to the casual onlooker. Employ contract-relax style PNF (proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation) to deepen a stubborn stretch: After reaching a stretched position, actively contract the stretched muscle for 5–10 seconds, but without actually shortening the muscle (a partner can assist with these) and then further relax into a deeper stretch.16 Perform at least 2–3 contract-relax PNF cycles during each stretch. Stretch immediately after training a muscle group, when the muscle’s volume is maximized via the muscle pump and the fascia is most expanded. Maintain fascial restructuring with regular light stretching during the week, even on non-training days. Find a qualified massage therapist who specializes in deep muscular fascial release. The poor man’s solution: Perform self-fascial release with a foam roller. Check online for specific details on John Parrillo’s training prescriptions (www.parillo.com), Hany Rambod’s FST-7 (www.fst-7.com) and Dante Trudel’s DC Training (www.intensemuscle.com). ??? NOVEMBER 240 NOVEMBER | |


BONUS POINTS

• To maximize hydration and your pump, consume plenty of water before training and add glycerol (about 0.4 milliliters/pound or 3–4 ounces for a 200-pound bodybuilder) to your pre- and intra-workout regimen.17

• A pinch or two of salt, especially

if your habitual sodium intake is low (but your blood pressure is normal) taken with water 15–30 minutes before training will help with thirst, vascularity and plasma volume. In particular, I prefer sea salt, which contains a multitude of electrolytes in addition to sodium.

• Also consume a carbohydrate/

protein drink (about 3:1 ratio) before and during training to keep muscles full, glycogen levels high and enhance protein synthesis.19

• Use nitric-oxide supplements

judicious ly. Increasing NO production may increase blood flow to the trained muscle, but it could also improve metabolite clearance and prematurely terminate your pump.

Stretch Muscle Gains - Stevenson

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