Partials and tall people

[stanli]

I was reading an article on tall people when I came across this paragraph:

"Use partials: There's a difference between us tall guys and the fool that thinks his partial with 405 on the bar in the squat rack is impressive. We're doing it for a reason. Find where you stick on a movement, say the bottom of the squat, and perform partials at that specific sticking point. Want a bigger VMO? Just load up the bar and do partials on the top of the squat. Want to improve your bench lockout and the long head of your triceps? Do partial dips."

Interesting... I'm on Starting Strength, and I know we all value going through the full ROM and not cheating on form, but this does make some sense to me. Although my other lifts have been ok, I prided myself in my squat. I weigh 130 lbs right now, went from 3x5 95 lb squats to 180 lb squats before I started to suspect I wasn't going to parallel on the last rep since about 165 lbs. So I went back down to 165 lbs and it's been real hard to go that one inch lower just to be technically parallel. My forward momentum and my confidence in my squat were dealt a heavy blow when I struggled to go down to parallel on all 15 of my 165 lb squats. I'm certain that my progress will continue like before if I just went back up to 180 lbs and ignored that last inch. What do you guys think?

[Sharkskin]

You would've most likely progressed, but at a slower rate.

In my opinion, that extra inch of ROM is gonna benefit you more in the long run.

[MaximusJuris]

Nowhere in that quoted paragraph does it say to do quarter squats because you're weaker doing parallel squats.

What the paragraph ACTUALLY says: "Find where you stick on a movement, say the bottom of the squat, and perform partials at that specific sticking point."

That means you would do partials at parallel... not at a quarter squat position.

[crupiea]

You will get back up there soon enough and then you will be doing them fully and not feeling like your cheating yourself.

If it is difficult at 165 you are still lifting and getting stronger so dont feel bad about a good workout.

In a few months you will have forgotten about this and will be worrying about 200.

[JBrook]

Are you really 5'11 and only 129lbs? Holy Crap.

[Dominik]

I was reading an article on tall people...

What do you guys think?

5'11" is not tall.

Here's what someone a foot taller looks like not making excuses.



Yes, at a more advanced level you can make a case for partials, but a lot of tall guys are just lazy. A lot of them walk around thinking they're "big" because of their height so they don't train as hard as the short asses in the gym who are busting their ass to make the most of what they've got.

[stanli]

I haven't measured my height in years, but I know I'm somewhere around 5'10" and 6'0", at 130 lbs, which makes me one of the tallest and skinniest asian dudes I know. As such, I was considering the article I found on T Nation, because my sticking point is precisely that line between a parallel squat and one inch above that. But just seein what you guys thought about the situation

[Dominik]

I haven't measured my height in years, but I know I'm somewhere around 5'10" and 6'0", at 130 lbs, which makes me one of the tallest and skinniest asian dudes I know. As such, I was considering the article I found on T Nation, because my sticking point is precisely that line between a parallel squat and one inch above that. But just seein what you guys thought about the situation

Take my word for it, at 5'11" 130lbs, partials aren't what's holding you back right now.

Focus on lifting with good form, adding weight and reps, do enough sets, work hard, consume enough calories and protein, and the results will come.

I've trained a few people over the years and time and time again the biggest barriers are a poor work ethic in the gym and a lack of discipline with diet. I see their mind quit way before their muscles will. And it frustrates the hell out of me that a skinny guy will get to a point where he's working hard in the gym, he's getting stronger, but then won't hold up his end of the bargain outside the gym with diet. It's a waste of my time.