WIXLIB

hToday’sof anstsinco7TFSdnappacrggoDeliked eH.iascfalescumelongate theuesiqnchteethlyppancauoywohdwork an.thwroglescumnworuoyergto superchasniagson, PhD, LAcBy Scott W. Steven n Demetriou and Steve Namat?NOVEMBER CoPhotos of IFBB Pros, by Rick Schaffowntown), Tampa, FL(DmGyeusrhoweat Poemusclemag.comemusclemag.comemusclemag.com NOVEMBERNOVEMBER 227?

tretchsYou’veYrehearsed today’sworkout in yourhead all morninglong. How willthat first, telltalewarm-up set feel?Just the thoughtof those clangingplates whenyou’re squattinggets your palmsa little sweaty.Occasionally, youtest your arm,diagnosing the achyelbow that’s beengiving you troublefor a few weeks.When you finally arrive at the gym,ignited by the adrenaline that’s beenbuilding all day, you make a beeline forthe weights. Striding past the stretching area, you barely notice the yoga classslowly filling in as usual. Your mission today is clear, and very far from creating theslender, sleek and flexible physique likethe 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 powerfulphysique you’ve been working so hard for.Stretching Outside the BoxLet’s examine that notion and stretchoutside the box a bit, if you will. Whatif I told you that men who didn’t juststretch, but prioritized it in their training built some of the most impressivelymuscular and powerful physiques ofall time? Even six-time Mr. Olympia? NOVEMBER228NOVEMBER emusclemag.comemusclemag.comryosuclemugainsHolding the bottom positionof a dumbbell flye is one wayto aggressively stretch thepectorals with weights.Fascial Stretching: Who Says What?FST-7Parrillo SystemDC ExtremeExtra Pump Sets7 SetsNoneNoneThe StretchSelfStretchingDeep, partner-assistedWeighted(extreme)WhenBetween setsBetween sets/post-workoutPost-workoutFocus on the Pump Loading Under Stretch : means less emphasized; : means highly emphasizedDorian Yates, the alpha-male among theIFBB’s first generation of “mass monsters,” is shown stretching extensivelyin his training video, “Blood & Guts.”Tom Platz, creator of perhaps the mostimpressive set of legs of all time, emphasized stretching in his training and wasrenowned for squatting Olympic style— ass to the grass. (It’s also probablynot a coincidence that these men wereconsidered two of the hardest-trainingbodybuilders of all time.) Well-respected iron guru Vince Gironda emphasizedthat the maximum stretch portion wasthe most important part of an exercise’srange of motion.1While few would argue that workinga muscle through its full range of motionwill help it grow, some have taken thisnotion even further, arguing that aggres-

stretchsive stretching in and of itself may fostergreater muscle size. Ohio-based bodybuilding aficionado John Parrillo mayhave been the first to formalize stretching as a part of a hypertrophy (musclebuilding) regimen. In his training manual, Parrillo calls stretching the “forgottenexercise,” explaining that fascial connective tissue that encases muscle tissuemay in fact limit muscle growth, shapeand separation.2 (See “What Is MuscleFascia Why Should It Be Stretched?”on the right) Parrillo goes so far as to saythat stretching is even an effective solution for forcing unresponsive, stubbornmuscles to grow. He favors stretchingrepeatedly during a workout, betweensets, when the muscle is engorged withblood. Beyond enhancing muscle size,both Parrillo and Platz believe that bylimiting the inhibitory effects of whatare called the golgi tendon organs, aggressive stretching can even increasestrength per se.2, 3Stretching Their LimitsYou may have heard of two highly popular bodybuilding training programs today,ryosuclemugainsDoggcrapp Training (DC Training) andFST-7 (Fascia Stretch Training-Seven),which both use fascial stretch as a triggerfor muscle growth, though in substantially different ways. DC Training is anabbreviated, progressive overload-basedtraining system invented by Dante Trudeland made popular by 202 Mr. OlympiaDavid Henry and top NPC national contender Dusty Hanshaw. Trudel’s focuson fascia comes in the form of “ExtremeStretches,” performed by heavily loadingthe just-trained, pumped muscle group ina deep-stretch position, creating a fascialstretch greater than would otherwise bepossible and an excruciating build-up ofpainful metabolites like lactic acid. Trudelgives credit to Parrillo for initiating his interest in fascial stretching, and he weighsin heavily on the science, suggesting that“under various circumstances, a stretchedmuscle under load has produced hyperplasia [an increase in the number ofmuscle fibers], increased IGF-1, increasedMGF (two very potent growth factors),increased protein synthesis and increasedlong-term production of prostaglandin F2alpha, an anabolic stimulator of myofibergrowth.”4 Above all, Trudel cites two decades of real-world evidence in the formof 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 surroundsand interweaves itself throughout the skeletal muscle of the body. It transmitsforce to muscular tendons, gives muscles their individual shape and contours, anddefines the separation between muscles in a muscle group (e.g., between the fourquadriceps muscles on the front of the thigh). Although often attributed to theindividual fibers themselves (which are too small to see individually with the nakedeye), it’s actually the shape of muscle fascia that gives muscles the “striations” thatare visible in contest-lean bodybuilders.The fascia therefore can limit the size of the fiber growth in which they encapsulatethe 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 fostermuscle growth in and of itself (e.g., by triggering the local release of growth factors).20STRUCTURE OF A SKELETAL MUSCLEFasciclePerimysiumBoneMuscle FiberTendon? NOVEMBER230NOVEMBER emusclemag.comemusclemag.comEpimysiumEndomysiumThe muscle fascia (called the epi-,peri-, and endomysium) bundlesthe muscle fibers together andgives the muscle its characteristicthree-dimensional structure.Illustration by Molly BormanBlood Vessel

In the case of FST-7, successfullyemployed by IFBB pros Phil Heath andthree-time Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler, HanyRambod’s training paradigm includes afascial 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) setsto the normal training of each musclegroup, usually as a finishing move. Rambod’s goal is “to bring as much vitamins,minerals, amino acids, oxygen, etc. intothe muscle, and also [to] stretch thefascia surrounding it to help encouragemaximal muscle growth.”5mugainsLIGHT TO AGGRESSIVE STRETCHESQUADRICEPSstretchryosucleBICEPSGrab horizontal bar, palms down andsit down into stretch.OR? NOVEMBER232NOVEMBER emusclemag.comemusclemag.comGrab ankle and pull leg up and backtoward glutes.HAMSTRINGSPull arm across body, hand facing up.adductorsSeated “Indian style,” press kneesdown with your hands or graspankles and press down withforearms/elbows.CALVESEven if you’re not a DC Training fanaticor FST-7 advocate, there’s good reason to include aggressive stretching inyour weight-training approach. That is,of course, if you’d like to make greatergains in muscularity. However, howand when you stretch is important, depending on which approach you take tobodybuilding training.Like Parrillo, with FST-7 Rambod suggests aggressive stretching during a workout, between sets, when the muscles arepumped. Because these kinds of stretcheslimit blood flow and trap metabolites,muscle perfusion rebounds after thestretch, further enhancing the pump.6, 7, 8(If you doubt this, try it during your nexttraining session and you’ll quickly seewhat I mean.) Restricting blood flow inthis fashion may even have an ergogeniceffect, improving performance on the following set.9, 10 Typically, Rambod’s program finishes off its attack on a muscle’sthree-dimensional network of fascia with“seven sets” to maximally engorge themuscle. If you subscribe to the “volumetraining” principle of muscular overload(multiple sets of multiple exercises) togenerate hypertrophy, Rambod’s techniques are right down your alley.On the other hand, with DC Training,Trudel suggests extreme stretching onlyafter training a given muscle, and forgood reason: Extensive stretching mayadversely affect your performance inthe weight room, reducing the weightsGrasp vertical post, pronated withthumbs down. (Not pictured)deltoidsStretching forMuscularityWith a staggered stance, front forefoot pulled up (dorsiflexed), with an arched back,bring torso forward by bending at the hips.PECTORALSTRICEPSPlace hand behind head with elbowup, push down on elbow.Unilateral pec stretch with stable post.orStretch bilaterally: palms on doorframe,body falls forward. (Not pictured)Standing on block or step with onefoot or both, allow heel(s) to sink.LATISSIMUSDORSIHolding a stable post, pull lat intostretch at desired angle.emusclemag.comemusclemag.com NOVEMBERNOVEMBER 233?

stretchyou can handle.11 Because a DC-styleextreme stretch is heavily loaded withactual weights (see “Light to AggressiveStretches for Each Muscle Group” on p.232) and typically held as long as safelytolerable, the technique is often likenedto “stretch overload” models of muscleryosuclemugainsgrowth used in animal research. However, these protocols involve a stimulusapplied around the clock, a far cry fromeven a most impressive extreme stretchthat lasts 90 –120 seconds (which is lessthan 0.1% of a 24-hour day). More relevant research, performed with people,suggests that extreme stretching, as withDC training in general, literally kicks inthe front door of the muscle-growth department. Passive, light stretching, evenfor long periods, does little for proteinanabolism, and low-intensity isometriccontractions (in which a muscle doesn’tHEAVY/DEEP/BILATERALBICEPSPerform Light stretch with barhigher and/or sink down further.ORDeepen Light stretch by extendingarm 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) andperform the Light stretch (keepyour back arched).TRICEPSdeltoidsGrasp horizontal bar, palms up, andthen sit down (not shown) into stretch.LATISSIMUSDORSIDo Light stretch seated, with partner standing over you and manually assistingto deepen stretch.ORSquat 3–4 inches and grasp pole behind head. Stand up to deepen stretch. (Not pictured)? NOVEMBER234NOVEMBER HAMSTRINGSemusclemag.comemusclemag.comLat pulldown stretch at the top of therange of motion. (Not pictured)ORSupported T-bar stretch at bottom ofthe range of motion. (Not pictured)