Stretch Muscle Gains

5/26/2018 Stretch Muscle Gains

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??? NOVEMBER | emusclemag.com emusclemag.com | NOVEMBER

Todayshottestbodybuildingtrainingsystems

likeDoggcrappandFST-7consistofan

aggressivestretchingcomponentdesignedto

elongatethemusclefascia.Hereshowthey

workandhowyoucanapplythetechniques

tosuperchargeyourownmusclegrowth.

ByScottW. Stevenson, PhD, LAc

PhotosofIFBBProsConDemetriou

andSteveNamat

atPowerhouseGym(Downtown),T

ampa,FL,byRickSchaff

emusclemag.com | NOVEMBER


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??? NOVEMBER | emusclemag.com

Youverehearsed todaysworkout in yourhead all morninglong. How willthat first, telltalewarm-up set feel?Just the thought

of those clangingplates whenyoure squattinggets your palmsa little sweaty.Occasionally, youtest your arm,

diagnosing the achyelbow thats beengiving you troublefor a few weeks. When you finally arrive at the gym,

ignited by the adrenaline thats been

building all day, you make a beeline for

the weights. Striding past the stretch-

ing area, you barely notice the yoga class

slowly filling in as usual. Your mission to-

day is clear, and very far from creating theslender, sleek and flexible physique like

the yoga instructor you just passed by. Af-

ter all, its no secret that weight training,

not stretching, is the way dare you say

the only way to develop the powerful

physique youve been working so hard for.

STRETCHING OUTSIDE THE BOX

Lets examine that notion and stretch

outside the box a bit, if you will. What

if I told you that men who didnt just

stretch, but prioritized it in their train-

ing built some of the most impressively

muscular and powerful physiques of

all time? Even six-time Mr. Olympia

Dorian Yates, the alpha-male among the

IFBBs first generation of mass mon-

sters, is shown stretching extensively

in his training video, Blood & Guts.

Tom Platz, creator of perhaps the most

impressive set of legs of all time, empha-

sized stretching in his training and was

renowned for squatting Olympic style

ass to the grass. (Its also probably

not a coincidence that these men were

considered two of the hardest-training

bodybuilders of all time.) Well-respect-

ed iron guru Vince Gironda emphasized

that the maximum stretch portion was

the most important part of an exercises

range of motion.1

While few would argue that working

a muscle through its full range of motion

will help it grow, some have taken this

notion even further, arguing that aggres-

FASCIAL STRETCHING: WHO SAYS WHAT?FST-7 PARRILLO SYSTEM DC EXTREME

Extra Pump Sets 7 Sets None None

The Stretch SelfStretching

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

228 NOVEMBER | emusclemag.com

Holding the bottom positionof a dumbbell flye is one wayto aggressively stretch thepectorals with weights.


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sive stretching in and of itself may foster

greater muscle size. Ohio-based body-

building aficionado John Parrillo mayhave been the first to formalize stretch-

ing as a part of a hypertrophy (muscle-

building) regimen. In his training manu-

al, Parrillo calls stretching the forgotten

exercise, explaining that fascial con-

nective 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 solu-

tion 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, ag-

gressive stretching can even increase

strength per se.2, 3

STRETCHING THEIR LIMITS

You may have heard of two highly popu-

lar bodybuilding training programs today,

Doggcrapp Training (DC Training) and

FST-7 (Fascia Stretch Training-Seven),

which both use fascial stretch as a triggerfor muscle growth, though in substan-

tially 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 con-

tender Dusty Hanshaw. Trudels 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 in-

terest in fascial stretching, and he weighsin heavily on the science, suggesting that

under various circumstances, a stretched

muscle under load has produced hy-

perplasia [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.4Above all, Trudel cites two de-

cades of real-world evidence in the form

of thousands of feedback emails from cli-

ents hes 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), its 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 muscles 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). 20


The muscle fascia (called the epi-,

peri-, and endomysium) bundles

the muscle fibers together andgives the muscle its characteristic

three-dimensional structure.

STRUCTURE OF A SKELETAL MUSCLE

Bone

Perimysium

Blood Vessel

Muscle Fiber

Fascicle

EpimysiumTendon

Endomysium

Illustrationby

MollyBorman


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In the case of FST-7, successfully

employed by IFBB pros Phil Heath and

three-time Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler, Hany

Rambods training paradigm includes a

fascial stretch component within a more

traditional higher-volume bodybuild-

ing-style workout. FST-7 appends sev-

eral (typically seven) high-repetition,

short rest-interval (3045 seconds) sets

to the normal training of each muscle

group, usually as a finishing move. Ram-

bods 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

STRETCHING FOR

MUSCULARITY

Even if youre not a DC Training fanatic

or FST-7 advocate, theres good rea-

son to include aggressive stretching in

your weight-training approach. That is,

of course, if youd like to make greater

gains in muscularity. However, how

and when you stretch is important, de-

pending on which approach you take to

bodybuilding training.

Like Parrillo, with FST-7 Rambod sug-

gests aggressive stretching during a work-

out, 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 youll quickly see

what I mean.) Restricting blood flow in

this fashion may even have an ergogenic

effect, improving performance on the fol-lowing set.9 ,1 0 Typically, Rambods pro-

gram finishes off its attack on a muscles

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, Rambods tech-

niques 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

LIGHT TO AGGRESSIVE STRETCHES

DELTOIDS

QUADRICEPS

TRICEPS

HAMSTRINGS

LATISSIMUSDORSI

ADDUCTORS

Pull arm across body, hand facing up.

Place hand behind head with elbowup, push down on elbow.

Seated Indian style, press kneesdown with your hands or graspankles and press down withforearms/elbows.

232 NOVEMBER | emusclemag.com emusclemag.com | NOVEMBER

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

Grab ankle and pull leg up and backtoward glutes.

Grab horizontal bar, palms down and

sit down into stretch.

OR

Grasp vertical post, pronated withthumbs down. (Not pictured)

Holding a stable post, pull lat intostretch at desired angle.

CALVES

Standing on block or step with onefoot or both, allow heel(s) to sink.

Unilateral pec stretch with stable post.

OR

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

PECTORALS

BICEPS


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you can handle.11 Because a DC-style

extreme stretch is heavily loaded with

actual weights (see Light to AggressiveStretches 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

HEAVY/DEEP/BILATERAL

growth used in animal research. How-

ever, these protocols involve a stimulus

applied around the clock, a far cry fromeven a most impressive extreme stretch

that lasts 90120 seconds (which is less

than 0.1% of a 24-hour day). More rel-

evant research, performed with people,

suggests that extreme stretching, as with

DC training in general, literally kicks in

the front door of the muscle-growth de-partment. Passive, light stretching, even

for long periods, does little for protein

anabolism, and low-intensity isometric

contractions (in which a muscle doesnt

BICEPS

LATISSIMUSDORSI


Do Lightstretch seated, with partner standing over you and manually assistingto deepen stretch.

OR

Squat 34 inches and grasp pole behind head. Stand up to deepen stretch. (Not pictured)

TRICEPS Grasp horizontal bar, palms up, and

then sit down (not shown) into stretch.

DELTOIDS

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

OR

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

Perform Lightstretch with barhigher and/or sink down further.

OR

Deepen Light stretch by extendingarm back like a pec stretch, and roll

elbow under to point at the floor(pronating hand). (Not pictured)

HAMSTRINGSPlace foot on waist-high surface(or higher if you can) andperform the Lightstretch (keepyour back arched).


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HEAVY/DEEP/BILATERAL

actually shorten, such as pushing against

a building) only modestly elevate protein

synthesis.12 Extreme stretches, on the

other hand, require heavy isometric ex-

ertion in a deep-stretch position. Inter-estingly, research published after Trudel

first introduced DC training to the body-

building community demonstrates iso-

metric training at 60% of maximal effort

totaling two minutes per session (nearly

identical to Trudels prescription) pro-

duces impressive muscle growth.13 Ad-

ditionally, extreme stretching occludes

blood flow (evidenced by searing pain),

which potentiates the stimulus of re-

sistance exercise to produce hypertro-

phy 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


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 ifstretching hamstrings. (Not pictured)

ADDUCTORS

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.

QUA

DRICEPS

Hold dumbbells and performLightstretch.

CALV

ES

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


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is your priority and youre 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.

LOADED/EXTREME/UNILATERAL

emusclemag.com | NOVEMBER 2

Weighted pec-deck stretch; unilateral to focus stretch.

OR

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

PECTORALS

Unilateral lat pulldown stretch: Anglearm overhead and add weight as desired.

OR

Hang in pull-up position with loadeddip belt for added weight (use strapsif needed). (Not pictured)

LATISSIMUSDORSI

Deep stretch (with safe back position) at bottom of range of motion for astiff-legged deadlift. Not much load is needed here ( no more than 135 poundsfor most trainees).

HAMSTRINGS

Stretch at bottom of overhead dumbbelltriceps extension.

TRICEPS

Place front of one ankle on pad (t hepulldown thigh pad), squat down anddrive hips forward.

QUADRICEPS

Unilateral handcuff stretch. Using aD-handle and your arm behind yourback, the cable pulls hand (palm facingaway from body) toward oppositeshoulder blade.

BICEPS

Squat deeply into a sideways lunge tostretch one adductor at a time.

OR

Place foot on waist-high surface to your side

and sink sideways as with stretch above.(Not pictured)

ADDUCTORS

Calf stretch on standing or seated calfmachine at bottom of range of motion

CALVES

DELTOIDS

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


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STRETCHING FOR MUSCLE GROWTH: ADDED NOTESMove into stretches slowly, without bouncing, especially when doingweighted DC-style stretches.

Use a spotterfor weighted stretches and stay in constant communicationif your partner is assisting with your stretches. Have a safe out of everyweighted stretch, including a partner to take over.

Terminate any stretchesthat cause joint or tendon pain or aggravate (or

cause) injury.

Stretch intuitively:Find the particular stretch variation to target the intendedmuscle. Slight changes in joint angle and rotation can make or break a successfulstretch. 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 withoutfocusing 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, activelycontract the stretched muscle for 510 seconds, but without actually shortening

the muscle (a partner can assist with these) and then further relax into a deeperstretch.16Perform at least 23 contract-relax PNF cycles during each stretch.

Stretch immediately after training a muscle group, when the muscles

volume is maximized via the muscle pump and the fascia is most expanded.

Maintain fascial restructuringwith regular light stretching during the week,even on non-training days.

Find a qualified massage therapistwho specializes in deep muscular fascialrelease. The poor mans solution: Perform self-fascial release with a foam roller.

Check online for specific detailson John Parrillos training prescriptions(www.parillo.com), Hany Rambods FST-7 (www.fst-7.com) and DanteTrudels DC Training (www.intensemuscle.com).

STRETCHING: THE TRUTH

Direct studies examining how stretching

can enhance gains from weight trainingare lacking, but there are good reasons to

believe fascial stretching, within a work-

out and/or after weight training, can be

beneficial. See Fascial Stretching: Who

Says What? on p. 228 for a comparative

breakdown of Rambods (FST-7), Tru-

dels (DC extreme stretches) and Par-

rillos stretching prescriptions. Volume-

oriented trainees would be best served

by Rambods or Parrillos approaches,

whereas strength fanatics might first train

heavy and then stretch heavy with an ex-

treme-stretch protocol. Either way, if you

thought stretching was for lightweights,

its 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, licensedacupuncturist and competitive bodybuilder residing in Tucson,

AZ. He can be reached via www.ScottStevensonPhD.com.

References1. 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.

BONUS POINTS

To maximize hydrationand yourpump, consume plenty of waterbefore training and add glycerol(about 0.4 milliliters/pound or34 ounces for a 200-pound

bodybuilder) to your pre- andintra-workout regimen.17

A pinch or two of salt, especiallyif your habitual sodium intake is

low (but your blood pressure is

normal) taken with water 1530minutes before training will help

with thirst, vascularity and plasmavolume. In particular, I prefer seasalt, which contains a multitude of

electrolytes in addition to sodium.

Also consumea carbohydrate/protein drink (about 3:1 ratio)before and during training to keep

muscles full, glycogen levels highand enhance protein synthesis.19

Use nitric-oxidesupplementsjudiciously. Increasing NO

production may increase bloodflow to the trained muscle, but

it could also improve metaboliteclearance and prematurelyterminate your pump.


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 isnt acomponent thats

overlooked byserious bodybuilders.

While commonstretches are

relatively pain free,aggressive stretching

can actually bequite painful.

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Stretch Muscle Gains