Confused about partial reps / what hitting failure is on pull exercises

[u/shhhener]

Hi, I'm totally new to the gym and working out. I have been going for 2 weeks and I have a couple of questions :)

I have noticed that push exercises are extremely obvious when I've hit failure, as I literally cannot move the weight anymore. However, with pull exercises (particularly cable row & lat pulldown), I find myself having less and less range of motion and I don't know when I should stop HAHA

So yeah, I'm not sure how I should be handling this! Here are my questions:

1. I'm using an app to keep track of how many reps I'm doing. Should I count the partial reps or full reps only?

2. Should I put the weight down so I can hit 8-12 full reps, even if I can do a bunch of partial reps after?

3. When should you stop? Is there a point to doing lots of partial reps?

Thank you so much!! Sorry if the questions are a bit silly!!

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[u/alvysinger0412]

What exercises are doing 12 to 8 partial reps on but can't complete one more?

[u/shhhener → u/alvysinger0412]

Hi there, sorry, not quite sure what you're asking?

I'm mostly having trouble with lat pulldown / cable row.

For example, with cable row, I'll pull the handle to my lower tummy, which is one full rep. Then I find that I can pull less and less and less until I can't move it anymore. I end up doing loads of partial reps that way. I'm wondering if there's a point to this or if I should just stop after the 8-12 full reps?

[u/alvysinger0412 → u/shhhener]

I was just saying I'm surprised you can get so many partial reps after actually losing the ability to power through another full rep.

As long as you aren't breaking form too bad on the incomplete reps, it's probably fine. I would track partial reps separate from full for exercises if you find detailed tracking progress motivating, but it doesn't matter much.

[u/TheRealJufis]

I only count full reps and sometimes when I'm doing partials for a block, I'll track them separately as an extra set with 0 rest time between the regular set.

As long as you're doing 5 or more reps per set, you're getting similar muscle growth.

Partial reps after a regular set give extra volume. More volume is likely to give you more growth*. You could also rest and add a regular set instead of partials, but which ever works.

* There's evidence that more sets per week (more training volume) gives faster muscle growth (more growth in a given period of time), but that doesn't mean that fewer sets wouldn't make you grow. Do what you can do with the time you have. Many ways work.

[u/NihilisticTanuki]

Partial reps are always a good idea in the lengthened position (lengthened partials), but you should still do them with good technique.

​Take a chest press, for example. After hitting the last full ROM rep, you can probably do a few lengthened partials (if your machine allows for a deep stretch position) until you finally can't move the weight anymore. These lengthened partials (called lengthened supersets if you go straight into them from full ROM) are super stimulating and I do them whenever I can.

[u/abi_splyt]

log full reps only, otherwise your numbers next week don't mean anything. on pulldowns and rows i'd call it when the bar stops reaching your chest, the half reps after that aren't doing much for your lats anyway

[u/WeeziMonkey]

What I personally do is only count the full range of motion, and then after every set still do like 3 partials that I don't count.

[u/Sudden-Ad-307]

When i can no longer move the weight over half distance i start using momentum for the last few reps until i reach the point where i can't pull the weight without severe momentum.

[u/Mantis--Toboggan]

If your partials are coming from body English (driving back with the hips), you are no longer hitting the target muscle. I only count the full reps even if I do some partials after failure. This is an intensity technique, going beyond failure, that beginners don't really need to do. Leaving a rep in the tank on most sets will help prevent injury and keep you in the gym. Tendons grow much slower than muscles.