With a Positions of Flexion protocol you train each target
b o d y p a rt in three positions—midrange, contracted and
s t retch—to complete the full-range chain. Each of those
positions has a specific purpose, as follows:
M i d r a n g e :Stimulates the bulk of the muscle fibers with
s y n e rg y, or muscle teamwork. When a number of muscles
work together—such as the chest, triceps and deltoids during
ben ch p re ss es— th e targ et (c he st) is m ore eff e c t i v e l y
stimulated with heavy overload. The human muscle structures
are designed to work in tandem for maximum power output,
so these movements are simply more natural than forc e d
isolation. X Reps superc h a rge these exercises, and you
usually do those power partials just below the middle of the
stroke.
Contracted:Here you place the target muscle in the most
advantageous position for it to contract. These exerc i s e s
usually have continuous tension, so they are perfect for the
h i g h - rep occlusion sets in the High-Definition pro g r a m.
Examples include leg extensions, crossovers and leg curls.
S t re t c h :H e re you put the target muscle in its ultimate
elongated, or stretched, state with resistance. Examples
include flyes for the chest, stiff-legged deadlifts for the
hamstrings and sissy squats for the quads. The stretch forces
the activation of the myotatic reflex, which is believed to
cause the re c ruitment of re s e rve muscle fibers in the targ e t
muscle. When the target is stretched with a quick twitch to
reverse the movement, the nervous system receives an
e m e rg e n c y - response signal, and the muscle is put in a
hypercontracted state. This can recruit reserve muscle fibers,
which means more of the target muscle is stimulated to grow,
a perfect way to end a bodypart workout. That’s why you
usually do these as the last movement—with X Reps—in the
High-Definition program.
Note: For more information on POF as well as other POF
routines, see Train, Eat, Grow: The Positions-of-Flexion
Muscle-Training Manual, available at http://www.home-gym.com.
Positions-of-Flexion Primer