Training Myths That Won't Die #1. “Locking out is a bad idea.

1.) Why? No, seriously. The next time someone tells you locking out is bad, ask them why they
think that. Prepare to be bombarded with a spectrum of retorts ranging from "it's obvious" to
"(insert misunderstandings of biomechanics here)."

2.) Of the joints that lock out, every single one was designed by evolution to do so. "You're not
supposed to lock out your knees at the top." No, that's actually EXACTLY what they are designed
to do.

3.) From the pure biomechanics side, it is by no means clear that joint
j oint forces are higher during
lockout than during any other loaded joint position. Joint forces highly depend on a variety of
factors, of which "locked out or not" is just one. And, to refer back to point #2, it's not even clear
that high forces are to be avoided in the first place.

4.) Certain portions of your muscles (motor units) activate more when you lock out than when
you don't, which leads to a more
more complete stimulus
stimulus and growth. Skipping
Skipping the lockout could be
interfering with maximal development.

5.) Many of the bodybuilders you see avoiding lockouts on video:

- Have been training for decades and are too beat up to lock out on certain moves... many would
do it if they still could.

- Are days or weeks away from their shows, and are excessively dry, which makes locking out
more difficult than under normal circumstances.

- Are on drugs that further dry out their bodies and their joints, and make locking out that much
more problematic.

If you don't fall into any of those categories... you should not be religiously avoiding lockouts.

6.) In strength sports like weightlifting and powerlifting, locking out is part of a complete lift and
simply must be trained. If not trained, that part of the lift will not improve as much and will begin
to hold you back.

7.) It is by no means clear what "constant tension on the muscles" accomplishes. Does it
accumulate more metabolites? No, taking a short break at lockout and squeezing out more reps
does that. Does it let you do more work per set? Again, it actually keeps you from doing more
work. Does it increase the
the number of "effective
"effective reps" (see Børge André Fagerli's discussions of
MyoReps for details on that concept)? Nope, again, quite the opposite.

8.) There may very well be good arguments, times, places, and situations for avoiding lockouts.
But they are not universals that apply at face value. It's not right to religiously LOCK OUT
EVERYTHING NO MATTER WHAT, but avoiding lockouts religiously is bad just the same.

Alright, I'm off to watch

watch people at the gym do their sets only to shake
shake my head in disapproval as