Range of motion for an exercise means moving as far as possible for a given movement. Full range of motion is how far the human anatomy will allow you to go – in other words, how far the body was designed to move. Functional range of motion is more specific to an individual. Functional range of movement is how far you can move your body during an exercise.

In the squat the anatomical or full range of motion would be squatting until your butt almost touches the floor without your back rounding or your heels leaving the floor. The functional range of motion in the squat would be how low you can squat with a flat back and your heels in contact with the floor.

Ideally, we should strive to reach the full range of motion in our exercises. Start with your functional range of motion and work toward the ideal. Working the full range of motion on an exercise helps joint stability, muscle balance and improves the quality of how we move. We can also use less weight in our movements reducing the risk of injury and increasing our overall strength.

During our daily lives, most of us do not put our muscles through a full range of motion when we move. If we sit at a desk all day, our hips, shoulder and spine spend too much time in a flexed position or partial range of movement leaving us stiff and tight. Over time, this can lead to pain and limit our ability to move properly.

Many group fitness classes use pulsing or partial range of movement exercises to improve muscular endurance. While this may improve your conditioning, there is a trade off and you may be developing tighter hips and shoulders which could lead to pain and a loss of movement ability in the future.

Bodybuilders and powerlifters will also use partial range of motion exercises to increase the overall size of a muscle or increase strength in a certain position. This is an advanced technique that meets a performance goal but is not necessarily good for someone training for overall health and fitness.