Recently, I posted an Instagram story showing my friend RSWorkout doing weighted dips with an extended range of motion. He was going far beyond the typical 90 degrees, lowering himself as much as his shoulder joints would allow.

What struck me was that several people replied to the story saying things like, “Now those are strict dips,” or “That’s the proper technique,” and that dips done this way are way more effective.

Around the same time, someone in the Calisteniapp Discord shared a video of themselves doing dips and asked if their form was good. Again, they were using a much deeper range than usual.

That got me thinking—it’s worth diving into this topic. Is an exercise really more strict—whether it’s a dip, pull-up, or push-up—if we perform it with an exaggeratedly deep range of motion? Is it really that much more beneficial? Could it actually be harmful in some cases? When should we use an extended range and when shouldn't we? Let’s break it down.

What counts as a strict range of motion in Calisthenics

When we talk about strict form in calisthenics, especially regarding range of motion, we’re referring to specific standards that define when a rep is considered strict. For example:

• In dips, the arms should bend to 90 degrees, and the elbows should fully lock out at the top.
• In pull-ups, the chin should clear the bar without overextending the neck, and the arms should fully lock out at the bottom.
• In push-ups, the elbows should reach a 90-degree angle, and again, lock out fully at the top.

Most of us who care about clean technique go just a little beyond these marks—just a few extra centimeters—to make it obvious that the rep is strict, without needing slow-mo footage to verify it.

This gray area—where the athlete barely reaches the strict threshold, making it hard to judge—is something I’ve long referred to on my channel as "ego range." It means the athlete sticks stubbornly to the bare minimum standard, often to avoid fatigue and squeeze out more reps or lift heavier.

In competitive sports like Streetlifting, specifically in weighted dips, the rules actually require going slightly deeper than 90 degrees—the back of the shoulder must at least reach the height of the tip of the elbow.

Why is that range considered strict, and not some other point?

There are two key factors to consider here:

1. The movement has to match the definition of the exercise.
   Take dips, for example. The movement is defined as starting from a locked-out position, bending the arms to lower the body, and then pushing back up using mainly the chest, front deltoids, and triceps. If your range of motion is too shallow, you’re not really doing a dip anymore—it doesn’t align with the core definition. This becomes even clearer with pull-ups. A clean definition might be: you hang from a bar and flex your arms until you pass the bar. If you don’t fully extend your arms, you’re not really hanging. If your chin doesn’t clear the bar, you’re not truly pulling past it. Also, nothing in that definition includes kicking, swinging, or crossing your legs. So, a strict pull-up is one that follows that clean, minimal definition as closely as possible—no extra movements, no loopholes.

1. The standard must be measurable.
   If we say dips should reach a certain depth, or pull-ups should pass the bar, we need objective markers—like a 90-degree angle or clearing the chin. That gives us clear criteria to determine if a rep was strict. That’s why we say elbows must fully lock out, not “almost” lock out, or that you must reach 90 degrees, not “around 90.” When things get fuzzy, people will start pushing the boundaries of that “almost” to gain an edge in records or challenges.

This is how we define strict execution. And it leads to the big question:

Is using an extended range of motion more strict?

As we've seen, if you’re hitting the proper range—plus a small buffer to avoid debate—then you’re already doing the exercise as strictly as needed.

Going much further than that, like using an exaggerated range of motion, isn’t necessarily stricter or better.

Take dips again: the definition doesn’t require you to lower your shoulders until they’re on the verge of dislocating. The definition of a push-up doesn’t say your chest must drop below ground level. A pull-up doesn’t require you to pull your navel above the bar.

So, an extended range doesn’t make the movement stricter. In fact, it’s best thought of as a variation—just like we have explosive dips or incline dips, there are also partial-range dips and extended-range dips. These are all just variations of the standard dip.

So when can extended range of motion be useful?

• To increase exercise intensity.
  If you're looking for a more challenging version of a basic move, using extended range is a simple way to ramp things up.
• To improve joint mobility and prevent injury.
  Used wisely and without overdoing it, extended range can help strengthen joints—like the shoulders in dips—and make them more resilient. But be careful, because pushing too far can backfire.
• To target specific muscles more deeply.
  Going deeper can shift the load and emphasize certain muscles more than with the strict range. We’ve even been analyzing how extended range might support hypertrophy, especially when training under stretch.

And what are the downsides?

• It can hurt your performance metrics.
  If you’re testing your max reps on dips or pull-ups, and you do them with extended range, you’ll obviously get fewer reps than with the standard range. Same goes for weighted lifts—your 1RM will be lower if you use extended range compared to the strict minimum.
• It can be hard on your joints.
  Extended range means more stress on the involved joints and tissues. We all know exercises aren’t inherently dangerous, but as the saying goes, the poison is in the dose. And with extended range, the safe dose is lower.
• It’s not ideal for beginners.
  All of the above suggests that extended range isn’t a great idea for beginners. It’s better suited to advanced athletes.

Conclusions

Extended range of motion adds another option to your toolbox, but it doesn’t mean you’re being stricter, better, or more effective just by going deeper.

In some contexts and for specific goals, it can be a smart choice. But the strict range is defined objectively, aligned with the true essence of the movement—and you don’t need to go beyond it to be doing things right.

Lastly, just a reminder that in Calisteniapp, we’ve got training programs for every level and goal. You can download the app right here.

By Yerai Alonso