Deconstructing the Resistance Profile

Michael Goulden

Last updated:

5 Dec 2024

4 min. read

Have you ever wondered:

Why your clients end up throwing the dumbbell (DB) lateral raise to the top?
Why, when you add load to the squat, they don’t quite get the same depth?
How about when you load up the single-arm cable (CB) row and can’t pull back far enough?

One of the key reasons lies in the exercise's Resistance Profile™ (RP).

Understanding this concept helps you design more precise, effective exercises that better match your client's capabilities and goals.

Understanding Resistance Profiles

A Resistance Profile (RP) is the graphic representation of the changes in torque as they occur throughout a range of motion, i.e. where in the range it’s ‘heavier’ and where it’s ‘lighter’” – Tom Purvis, RTS Founder, 1999

The Resistance Profile describes how resistance changes throughout an exercise's range of motion (ROM). Think of it as a torque map showing where an exercise is most and least challenging. It’s influenced by:

Direction of force: Like gravity or cable tension
Moment arm: The distance between the force and the joint’s axis of rotation
Changes during movement: How these factors shift as the body moves

Resistance Profile mismatches

The DB lateral raise: A case study

In a DB lateral raise, the RP is:

Bottom: Minimal resistance
Middle: Moderate resistance
Top: Maximum resistance

Hit play on the video to see the axis, line of force, and moment arm.

Why does this matter? The shoulder faces the most significant challenge at the top, where it is weakest. This can lead to:

Compensatory movements that reduce effectiveness
Using speed and momentum instead of controlled effort
Reduced challenge throughout the whole ROM

The DB press: Here's another example

In the DB press, the RP is:

Bottom: Maximum resistance
Middle: Moderate resistance
Top: Minimal resistance

Again, hit play on the video to see the axis, line of force, and moment arm.

Here, the body is the weakest at the bottom, where it is most challenged. This mismatch can result in:

Reduced stimulus towards the top
Decreased ROM as you're getting weaker, whilst it's getting heavier
Increased joint forces towards the bottom

In both examples, can you see how the distance between the line of force and the axis increases? The increase in resistance is not because the dumbbell is getting heavier. The distance between the line of force (white arrow) and the axis (orange circle) is increasing. This line is called the moment arm; the bigger it gets, the more torque you'll be experiencing. 2

Rethinking progressive overload

Progressive overload is the act of progressively placing greater than normal demands on the exercising musculature’ - NSCA 2000

When you talk about progressive overload, how complete is the challenge?

If you only create significant resistance in certain parts of the range, can you truly say you're overloading the muscle?

Are you progressively overloading the entire movement or just sections of it?
What happens to adaptation when parts of the range receive minimal challenge?

Let’s go deeper:

Where are the gaps if the Resistance Profile doesn’t match your client’s strength profile?
Are you satisfied with only challenging certain portions of the movement?
How might these 'rest points' impact long-term development?
What are you missing when parts of the range lack sufficient stimulus?
How does the interplay between the Resistance Profile and Strength Profile impact time under tension (TUT)?

Consider your client’s goals:

Does your current approach align with their training objectives?
If hypertrophy is the goal, are you creating enough tension throughout the range?
For strength development, are you building capacity across the entire movement?
How might uneven challenges affect outcomes when seeking joint health?

Practical takeaway

At Integra, we explore many ways to analyse and manipulate the Resistance Profile of an exercise during the Exercise Mechanics Lab and RTS Foundations. One example we often explore is pairing exercises with complementary resistance profiles. For example:

DB lateral raise: Peaks at the top

CB lateral raise: Peaks at the bottom

Similarly, we often pair the DB press and CB fly.

DB press: Peaks at the bottom

CB fly: Peaks at the top

These combinations help minimise stimulus gaps in the ROM, increase time under tension, and ultimately help your clients achieve better results.

You don't necessarily need to perform these in the same session or even in the same week. But over the lifetime of working with clients, we can rotate these exercises to create a full-range challenge.

Summary

Understanding resistance profiles isn't just theoretical – it's a practical tool that immediately improves how you design and deliver exercises, completely changing your client’s experience. You’ll hear our favourite phrase: 'I’ve never felt my muscles like that before.'

By aligning resistance with strength profiles and addressing gaps in the ROM, you can:

Challenge your clients more effectively
Build strength and hypertrophy across the full range of motion
Enhance joint health and movement quality
Deliver more precise, client-centred programming

Exclusive for our members

If you've attended any of our workshops in the past 12 months, you have access to our Member’s Area. Log in to access the member-exclusive version of this article, which delves deeper into:

The effect of speed and inertial effects on resistance profiles: Learn how speed impacts resistance and how to manage inertial effects for consistent engagement.
Adapting resistance profiles to match strength profiles as fatigue sets in: Explore strategies to maximise time under tension and maintain effort across the full range of motion, tailored to your client’s evolving capabilities.

The moment arm (MA) is the shortest distance between an axis and a line of force. If you join us for the Exercise Mechanics Lab and RTS Foundations, we'll dive into this.↩
The moment arm (MA) is the shortest distance between an axis and a line of force. If you join us for the Exercise Mechanics Lab and RTS Foundations, we'll dive into this.↩

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This workshop is only available to existing students

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This workshop is only available to existing students

The Integra Project is only open to graduates of the Exercise Mechanics Lab and/or RTS Foundations.