Checking controls full and free also lets you check that your yoke has full clearance when you have a passenger in the RH seat.
I remember having a portly gentleman in the RH seat once and found that the yoke would hit his legs when elevators were pulled halfway back and turned left and right. He was also surprised at how far back the yoke traveled.
So this could have been a problem if I needed full control authority for my ailerons with the yoke in normal inflight position !!
I also use full back elevator when braking.
He had to shift to another seat in the cabin before we departed...
Tom.