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Effects of Variations of the Bench Press Exercise on the EMG Activity of Five Shoulder Muscles

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Abstract

This experiment investigated the effects of varying bench inclination and hand spacing on the EMG activity of five muscles acting at the shoulder joint. Six male weight trainers performed presses under four conditions of trunk inclination and two of hand spacing at 80% of their predetermined max. Preamplified surface EMG electrodes were placed over the five muscles in question. The EMG signals during the 2-sec lift indicated some significant effects of trunk inclination and hand spacing. The sternocostal head of the pectoralis major was more active during the press from a horizontal bench than from a decline bench. Also, the clavicular head of the pectoralis major was no more active during the incline bench press than during the horizontal one, but it was less active during the decline bench press. The clavicular head of the pectoralis major was more active with a narrow hand spacing. Anterior deltoid activity tended to increase as trunk inclination increased. The long head of the triceps brachii was more active during the decline and flat bench presses than the other two conditions, and was also more active with a narrow hand spacing. Latissimus dorsi exhibited low activity in all conditions. (C) 1995 National Strength and Conditioning Association
... It is less explored in the literature, however, if this distinct pattern of pectoralis major activation is also present in dynamic (i.e., exercise) tasks, such as the bench press. Particularly in the resistance training research field, a remarkable question is whether different inclinations of the bench press exercise would result in localized activation of the clavicular and sternocostal heads as the shoulder movement direction changes with variations of the bench press inclination (Lauver et al., 2016;Barnett, Kippers & Turner, 1995). Although several studies using bipolar sEMG have attempted to answer this issue in the past (Barnett et al., 1995;Coratella et al., 2020;Glass and Armstrong, 1997;Lauver et al., 2016;Rodríguez-Ridao et al., 2020;Saeterbakken et al., 2017;Trebs et al., 2010), the results observed are not consistent. ...
... Particularly in the resistance training research field, a remarkable question is whether different inclinations of the bench press exercise would result in localized activation of the clavicular and sternocostal heads as the shoulder movement direction changes with variations of the bench press inclination (Lauver et al., 2016;Barnett, Kippers & Turner, 1995). Although several studies using bipolar sEMG have attempted to answer this issue in the past (Barnett et al., 1995;Coratella et al., 2020;Glass and Armstrong, 1997;Lauver et al., 2016;Rodríguez-Ridao et al., 2020;Saeterbakken et al., 2017;Trebs et al., 2010), the results observed are not consistent. Contrasting results could be explained by several nonphysiological sources affecting the interpretation of the degree of muscle excitation from the sEMG amplitude (De Luca, 1997), which are still not commonly considered in sports and rehabilitation sciences (Vigotsky et al., 2018). ...
... Several other studies were conducted to investigate whether changing the bench press inclination would elicit a regional activation of the pectoralis major muscle (Barnett et al., 1995;Lauver et al., 2016;Rodríguez-Ridao et al., 2020;Trebs et al., 2010;Saeterbakken et al., 2017;Coratella et al., 2020). On the one hand, some evidence is in accordance with our findings, reporting a greater activation of the clavicular head during the inclined compared with the flat bench press exercise (Lauver et al., 2016;Trebs et al., 2010;Coratella et al., 2020). ...
Article
This study combined surface electromyography with panoramic ultrasound imaging to investigate whether nonuniform excitation could lead to acute localized variations in cross-sectional area and muscle thickness of the clavicular and sternocostal heads of pectoralis major (PM). Bipolar surface electromyograms (EMGs) were acquired from both PM heads, while 13 men performed four sets of the flat and 45◦ inclined bench press exercises. Before and immediately after exercise, panoramic ultrasound images were collected transversely to the fibers. Normalized root mean square (RMS) amplitude and variations in the cross-sectional area and muscle thickness were calculated separately for each PM head. For all sets of the inclined bench press, the normalized RMS amplitude was greater for the clavicular head than the sternocostal head (P < 0.001), and the opposite was observed during the flat bench press (P < 0.001). Similarly, while greater increases in cross-sectional area were observed in the clavicular than in the sternocostal head after the inclined bench press (P < 0.001), greater increases were quantified in the sternocostal than in the clavicular head after the flat bench press exercise (P = 0.046). Therefore, our results suggest that the PM regional excitation induced by changes in bench press inclination leads to acute, uneven responses of muscle architecture following the exercise.
... • It has been claimed that the Pectoralis major (PM) muscle plays an important role and acts as a prime mover muscle in bench press [2] . ...
... However, different parts of muscle may get more tension and show higher muscle activation depending on the way an athlete performs the exercise [2][3][4][5] . Mean value 20 20.7 ± 2.6 178.9 ± 9.2 82 ± 8.5 17.6 ± 9.4 ...
Poster
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Twenty young males volunteered to complete 8 repetitions with 60% of 1RM of barbell incline bench press at 20°, 32°, and 43° degrees (Fig. 1). The root mean square (RMS) at 20° (0.59 ± 0.29 [mV]) was statistically significant lower compared to 32° (0.64 ± 0.32 [mV], p = 0.033) and 43° (0.66 ± 0.33 [mV]) (p = 0.009). At the same time, at 43° the root mean square [mV] was higher compared to 32°, however no statistically significant difference was found (p = 0.785).
... Exercises that produce higher EMG amplitudes for a given skeletal muscle are assumed to generate greater adaptations in strength over time (3,22). Muscle activation of shoulder and shoulder girdle muscles has been assessed during bench press exercises, conventional pushups, and the Perfect Pushup TM (4,10,14,15,17,18,22). In contrast to manufacturers' claims, Youdas et al. reported no significant influence of the Perfect Pushup TM over a conventional push-up for neural activation of upper body musculature when averaged over 3 repetitions (22). ...
Article
The purpose of this study was to assess neural activity for upper body musculature in college-age men during repetitions of a conventional pushup or a Perfect PushupTM. Eighteen healthy men (21.6±1 yr, 182.5±7 cm, 87.4±15 kg) completed five repetitions of a conventional pushup and Perfect PushupTM while using a wide hand base of support for the upper body. Body position, hand placement, and cadence of the pushup were standardized. Root mean square electromyography (RMS-EMG, mV/Sec) was collected for the triceps brachii (TB), pectoralis major (PM), serratus anterior (SA), and posterior deltoid (PD) during all repetitions. RMS-EMG values were normalized to a maximal voluntary isometric contraction in the pushup position (%MVICPU). For each muscle, %MVICPU for repetitions 1, 3, and 5 were analyzed for differences due to type of push-up. No differences in %MVICPU due to type ofpush-up for the TB (p=0.079) or the SA (p=0.45) were detected. The Perfect PushupTM increased %MVICPU compared to the conventional pushup (44%, p<0.05). Additionally, the Perfect PushupTM increased %MVICPU by the third repetition (p<0.05) while the conventional pushup did not until the 5th repetition. The conventional pushup activated more PD (76%, p<0.05). The type of push-up that requires the greatest neural activity for a given number of repetitions should result in improved adaptations. The Perfect PushupTM was superior for activating the pectoralis major while individuals would elicit more neural activation in the posterior deltoid by conventional push-ups. Trainers and rehabilitation specialists should consider these data when attempting to train or isolate upper body skeletal muscles using a push-up movement.
... Si bien no es posible establecer una discusión directa de estos resultados con otros estudios, es factible realizar una interpretación teniendo en cuenta trabajos que analizaron las acciones musculares en el press de banca (Stastny et al. 2017). Considerando el modelo muscular tradicional para este ejercicio (Elliot et al. 1989;Barnett et al. 1995), la acción del pectoral mayor podría explicar los valores de BI en los periodos que incluyen la flexión del brazo en el hombro (comienzo del gesto, donde los valores oscilaron en torno a cero) y la participación del tríceps braquial los valores del periodo durante el cual ocurre la extensión del antebrazo en la articulación del codo (final del gesto). Además, dado que el tríceps braquial es el músculo que muestra más variación de actividad en este ejercicio (Stastny et al. 2017), su participación podría ser el factor determinante para la explicación de los clústers observados. ...
Article
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Abstract Objective: To describe the bilateral index (BI) during the push phase of the bench press exercise to analyze bilateral facilitation and deficit across different loads using time series analysis. Method: Eighteen handball players (22.1 ± 3.8 years; 84.5 ± 15.9 kg; 179.3 ± 7.6 cm and BMI 26.2 ± 4.1) performed bench press exercises using functional electromechanical dynamometry. The exercises were conducted bilaterally and unilaterally, with both skilled and unskilled upper limbs, using loads set at 40%, 60%, and 75% of maximum isometric contraction. Time series analysis was utilized to calculate the BI, with trend assessment conducted through graphical and descriptive analysis. Dynamic time warping was used to recognize patterns and group those with similar characteristics. Results: There are periods of facilitation and deficit that vary in duration and magnitude with the different loads studied. Conclusions: Considering the time series of force over time during the bench press push leads to a different interpretation of BI than that obtained with Fmax. The grouping of the series suggests the existence of a predominant pattern independent of the load with which the exercise is performed, where BLF occurs in the final stage of the exercise.
... The width of the barbell grip can also affect the change in muscle activity. Lehman et al. 13 and Barnett et al. 14 found that a wider grip resulted in greater activity of the pectoralis major muscle. Meanwhile, a study by Mausehund et al. 15 showed that a narrow grip resulted in greater activity in the triceps brachii and anterior deltoid compared to a wider grip. ...
Article
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Objective The bench press is a resistance training exercise that targets several upper body muscles, including the pectoralis major (PM), anterior deltoid (AD), and triceps brachii (TB). The purpose of this study was to influence the PM activity pattern during the bench press after a 10-week targeted resistance training intervention. Methods Sixteen men with significant experience in strength training participated in this study. They were divided into two groups: experimental and control. The experimental group underwent targeted training of PM and bench press, while the control group only did bench press. Electromyography (EMG) was used to assess muscle activity before and after the intervention. Results The experimental group had a significant increase in PM activity after the intervention (p=0.0002; ES=2.6), while the control group did not show any significant change (p=0.14). The activity of AD and TB remained relatively stable across both groups and time points. Conclusions These findings indicate that focused resistance training can improve PM involvement in the bench press, potentially optimizing muscle excitation patterns and performance.
... In addition, narrower grip widths could be related to greater efficiency in vertical force production with the same total force production, resulting in a higher final MPV and MV, mainly at light and medium relative loads (10,18,19,21,22,26). Another related factor could be the greater muscular activation of the triceps brachii muscle in narrower grips as a consequence of lower shoulder moment and greater elbow moment to enhance its extension because of a lower abduction angle of the shoulder (2,18,19,28,34). ...
Article
Herrera-Bermudo, JC, Puente-Alcaraz, C, Díaz-Sánchez, P, González-Badillo, JJ, and Rodríguez-Rosell, D. Influence of grip width on the load-velocity relationship and 1 repetition maximum value in the bench press exercise: a comparative and reliability analysis of mean velocity vs. mean propulsive velocity vs. peak velocity. J Strength Cond Res XX(X): 000–000, 2024—This study aimed to analyze the reliability and compare the load (percentage of 1 repetition maximum [%1RM])-velocity relationship, bar displacement (DIS), the 1RM, and the velocity attained against the 1RM value (V1RM) in the bench press exercise using 3 different bar grip widths: narrow (120% of the biacromial distance [BD]), medium (160%), and wide (200%). A group of 54 healthy, physically active men randomly performed a total of 6 incremental tests (1 week apart) up to 1RM (2 with each bar grip width) on a Smith machine. The mean velocity (MV), mean propulsive velocity (MPV), peak velocity, and DIS were recorded for the subsequent analysis. The 3 velocity variables showed high relative (intraclass correlation coefficient: 0.90–0.97) and absolute (coefficient of variation: 2.21–9.38%) reliability in all grip widths against all relative loads. The 1RM value and the V1RM present high absolute and relative reliability in all grip widths. There are no significant differences in the value of 1RM and V1RM between grip widths. High relationships were observed between the relative load (%1RM) and velocity variables, with MPV showing the best fit. Significant greater values in MPV, MV, and DIS associated with each %1RM were observed for narrow and medium compared with wide grip width. In conclusion, our results suggest that the 3 velocity variables were highly reliable at the different grip widths used against all relative loads. In addition, there was a tendency to reach higher MV, MPV, and DIS values as the grip width decreased. Therefore, this factor should be considered for the assessment and design of training.
... This novel study also evaluated pectoral percussion during a bench press exercise procedure. Although the pectoralis major is a large contributor to bench press work, variations in hand placement and bar trajectory may alter the participant's work distribution to the muscles [19,20]. With little known to date about percussive therapy used intra-exercise, exploring its application during more controlled, simple lever joint exercises such as biceps curls and knee extensions may be beneficial. ...
Article
Full-text available
Percussive therapy devices have been proven effective at reducing muscle inflammation, soreness, and tension and improving the range of motion before or after exercise. However, there is a notable lack of research on percussive therapy intra-exercise. Purpose: Examine the physiological responses (i.e., sets/reps) to percussive therapy during single-arm biceps curls (BCs) and single-leg quadriceps extensions (LEs). Methods: Participants [N = 26, 10 females] completed an initial 10-repetition maximum (10 RM) for BCs and LEs. Following that, participants completed two testing sessions in which BCs and LEs were completed at their 10 RM until functional failure (i.e., <7 reps completed). Participants completed two testing sessions in which all body parts received percussive therapy at 25 Hz for 60 s between sets and no percussive therapy. Results: Participants completed more sets [p = 0.002; Cohen’s d = 0.54] and reps [p = 0.005; Cohen’s d = 0.51] during the control condition relative to the percussive therapy condition. There were no differences between body parts (i.e., BC vs. LE) or interaction effects. Conclusion: This study provides evidence that low-frequency long-duration percussive therapy used intra-resistance exercise decreases performance parameters.
... Participants were allowed to use momentum to assist in the muscle up as this is how the movement is commonly conducted. Grip width was standardized as previous studies have shown hand position to cause different muscle activation (2,3,18). The participant's grip width on the bar was determined by measuring the biacromial width of the shoulder. ...
Article
The primary objective of the study was to compare the muscle electrical activity during Benchpress for the different muscle groups. The amount of contribution of each mentioned muscle duringbench press was also analyzed.For the purpose of the present investigation, total of 10 male power lifterswere chosen as the sample forthe study.The analysis showed that there is a significant difference in the muscle electrical activity during Benchpress for the different muscle groups. The results pertaining to EMG data of 1RM bench pressrevealed maximum muscle electrical activity in case of Pectoralis Major. Hence the Pectoralis Majordisplayed better muscle electrical activity than the Anterior deltoid and Triceps
Article
в специальной литературе встречаются работы, в которых рассматриваются отдельные кинематические и динамические характеристики движения штанги, электрическая активность мышц при жиме лежа в пауэрлифтинге, а также влияние на них ширины хвата штанги. Однако остается открытым вопрос, какой вариант хвата создает оптимальные биомеханические условия для достижения высокого результата в жиме, и какова при этом нагрузка на отдельные мышцы. Этим обусловлена цель настоящего исследования: предварительно оценить влияние ширины хвата на условия выполнения и результат в жиме штанги лежа в пауэрлифтинге. В пилотном эксперименте участвовал пауэрлифтер высокой квалификации, выполнявший жим штанги лежа узким, средним и широким хватами. Результат оценивался по величине трехповторного максимума (3-ПМ). Осуществлялась запись электрической активности мышц с одновременной видеорегистрацией движения штанги. Установлено, что наибольшее значение 3-ПМ достигается при использовании среднего хвата штанги, наименьшее – узкого хвата. Максимальное значение вертикального перемещения штанги зафиксировано при использовании узкого хвата, минимальное – широкого хвата. Суммарная электрическая активность всех наиболее задействованных мышц при узком хвате составляет 540%, среднем хвате – 571%, широком хвате – 525% максимального изометрического произвольного сокращения (MVIC). Полученные результаты показывают, что в жиме штанги лежа при средней ширине хвата достигается наибольшее значение 3-ПМ при оптимальных кинематических характеристиках движений и высокой активности наиболее задействованных мышц. there are works in professional literature that address separate kinematic and dynamic specifics of barbell movement, muscles electric activity during bench press in powerlifting, and the effect the barbell grip width has on them. However, it still remains an open question which barbell grip option creates optimal biomechanical conditions to achieve high performance in bench press and how it impacts the exercise load on separate muscles. It stipulates the purpose of this particular study – to make preliminary evaluation of the barbell grip width effect on conditions and result of bench press in powerlifting. In pilot experiment a highly qualified powerlifter performed bench press using narrow, average width and wide grips. The results were evaluated by three-repeat maximum (3-RM). Muscles electrical activity was recorded along with simultaneous video recording of barbell movement. It was concluded that highest 3-RM is achieved when using an average width grip, the lowest – with a narrow grip. Maximum value of vertical movement of the barbell is recorded when using a narrow grip, while minimum value – with a wide grip. Total electrical activity of all most involved muscles when using a narrow grip amounts to 540% of maximum voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC), with average width grip – 571%, with wide grip – 525%. The findings show that performing bench press with an average width grip allows to achieve maximum 3-RM with optimal kinematic characteristics of movements and high activity of most involved muscles.
Article
Isokinetic exercise is based upon the control of speed during contraction rather than the amount of load (isotonic) or effort at a given angle (isometric). Isokinetic instruments typically provide a range of selectable speeds under the assumption that each speed provides for maximum resistance (accommodation) along the total range of movement. To test this assumption the muscle action potentials (MAP) of the anterior deltoid, pectoralis major, biceps brachii, and the triceps muscle were studied by quantitative EMG during a bench press exercise at three controlled speeds. Bipolar surface electrodes with standard placement were employed throughout the study. Volunteer college women (N = ll) performed 3 trials at each speed (1.5 sec, 2.0 sec, 3.5 seel3 ft). Randomization of speed of contraction eliminated order effects and no motivation was provided. Rest was controlled to negate fatigue, ANOVA was used to determine the significance of the difference obtained. The results suggested that “accommodation” occurs for the deltoid, triceps, and biceps brachii muscles. MAP increases significantly in an inverse order to speed for the pectoralis. This may be interpreted in diverse ways but has been accepted by the authors as generally favoring the concept of accommodation.