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The purpose of this investigation was to compare the electromyographical (EMG) activity of the latissimus dorsi (LD), posterior deltoid (PD), middle trapezius (MT), and biceps brachii (BB) while performing two pull-up variations. Resistance-trained men and women (n = 13, age = 24.26 ± 6.24) volunteered to participate in this study. All participants performed a traditional pull-up (PU) along with a popular variation (i.e., kipping pull-up (KP)). Each pull-up was performed for three repetitions. Normalized (%MVC) EMG values were recorded for each muscle group during each of the variations. The KP provided significantly lower muscular activation values within all muscles examined compared to the PU. The average decreases in muscular activation for the KP when compared to the PU were 10.6% for the LD, 11.5% for the PD, 22% for the PD, and 13.4% for the BB. The KP employs the assistance of the lower body, with an emphasis on the hip joint, to create a power “swing” to aid in propelling the body upwards towards the bar to complete the movement. By employing lower body momentum, the upper body had less of a musculature demand in order to pull the body upwards towards the bar, thereby resulting in significantly lower EMG values compared to the PU. Practitioners should take note that both the and PU and KP variation may provide sufficient values in select muscular groups necessary to achieve improvements in muscular strength and endurance of the shoulder joint and girdle complex. However, if a greater pull-up challenge is warranted then individuals should choose the traditional PU which may provide a greater muscular demand.
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... Exercises that are often used in training programs to improve upper body pulling strength and muscular endurance include the seated lat-pulldown, assisted pull-up/chin-up machine, Baumgartner Modified Pull-up, Band/partner-assisted pull-ups, kipping pull-ups, suspended pull-ups, etc. Baumgartner and Gaunt [4] Halet, Mayhew, Murphy and Fanthorpe [5], Johnson, Lynch, Nash, Cygan and Mayhew [6]; Ronai & Scibek [7], Snarr, Casey, Hallmark and Esco [8], Snarr, Hallmark, Casey and Esco [9]. While all of these exercises utilize the pulling motion, some are likely more similar to the traditional pull-up exercise than others. ...
... kipping) integrate a greater amount of momentum when performing the pulling action than that of the traditional pullup from a dead hang. As previous research has reported, the muscular demand of the upper body is significantly lower when performing kipping pull-ups when compared to that of traditional pull-ups Snarr [8]. Therefore, exercises of this nature will also not be used as alternative pulling exercises for this study (e.g. ...
... pronated, supinated, etc.) and movement techniques (e.g. behind the neck versus in front of the neck, PU with rings, kipping PU, etc.) for the PU and lat-pulldown exercises Andersen [15], Dickie [10], Lusk [11], Signorile [12], Snarr [8], Snarr [9], Sperandei [13], Youdas [22]. This made it difficult to compare current EMG data to that of previously published data, specifically with the k-LP variation. ...
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