The bench press (BP) is a complex upper body exercise in which substantial external loads can be used, demanding high neuromuscular activity. The aim of this study was to compare electromyographic (EMG) activity between female and male athletes during the flat bench press. Five male and five female athletes participated in this study. The main session included four sets of one repetition of the flat bench press with the load of 55, 70, 85 and 100% of the one-repetition maximum (1RM). The activity of four muscles was analysed: the pectoralis major (PM), the anterior deltoid (AD), the lateral head of the triceps brachii (TBlat) and the long head of the triceps brachii (TBlong). The main finding of the study was that the muscle activity pattern differed between women and men during the bench press depending on the external load. The non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis ANOVA for males showed differences between the TLpeak values recorded for different loads (55%-100% 1RM) during the bench press (chi-square = 15.3, p = 0.009) and ADpeak (chi-square = 19.5, p = 0.001). The non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis ANOVA for females showed differences between the ADpeak values recorded for different loads (55%-100% 1RM) during the bench press (chi-square = 12.1, p = 0.018).

Charles University Prague Faculty of Physical Education and Sport Czech Republic

The Jerzy Kukuczka Academy of Physical Education in Katowice Dept of Sports Training Poland

Zobrazit více v PubMed

McGuigan MR, Wright GA, Fleck SJ. Strength training for athletes: does it really help sports performance? Int J Sports Physiol Perform. 2012;7:2–5. PubMed

Chulvi-Medrano I. Biomechanic basis of devices for resistance training. A review. Scientia. 2012;16:26–39.

Schick EE, Coburn JW, Brown LE, Judelson DA, Khamoui AV, Tran TT, Uribe BP. A comparison of muscle activation between a Smith machine and free weight bench press. J Strength Cond Res. 2010;24(3):779–784. PubMed

Medrano C, Cantalejo IA. Efficacy and safety of the bench press exercise. Review. Revista Internacional de Medicina y Ciencias de la Actividad Fisica y del Deporte. 2008;8(32):338–352.

Maszczyk A, Gołaś A, Czuba M, Król H, Wilk M, Stastny P, Goodwin J, Kostrzewa M, Zając A. Emg analysis and modelling of flat bench press using artificial neural networks. S Afric J Res Sport, Phys Edu Rec. 2016;38(1):91–103.

Bevan HR, Owen NJ, Cunningham DJ, Kingsley MIC, Kilduff LP. Complex Training in Professional Rugby Players: Influence of Recovery Time on Upper-Body Power Output. J Strength Cond Res. 2009;23(6):1780–1785. PubMed

Castillo F, Valverde T, Morales A, Pérez-Guerra A, de León F, García-Manso JM. Maximum power, optimal load and optimal power spectrum for power training in upper-body (bench press): A review”. Revista Andaluza de Medicina del Deporte. 2012;5(1):18–27.

Trebs AA, Brandenburg JP, Pitney WA. An electromyography analysis of 3 muscles surrounding the shoulder joint during the performance of a chest press exercise at several angles. J Strength Cond Res. 2010;24(7):1925–1930. PubMed

Van den Tillaar R, Saeterbakken AH. Fatigue effects upon sticking region and electromyography in a six-repetition maximum bench press. J Sports Sci. 2013;31(16):1823–1830. PubMed

Van Den Tillaar R, Ettema GA. Comparison of muscle activity in concentric and counter movement maximum bench press. J Hum Kinet. 2013;38(1):63–71. PubMed PMC

Sakamoto A, Sinclair PJ. Muscle activations under varying lifting speeds and intensities during bench press. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2012;112(3):1015–1025. PubMed

Ojasto T, Häkkinen K. Effects of different accentuated eccentric loads on acute neuromuscular, growth hormone, and blood lactate responses during a hypertrophic protocol. J Strength Cond Res. 2009;23(3):946–953. PubMed

Stastny P, Tufano JJ, Golas A, Petr M. Strengthening the Gluteus Medius Using Various Bodyweight and Resistance Exercises. Strength Cond J. 2016;38:91–101. PubMed PMC

Saeterbakken A, Fimlandand M. Muscle force output and electromyographic activity in squats with various unstable surfaces. J Strength Cond Res. 2013;27:130–136. PubMed

Keele L, Nathan JK. Dynamic models for dynamic theories: The ins and outs of lagged dependent variables. Political Analysis. 2006;14:186–205.

Andrade R, Araujo RC, Tucci HT, Martins J, Oliveira AS. Coactivation of the shoulder and arm muscles during closed kinetic chain exercises on an unstable surface. Singapore Med J. 2011;52(1):35–41. PubMed

Stastny P, Gołaś A, Blazek D, Maszczyk A, Wilk M, Pietraszewski P, Petr M, Uhlir P, Zajac A. A systematic review of surface electromyography analyses of the bench press movement task. PLoS One. journal;2017:e0171632. PubMed PMC

Król H, Gołaś A. Effect of barbell weight on the structure of the flat bench press. J Strength Cond Res. 2017;31(5):1321–1337. PubMed PMC

Maeo S, Takahashi T, Takai Y, Kanehisa H. Trainability of Muscular Activity Level during Maximal Voluntary Co-Contraction: Comparison between Bodybuilders and Nonathletes. PLoS ONE. 2013;8(11):e79486.. PubMed PMC

Kristiansen M, Madeleine P, Hansen EA, Samani A. Inter-subject variability of muscle synergies during bench press in powerlifters and untrained individuals. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2015;25(1):89–97. PubMed

Santana JC, Vera-Garcia FJ, McGill SM. A kinetic and electromyographic comparison of the standing cable press and bench press. J Strength Cond Res. 2007;21:1271–1279. PubMed

Anderson KG, Behm DG. Maintenance of EMG activity and loss of force output with instability. J Strength Cond Res. 2004;18(3):637–640. PubMed

Lagally KM, McCaw ST, Young GT, Medema HC, Thomas DQ. Ratings of perceived exertion and muscle activity during the bench press exercise in recreational and novice lifters. J Strength Cond Res. 2004;18(2):359–364. PubMed

Lehman GJ. The influence of grip width and forearm pronation/supination on upper-body myoelectric activity during the flat bench press. J Strength Cond Res. 2005;19(3):587–591. PubMed

Welsch EA, Bird MJ, Mayhew JL. Electromyographic activity of the pectoralis major and anterior deltoid muscles during three upper-body lifts. J Strength Cond Res. 2005;19(2):449–452. PubMed

Brennecke A, Guimarães TM, Leone R, Cadarci M, Mochizuki L, Simão R, Amadio AC, Serrão JC. Neuromuscular activity during bench press exercise performed with and without the preexhaustion method. J Strength Cond Res. 2009;23(7):1933–40. PubMed

Kraemer WJ. The relationship between muscle action and repetition maximum on the squat and bench press in men and women. J Strength Cond Res. 2014;28(9):2437–2442. PubMed

Snyder BJ, Fry WR. Effect of verbal instruction on muscle activity during the bench press exercise. J Strength Cond Res. 2012;26(9):2394–2400. PubMed

Brown JM, Wickham JB, McAndrew DJ, Huang XF. Muscles within muscles: Coordination of 19 muscle segments within three shoulder muscles during isometric motor tasks. J Electromyogr Kinesiol. 2007;17(1):57–73. PubMed

Antagonist activation exercises elicit similar post-activation performance enhancement as agonist activities on throwing performance