EMG tells you which exercises are best

[coolcolj]

The following is a summary of EMG results for several muscle groups indicating the most effective exercises for increasing muscle strength and size. The results are taken from Dr. Tudor Bompa. For each muscle group outlined, there is a list of exercises in ascending order from highest muscle stimulation to lowest( indicated by % iEMG MAX ).

Hmm I'll be making some changes to my own exercise selection

EXERCISE % iEMG

Pectoralis Major

Decline dumbell bench press 93
Decline bench press (olympic) 89
Push-ups between benches 88
Flat dumbell bench press 87
Flat bench press 85
Flat dumbell flys 84

Pectoralis Minor

Incline dumbell bench press 91
Incline bench press (olympic) 85
Incline dumbell flys 83
Incline bench press (Smith) 81

Medial Deltoids

Incline dumbell side laterals 66
Standing dumbell side laterals 63
Seated dumbell side laterals 62
Cable side laterals 47


Posterior Deltoids

Standing dumbell bent laterals 85
Seated dumbell side laterals 83
Standing cable bent laterals 77


Latissimus Dorsi

Bent over barbell rows 93
One arm dumbell rows 91
T-bar rows 89
Lat pulldowns (front) 86


Gastrocnemius

Donkey calf raises 80
Standing one leg calf raises 79
Standing two leg calf raises 68
Seated calf raises 61


Biceps Femoris

Standing leg curls 82
Lying leg curls 71
Seated leg curls 58
Modified hamstring deadlift 56

Semitendinosus

Seated leg curls 88
Standing leg curls 79
leg curls 70
Modified hamstring deadlift 63

 

[b fold the truth]

Heck of a post!!!!!! Good info there!!!!

B True

 

[Arioch]

Unfortunately, they are surface EMG only, not deep. So results may still vary based upon individual fiber ratio, recruitment patterns, and rate coding.

Furthermore, while he did integrate the EMG readings, he did not analyze MVIC, so rep ranges can effect readings as well.

 

[ZZuluZ]

I've read that as well.

Wouldn't trust it.

-Zulu

 

[Vortexx]

Yes, there are so much factors we have to take in account. It comes to no surprise to me that the flat benchpress, which has a relatively low rating in this studie still is the mainstay of many bb as it recruites the deep fibres if you use low reps. The deep fibres come into play when you have a lot of neural activity from many bodyparts acting together to do a heavy job...

this would also explaing why another "low rated" exercise like the stiff legged deadlift still can be very effective, provided you use low reps....

My instinct tells me that the exercises with high EMG surface rating like decline dumbell press and one -arm dumbell rows should be done with higher reps (10-12) if it's hypertrophy that you want.... In fact most exercises for back displayed have a very high rating for the lats, so i think that lats in general are best trained with slightly higher reps.

A shame that deadlift is not included in this study. If it was i would expect to have a medium/low rating! Still it's regarded by many as the cornerstone of a solid back and surprise surprise, deadlifts are often performed on a 5 * 5 routine to recruit the deep fibers.....

As you can delts have a pretty low rating for all exercises displayed wich is why many people find it difficult to get delts like NY MUSCLE unless they have a very favcourable fibre make-up...

I really would love to see the ratings for heavy overhead presses ...... Maybe that's the way to go for firehydrant caps delts.

 

[Vortexx]

Obviously, while cable lateral raises have a very low rating in this study I wouldn't try to recruit deep fibres using a 5 * 5 routine wioth this exercise...! This will only work with large compound exercise like push-press etc...

 

[sysopt]

To hell with EMG's, the numerical values you see are very specific for that test which probably cant be applied to training. I think if you want to work a muscle in the best way, try to mimic it's anatomical function, that's all.

 

[Vortexx]

You mean like shrugging your shoulders to train traps when you read about the latest EMG study

 

[Vortexx]

I feel that EMG is a nice first attempt of understanding how the game works, but they really should follow a large group of athletes for a longer amount of time, take muscle biopses and keep track of the amount of reps, sets and their progression/degression in size/ strength/BF% etc etc. Than after five years you put all this measurements in a computer and have some expert statistical software come up with meaningfull conclusions that can be applied to training in the real world....


Or you just ask the guys and girls here at elite that have been training over 10 years about their "observations"

 

[ZZuluZ]

My problem with EMG studies is that they don't seem to have any practical application.

If isolation exercise Y targets the triceps the most....who cares?

Leg curls may hit the hamstrings better than Deadlifts according to EMG studies but there's no way in hell I'm substituting them.

The body does not work in isolation.

-Zulu