Great Offset Loading Influences Core and Bench Press Peak Prime Mover’s Activity in Trained Athletes

<b>Objectives</b>: This study aimed to compare the acute responses of the muscular activity of primary movers during bench press execution under asymmetric loads (25%, 50%, and 75%). <b>Methods</b>: The study included 30 resistance-trained males (n = 25, age = 22.73 ± 3.44 ye...

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Main Authors: Bernat Buscà, Jordi Arboix-Alió, Clàudia Baraut, Adrià Arboix, Joan Aguilera-Castells
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-05-01
Series:Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2411-5142/10/2/180
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author Bernat Buscà
Jordi Arboix-Alió
Clàudia Baraut
Adrià Arboix
Joan Aguilera-Castells
author_facet Bernat Buscà
Jordi Arboix-Alió
Clàudia Baraut
Adrià Arboix
Joan Aguilera-Castells
author_sort Bernat Buscà
collection DOAJ
description <b>Objectives</b>: This study aimed to compare the acute responses of the muscular activity of primary movers during bench press execution under asymmetric loads (25%, 50%, and 75%). <b>Methods</b>: The study included 30 resistance-trained males (n = 25, age = 22.73 ± 3.44 years, height= 1.77 ± 0.06 m, body mass= 76.77 ± 9.28 kg) and females (n = 5, age = 22.5 ± 1.19 years, height = 1.63 ± 0.04 m, body mass = 56.78 ± 2.90 kg). We assessed the two portions of the dominant pectoralis major, triceps brachii, anterior deltoid, and both external oblique peak activities (sEMG) during concentric and eccentric phases. We performed a repeated-measures design to establish the differences between muscle activity, barbell center of mass acceleration, and OMNI-Perceived Exertion Scale for Resistance Exercise (OMNI-RES) in a bench press under seven different conditions. <b>Results</b>: The linear mixed model showed a significant fixed effect for exercise condition for muscles (<i>p</i> < 0.001) in the concentric and eccentric phases. We found significantly higher clavicularis (<i>d</i> = 0.54; <i>d</i> = 1.15) and sternalis (<i>d</i> = 0.38; <i>d</i> = 0.86) pectoralis major activation of the dominant side under high (50% and 75%), non-dominant-side, de-loaded conditions in the eccentric phase (<i>p</i> < 0.001), with large effects. Contralateral core muscles (external oblique) of the dominant and non-dominant sides were significantly (<i>p</i> < 0.001) highly activated under all asymmetric conditions in the concentric phase (from <i>d</i> = 0.89 to <i>d</i> = 2.30). <b>Conclusions</b>: The asymmetric load bench press provoked a higher pectoralis major activation on the loaded side when de-loading the other side. The contralateral external oblique doubles the muscle activity in the most asymmetric conditions.
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spelling doaj-art-6830a923467d4a8d8dce69e0864b7d582025-08-20T02:21:10ZengMDPI AGJournal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology2411-51422025-05-0110218010.3390/jfmk10020180Great Offset Loading Influences Core and Bench Press Peak Prime Mover’s Activity in Trained AthletesBernat Buscà0Jordi Arboix-Alió1Clàudia Baraut2Adrià Arboix3Joan Aguilera-Castells4Faculty of Psychology, Education Sciences and Sport Blanquerna, Ramon Llull University, 08022 Barcelona, SpainFaculty of Psychology, Education Sciences and Sport Blanquerna, Ramon Llull University, 08022 Barcelona, SpainFaculty of Psychology, Education Sciences and Sport Blanquerna, Ramon Llull University, 08022 Barcelona, SpainCerebrovascular Division, Department of Neurology, Hospital Universitari del Sagrat Cor, Universitat de Barcelona, 08029 Barcelona, SpainFaculty of Psychology, Education Sciences and Sport Blanquerna, Ramon Llull University, 08022 Barcelona, Spain<b>Objectives</b>: This study aimed to compare the acute responses of the muscular activity of primary movers during bench press execution under asymmetric loads (25%, 50%, and 75%). <b>Methods</b>: The study included 30 resistance-trained males (n = 25, age = 22.73 ± 3.44 years, height= 1.77 ± 0.06 m, body mass= 76.77 ± 9.28 kg) and females (n = 5, age = 22.5 ± 1.19 years, height = 1.63 ± 0.04 m, body mass = 56.78 ± 2.90 kg). We assessed the two portions of the dominant pectoralis major, triceps brachii, anterior deltoid, and both external oblique peak activities (sEMG) during concentric and eccentric phases. We performed a repeated-measures design to establish the differences between muscle activity, barbell center of mass acceleration, and OMNI-Perceived Exertion Scale for Resistance Exercise (OMNI-RES) in a bench press under seven different conditions. <b>Results</b>: The linear mixed model showed a significant fixed effect for exercise condition for muscles (<i>p</i> < 0.001) in the concentric and eccentric phases. We found significantly higher clavicularis (<i>d</i> = 0.54; <i>d</i> = 1.15) and sternalis (<i>d</i> = 0.38; <i>d</i> = 0.86) pectoralis major activation of the dominant side under high (50% and 75%), non-dominant-side, de-loaded conditions in the eccentric phase (<i>p</i> < 0.001), with large effects. Contralateral core muscles (external oblique) of the dominant and non-dominant sides were significantly (<i>p</i> < 0.001) highly activated under all asymmetric conditions in the concentric phase (from <i>d</i> = 0.89 to <i>d</i> = 2.30). <b>Conclusions</b>: The asymmetric load bench press provoked a higher pectoralis major activation on the loaded side when de-loading the other side. The contralateral external oblique doubles the muscle activity in the most asymmetric conditions.https://www.mdpi.com/2411-5142/10/2/180asymmetric trainingsymmetry loadingresistance exerciseselectromyographyinstability
spellingShingle Bernat Buscà
Jordi Arboix-Alió
Clàudia Baraut
Adrià Arboix
Joan Aguilera-Castells
Great Offset Loading Influences Core and Bench Press Peak Prime Mover’s Activity in Trained Athletes
Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology
asymmetric training
symmetry loading
resistance exercises
electromyography
instability
title Great Offset Loading Influences Core and Bench Press Peak Prime Mover’s Activity in Trained Athletes
title_full Great Offset Loading Influences Core and Bench Press Peak Prime Mover’s Activity in Trained Athletes
title_fullStr Great Offset Loading Influences Core and Bench Press Peak Prime Mover’s Activity in Trained Athletes
title_full_unstemmed Great Offset Loading Influences Core and Bench Press Peak Prime Mover’s Activity in Trained Athletes
title_short Great Offset Loading Influences Core and Bench Press Peak Prime Mover’s Activity in Trained Athletes
title_sort great offset loading influences core and bench press peak prime mover s activity in trained athletes
topic asymmetric training
symmetry loading
resistance exercises
electromyography
instability
url https://www.mdpi.com/2411-5142/10/2/180
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