Mods - please pin this information… (since we pin stuff now.)

Good to know - for everyone.

The results of the EMG studies show which exercises produce the greatest amount of stimulation within each target muscle group. The following table displays these results.

IEMG max motor-unit activation

Exercise/% EMG Muscle Stimulation

Pectoralis major:
Decline dumbbell bench press - 93
Decline bench press (Olympic bar) - 89
Push-ups between benches - 88
Flat dumbbell bench press - 87
Flat bench press (Olympic bar) - 85
Flat dumbbell flys - 84

Pectoralis minor:
Incline dumbbell bench press - 91
Incline bench press (Olympic bar) - 85
Incline dumbbell flys - 83
Incline bench press (Smith machine) - 81

Medial deltoids:
Incline dumbbell side laterals - 66
Standing dumbbell side laterals - 63
Seated dumbbell side laterals - 62
Cable side laterals - 47

Posterior deltoids:
Standing dumbbell bent laterals - 85
Seated dumbbell bent laterals - 83
Standing cable bent laterals - 77

Anterior deltoids:
Seated front dumbbell press - 79
Standing front dumbbell raises - 73
Seated front barbell press - 61

Biceps:
Biceps preacher curls (Olympic bar) - 90
Incline seated dumbbell curls (alternate) - 88
Standing biceps curls (Olympic bar/narrow grip) - 86
Standing dumbbell curls (alternate) - 84
Concentration dumbbell curls - 80
Standing biceps curls (Olympic bar/wide grip) - 63
Standing E-Z biceps curls (wide grip) - 61

Triceps:
Decline triceps extensions (Olympic bar) - 92
Triceps pressdowns (angled bar) - 90
Triceps dip between benches - 87
One-arm cable triceps extensions (reverse grip) - 85
Overhead rope triceps extensions - 84
Seated one-arm dumbbell triceps extensions (neutral grip) - 82
Close-grip bench press (Olympic bar) - 72

Latissimus dorsi:
Bent-over barbell rows - 93
One-arm dumbbell rows - 91
T-bar rows - 89
Lat pulldowns to the front - 86
Seated pulley rows - 83

Quadriceps:
Squats (parallel depth, shoulder-width stance) - 88
Seated leg extensions (toes straight) - 86
Hack Squats (90 degree angle, shoulder-width stance) - 78
Leg press (110 degree angle) - 76
Smith machine squats (90 degree angle, shoulder-width stance) - 60

Hamstrings:
Seated leg curls - 88
Standing leg curls - 79
Lying leg curls - 70
Stiff Legged Deadlifts - 63

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

I've got a book (Serious Strength Training) and it lists EMG/exercises data, but it's different than yours.

I have the book, and quickly ascertained that the post that you grabbed from anabolics, James (posted here on Aug 13, 2005) was a truncated listing.

I will repost your list, with the additional groups.

There is another listing of similar activation percentages by group, using a different evaluation method that I have posted on previously - magnetic resonance (actually 1H (proton) and 31P (phosphate) NMR.

The study was performed by a Swedish group, in 2001, I believe. I'll try to find the original study on line, else I will have to see if I can use interlibrary loan to locate the text and post the results.

For comparative purposes. I liked the visualization method because the authors identified certain fallacies in training (for instance, using certain foot positions in calf and quad exercises) that aren't necessary for training specific muscle groups.

SLightly modifed listing, Bompus et al, 1988 (from Serious Strength Training, 2001, Human Kinetics).


Pectoralis major:

Decline dumbbell bench press - 93
Decline bench press (Olympic bar) - 90
Push-ups between benches - 88
Flat dumbbell bench press - 87
Flat bench press (Olympic bar) - 85
Flat dumbbell fly - 84

Pectoralis minor:

Incline dumbbell bench press - 91
Incline bench press (Olympic bar) - 85
Incline dumbbell fly - 83
Incline bench press (Smith machine) - 81

Medial deltoid:

Incline dumbbell side lateral - 66
Standing dumbbell side lateral - 63
Seated dumbbell side lateral - 62
Cable side lateral - 47


Posterior deltoid:

Standing dumbbell bent lateral - 85
Seated dumbbell bent lateral - 83
Standing cable bent lateral - 77\


Anterior deltoid:

Seated front dumbbell press - 79
Standing front dumbbell raise - 73
Seated front barbell press - 61


Biceps Brachii (long head)

Biceps preacher curl (Olympic bar) - 90
Incline seated dumbbell curl (alternate) - 88
Standing biceps curl (Olympic bar/narrow grip) - 86
Standing dumbbell curl (alternate) - 84
Concentration dumbbell curl - 80
Standing biceps curl (Olympic bar/wide grip) - 63
Standing E-Z biceps curl (wide grip) - 61


Triceps brachii (outer head)

Decline triceps extension (Olympic bar) - 92
Triceps pressdown (angled bar) - 90
Triceps dip between bench - 87
One-arm cable triceps extension (reverse grip) - 85
Overhead rope triceps extension - 84
Seated one-arm dumbbell triceps extension (neutral grip) - 82
Close-grip bench press (Olympic bar) - 72


Latissimus dorsi:

Bent-over barbell row - 93
One-arm dumbbell row - 91
T-bar row - 89
Lat pulldowns to the front - 86
Seated pulley row - 83


Rectus Femoris (Quadriceps) :

Safety Squat (parallel depth, shoulder-width stance) - 88
Seated leg extension (toes straight) - 86
Hack Squats(90 degree angle, shoulder-width stance) - 78
Leg press (110 degree angle) - 76
Smith machine squat (90 degree angle, shoulder-width stance) - 60


Biceps femoris (Hamstrings):

Standing leg curl - 82
Lying leg curl -72
Seated leg curl -58
modified (SL) hamstring dead lift - 56


Semitendinosus (hamstring)

Seated leg curl - 88
Standing leg curl - 79
Lying leg curl - 70
Modified hamstring (Stiff Legged) Deadlifts - 63

Gastrocnemius (Calves):
Donkey calf raises - 80
Standing one-leg calf raises - 79
Standing two-leg calf raises - 68
Seated calf raises - 61

Different thread, Mike.

Need a new one.

I have a very kick ass journal article that provides an explanation for frequency and intensity action in CNS fatigue and muscle microtrauma.

Will take readers time to digest and think about.

Supports James approach, also recovery issue in your frequency approach.

Utra cool.

Take a look at this article:

http://www.biophysj.org/cgi/content/full/82/5/2344 (full article)


A Dynamical Model of Muscle Activation, Fatigue, and Recovery
Jing Z. Liu, Robert W. Brown, and Guang H. Yue. Biophys J. 82 (5):2344-2359, 2002.

A dynamical model is presented as a framework for muscle activation, fatigue, and recovery. By describing the effects of muscle fatigue and recovery in terms of two phenomenological parameters (F, R), we develop a set of dynamical equations to describe the behavior of muscles as a group of motor units activated by voluntary effort.

This model provides a macroscopic view for understanding biophysical mechanisms of voluntary drive, fatigue effect, and recovery in stimulating, limiting, and modulating the force output from muscles. The model is investigated under the condition in which brain effort is assumed to be constant. Experimental validation of the model is performed by fitting force data measured from healthy human subjects during a 3-min sustained maximal voluntary handgrip contraction.

The experimental results confirm a theoretical inference from the model regarding the possibility of maximal muscle force production, and suggest that only 97% of the true maximal force can be reached under maximal voluntary effort, assuming that all motor units can be recruited voluntarily. The effects of different motor unit types, time-dependent brain effort, sources of artifacts, and other factors that could affect

I wondered when someone was gonna ask about this sucker. Not listed among the current version of the standard exercise repetroire, this is an oldie but goodie that deserves to be resurrected and added to your training bag o trix.


First, a nice web site showing this old dog trick:

http://www.abcbodybuilding.com/exercise3/i...ateralraise.htm

And then, a verbal explanation:

The lying side lateral is the perfect example of such a "lost" exercise. Arnold Schwarzenegger popularized the movement in the '70s and, a generation ago, every bodybuilder--from weekend toners to Mr. O contenders--was doing them. Today, the primary alternative to standing laterals is machine laterals. It's a rare occasion when someone lies down to work medial deltoids. It's likely the majority of current bodybuilders aren't even aware of the option.

Arnold actually popularized more than one lift, including the press named after him, but lying side laterals is the only one to fall into obscurity, and for no reason other than indolence. You don't need a parking lot or a barbell loaded with plates. You can do them in most gyms, even most home gyms. What's more, they stress side deltoids in a manner no other lift can. It's time to resurrect the lying side lateral.

EXECUTION | Lie on your left side. It's best to use an incline bench without a seat or an abdominal board set at a 30-degree angle, although you can also use an incline bench with a seat or a decline bench (with your head at the high end). If necessary, you can perform this lift on a flat bench or on the floor. Brace your body in a firm position. Grasp a dumbbell in your right hand. (By necessity, the dumbbell will need to be lighter than for standing side laterals.) Rest the dumbbell on your right thigh or, for a longer range of motion, behind your glutes.

Keeping your right arm slightly bent, raise the dumbbell in a semicircular arc. Stop just before it is directly over your shoulder joint. Any movement beyond there is accomplished with momentum, not muscle. After completing 10-12 strict reps, lie on your right side and repeat with the dumbbell in your left hand.

In essence, by lying down, you reverse the stress of a standing or seated side lateral. With the latter two, there is less tension during the first half of the movement (when you're moving your arm[s] more outward than upward) and much more during the top of the movement (when you're moving your arm[s] mostly upward). On the other hand, when doing a lying side lateral, the dumbbell is moving upward from the beginning. Thus, gravity is pulling against you during the first portion. It is only when you approach the top of the lift that the dumbbell stops moving higher and the stress lessens. In fact, if you continued the arc, the weight of the dumbbell would pull your arm down with virtually no tension at all.

Source: http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_..._22/ai_n6093050

Just wondering, but most of those numbers seem pretty high. If this is based off a similiar 100 point grading scale, then would anything below 70 be considered as a possible failing grade and not worth doing? For that matter, how about anything below 80?

Any allowence of adaptation?
One could be lead to belive that those excercies that came in at a lower score would be of little or no value to a newb.

Exactly my point. I wouldn't want someone reading those and saying "well, I am not going to do those exercises at all since they recieve a below than average score". That that would prevent them from gaining off of those exercises that didn't score so high but are crucial for development.

I dont care what those numbers say, an exercise is an exercise to me, and what works, works.

Im not going to let a scale pick out what my workout consists of.

This is a relative scale of potential intensity.

Relative to how well the muscle group is worked.

Its a guide to help you select exercises to put together an efficient program.

Its also just a tad outdated (circa 1988 original study).

A newer study exists, but I can't find it online yet...

Uses nuclear magnetic imaging to show which groups are engaged and to which extent (relative to maximax external electrical stimulation) by specific exercises.

Getting to know the feel of each muscle as its worked, regardless of exercise used, helps you contract and engage the correct muscles (and avoid poor form that may cause injury and compensation use of adjoining groups in isolation moves).

X - of course these studies used young healthy males who had previous history of several years of weight training. We can presume they were well past adaptation phase.