Core Muscle Activity, Exercise Preference, and Perceived Exertion during Core Exercise with Elastic Resistance versus...

Area of Science:

• Exercise Physiology
• Biomechanics
• Sports Science

Background:

• Core muscle engagement is crucial for functional movement and injury prevention.
• Understanding the differential activation patterns of core muscles during various exercise modalities is essential for effective training program design.
• Elastic resistance offers a portable and versatile alternative to traditional weight machines for strength training.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare core muscle activity, exercise preference, and perceived exertion between elastic resistance and machine-based torso-twist exercises.
• To investigate the electromyographic (EMG) activity of key core muscles, including the erector spinae and external obliques, during two distinct torso-twist protocols.
• To assess user preference and perceived exertion to inform exercise selection for untrained individuals.

Main Methods:

• Surface electromyography (EMG) was used to measure the normalized activity (nEMG) of five core muscles in 17 untrained men.
• Participants performed randomized torso-twist exercises using elastic resistance and a conventional training machine at a 10-repetition maximum (10 RM) load.
• Perceived exertion was assessed using the Borg CR10 scale, and exercise preferences were recorded post-testing.

Main Results:

• Elastic resistance torso-twists elicited significantly higher right erector spinae activity (50% nEMG) compared to machine-based exercises (32% nEMG).
• Machine-based torso-twists resulted in significantly greater left external oblique activity (77% nEMG) versus elastic resistance (54% nEMG).
• No significant differences in muscle activation were observed for the rectus abdominis or left erector spinae; perceived exertion was similar between modalities, yet 76% preferred elastic resistance.

Conclusions:

• Both elastic resistance and machine-based torso-twists effectively activate core muscles, with distinct patterns favoring specific muscle groups (erector spinae for elastic, external obliques for machine).
• Elastic resistance provides a preferred alternative for torso-twisting exercises among untrained individuals, despite comparable muscle activation and perceived exertion.
• These findings suggest that incorporating elastic resistance can be a valuable strategy for core training, offering user preference benefits without compromising overall muscle engagement.