Comparison of Muscle Activity between the Horizontal Bench Press and the Seated Chest Press Exercises Using Several...

Area of Science:

• Exercise Physiology
• Biomechanics
• Sports Science

Background:

• Understanding muscle activation patterns is crucial for optimizing resistance training.
• Different chest press variations and grips may influence the engagement of key upper body muscles.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the muscle activity of the pectoralis major, anterior deltoid, and triceps brachii during horizontal bench press and seated chest press exercises.
• To investigate the effects of different grip widths and types (prone, neutral) on muscle activation during these exercises.

Main Methods:

• Twenty physically active adults performed exercises at 60% of their one-repetition maximum.
• Electromyography was used to measure muscle activity during lying bench press (prone grip, 50% and 150% biacromial width) and seated chest press (neutral grip ~150%, prone grip ~200% biacromial width).

Main Results:

• The clavicular pectoralis major showed greater activity in seated chest press (neutral grip) compared to lying bench press (prone grip, 150% biacromial width).
• Anterior deltoid activity was similar across all tested variations.
• Triceps brachii activity was higher with a narrower grip (50% biacromial width) in the lying bench press.

Conclusions:

• Overall muscle activation was comparable across the evaluated chest press exercises and grips.
• Exercise selection should integrate factors beyond muscle activation, including load capacity, technical proficiency, and sport-specific transferability.