Acute muscle excitation response across various bench press ranges of motion

This study examined muscle excitation using surface electromyography (sEMG) during different ranges of motion (ROM) in the bench press. Given the limited research on upper-body muscle excitation across ROMs, this study aimed to establish reference values for muscle excitation in distinct bench press ROMs. Nineteen male participants performed a 10-repetition maximum (10RM) bench press across three ROMs: full ROM, upper-half ROM, and lower-half ROM. sEMG measurements were taken on the pectoralis major (PM), triceps brachii (TB), and anterior deltoid (AD). Mean and peak EMG amplitudes were analyzed. Significant differences in mean muscle excitation were observed across all muscles (p < 0.001-0.002). The upper-half ROM elicited the highest mean excitation for the TB, while both partial ROMs resulted in greater excitation for the PM and AD compared to the full ROM. Peak muscle excitation was significantly greater in the PM sternocostal 15% region during the upper-half ROM. Additionally, the TB long and lateral heads showed significantly higher peak EMG values in the upper-half ROM than in the other conditions. These results suggest that ROM variations in the bench press lead to distinct muscle excitation patterns. This insight may inform future research on ROM's effects on muscle hypertrophy and strength development.