The neuromuscular effects of applying systematic variations in grip widths and bench positions at maximal training intensity have not been examined to date in elite bench press athletes. Therefore the aim of the study was to compare the electromyographic (EMG) activity in clavicular and sternocostal parts of the pectoralis major, triceps brachii, biceps brachii, anterior deltoid, posterior deltoid and latissimus dorsi during the competition style bench press with 1) a medium and narrow grip on a flat bench, and 2) a wide grip on an inclined and declined bench under a 6RM load.
Bench Press in Pakistan
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Material and Methods
Participants
Twelve bench press athletes competing at national and international level (mean age 34.3 ± 14.1 years, body mass 97.6 ± 18.3 kg, stature 1.73 ± 0.12 m) participated in the study. All participants competed in the bench press, four athletes participated in all three competitive powerlifting exercises (bench press, squat and deadlift). For an overview of the participants’ competition experience, personal records, national records and national/international participation in competitions see Table 1. Participants were excluded from the study if they had current musculoskeletal pain, illness or an injury that might affect production of maximal effort during testing. Participants were instructed to refrain from any additional resistance training 48 hours before testing.
Table 1
An overview of the powerlifters bench press experience, personal best, national records and national/international medals in championships.
Weight class Years competing in bench press Personal best in competition (kg) National records 1
significant difference between inclined and declined condition (p < 0.05).
* significant difference compared to all other conditions (p < 0.05).
Ethics Statement
The study was approved by the local ethical committee (2009/1735/REK S⊘r-Øst D) and conformed to standards of treatment of human participants in research as outlined in the 5th Declaration of Helsinki. Participants were informed (both in writing and orally) about all testing and training procedures and gave written informed consent to participate prior to entering the study.
Procedures
A within-participants crossover design was used to compare 6-RM and EMG activity in the competition style bench press (flat bench - wide grip) with: 1) narrow and medium grip width and 2) on a +25º inclined and −25º declined bench with a wide grip which was defined as the maximum grip width permitted in the bench press competition rules (81 cm spacing between palms). Narrow grip width was set at participants’ biacromial distance (42.0 ± 3.5 cm) and medium grip width as 50% (wide - narrow grip; 61.5 ± 3.5 cm). Five sets of 6-RM presses were performed in randomized order. Before the experimental test, all participants performed two familiarization sessions in which individualized 6-RM loads were identified for all five bench press conditions (familiarization 1: wide, medium and narrow grip; familiarization 2: wide grip on an inclined and declined bench). Between three and six sets with 5 minutes rest between each attempt were used to find the individualized loads, with 6-RM chosen as the typical training load recommended to gain strength in the training period in which the study was conducted (Ratemess et al., 2009). A minimum of six days separated the two familiarization sessions and the experimental test. Under experimental testing, all five sets of 6-RM were performed in one session.
