COMPARISONS OF MUSCLE ACTIVATION AND VOLUME DURING TRADITIONAL AND ALTERNATIVE LOWER BODY RESISTANCE EXERCISES IN TRAINED WOMEN

Abstract

Lower body resistance exercises have positive outcomes on health and knowledge of how muscles activate during resistance training is important to understand for rehabilitative and training purposes. Therefore, the purpose of the first study was to measure muscle activation patterns among the vastus medialis, vastus lateralis, gluteus maximus, rectus femoris, and biceps femoris muscles during the back squat, front squat, and deadlift exercises in resistance trained women (N = 13). The purpose of the second study was to examine volume alterations and muscle activation patters among the vastus medialis, vastus lateralis, gluteus maximus, and rectus femoris muscles between a traditional and rest-pause Smith machine squat while performing four sets to movement failure (N = 13).

When comparing muscle activity among the back squat, front squat, and deadlift exercises, the gluteus maximus muscle was found to have significantly higher muscle activity during the front squat exercise in comparison to the deadlift exercise (p = .04) when performing 3 repetitions at 75% 1 repetition maximum load. No other significance was found among the remaining four muscles (p > .05). The results of this study can aid strength and conditioning specialist and trainers to address issues of synergistic dominance that can likely result in arthrokinetic dysfunction and injury.

Study two examined muscle activity and total volume lifted between a traditional and rest-pause (4 second unloaded rest between repetitions) Smith machine squat at 80% 1 repetition maximum load to movement failure during four sets. Total volume lifted was significantly higher for the rest pause protocol in comparison to the traditional protocol (p < .01, d = .50). Furthermore, percent change muscle activity from the first three repetitions of set one to the last three repetitions of set 4 was significantly higher in the traditional protocol in comparison rest-pause protocol (p = .03, d = .36). No other significance was observed for the remaining three muscles (p > .05). The findings indicate if volume is the goal, the rest-pause protocol may be a superior training method.