Resistance training acute session: pectoralis major, latissimus dorsi and triceps brachii electromyographic activity.

We aimed to compare electromyographic activity of the external portion of the pectoralis major, latissimus dorsi and triceps brachii long head in an acute resistance training session between bench press (BP), lat pull down, pullover and triceps lying exercises. Concentric and eccentric phases electromyographic activity were compared. pectoralis major showed significantly higher activity in bench press (67.9 %) than in pullover (50.8 %), triceps lying (35.9 %) and lat pull down (14.1 %) in the concentric and eccentric phase (43.4 %, 27.5 %, 24.5 % and 7%, respectively). Latissimus dorsi showed significantly higher activity in lat pull down (59.5 %) than in pullover (22.7 %), triceps lying (10.7 %) and bench press (6.6 %) in the concentric and eccentric phase (37.4 %, 8.4 %, 7.6 % and 4.4 %, respectively). Triceps brachii long head showed significantly higher activity in triceps lying (67.7 %) than in bench press (49.2 %), pullover (34.3 %) and lat pull down (12.4 %) in the concentric and eccentric phase (37.6 %, 23.8 %, 20.5 % and 9.7 %, respectively). We found that bench press, lat pull down and triceps lying exercises are more effective to activate pectoralis major, latissimus dorsi and brachii long head muscles, respectively. Pullover exercise is more effective to activate pectoralis major (50.8 %) rather that latissimus dorsi (22.7 %). One should take into account such results while preparing a strength training periodization routine in order to avoid overtraining. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]