EMG Readings in Similar Body Weight and Cable Resistance Exercise

Abstract: The field of exercise training has infinite possibilities by different modes of exercise, from a variety of handle types to the type of weight being moved. However, all of these modes strive towards the overall goal of muscle mass increase while maintaining joint longevity. Studies have been conducted to contrast at the varying types of equipment used and the equipment’s effect on muscle contraction and growth. Very little research has been done looking at the type of weight being moved and the resultant electrical impulses sent to the muscle fibers to elicit a contraction. This study attempts to look into this undetermined topic by focusing on: pure body weighted exercise as a pullup and cable resistance exercise as a seated pulldown. When all variables are kept constant across these types of exercise, including grip, angle of pull and weight moved, this study will definitively show which style of exercise produces a higher amount of electrical signaling to the muscle fiber, specifically, in the latissimus dorsi and biceps brachii. Quantified by statistical tests and electromyography, the results will show whether body weighted exercise or cable resistance exercise is more efficient in producing muscle hypertrophy and eventual muscle growth