COMPARATION OF ABDOMINAL WALL ACTIVATION DURING SIT- UP AND CURL- UP EXERCISES IN WOMEN

In order to carry out this study, fourteen healthy females performed series of sit-up and curl-up exercises, with and without fixation for the legs. Electrogoniometers were placed on the hip and dorsal spine. Surface EMG was recorded from the superior and inferior portions of the rectus abdominis, external oblique, internal oblique, and rectus femoris of both sides. Muscle patterns were compared to norrr.alized values of integrated EMG. The results showed that the sit-up exercise required higher activity of the abdominal muscles than the curl-up, when the exercises were performed with or without fixation of the legs. In the same way, the sit-up exercise required high activity of the rectus femoris, mainly with fixation for the legs