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Muscle activation during three sets to failure at 80 vs. 30 % 1RM resistance exercise

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to investigate electromyographic amplitude (EMG AMP), EMG mean power frequency (MPF), exercise volume (VOL), total work and muscle activation (iEMG), and time under concentric load (TUCL) during, and muscle cross-sectional area (mCSA) before and after 3 sets to failure at 80 vs. 30 % 1RM resistance exercise.

Methods

Nine men (mean ± SD, age 21.0 ± 2.4 years, resistance training week−1 6.0 ± 3.7 h) and 9 women (age 22.8 ± 3.8 years, resistance training week−1 3.4 ± 3.5 h) completed 1RM testing, followed by 2 experimental sessions during which they completed 3 sets to failure of leg extension exercise at 80 or 30 % 1RM. EMG signals were collected to quantify EMG AMP and MPF during the initial, middle, and last repetition of each set. Ultrasound was used to assess mCSA pre- and post-exercise, and VOL, total work, iEMG, and TUCL were calculated.

Results

EMG AMP remained greater at 80 % than 30 % 1RM across all reps and sets, despite increasing 74 and 147 % across reps at 80 and 30 % 1RM, respectively. EMG MPF decreased across reps at 80 and 30 % 1RM, but decreased more and was lower for the last reps at 30 than 80 % 1RM (71.6 vs. 78.1 % MVIC). mCSA increased more from pre- to post-exercise for 30 % (20.2–24.1 cm2) than 80 % 1RM (20.3–22.8 cm2). VOL, total work, iEMG and TUCL were greater for 30 % than 80 % 1RM.

Conclusion

Muscle activation was greater at 80 % 1RM. However, differences in volume, metabolic byproduct accumulation, and muscle swelling may help explain the unexpected adaptations in hypertrophy vs. strength observed in previous studies.

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Abbreviations

1RM:

One repetition maximum

ANOVA:

Analysis of variance

EI:

Echo intensity

EMG AMP:

Electromyographic amplitude

EMG MPF:

Electromyographic mean power frequency

iEMG:

Total integrated electromyographic amplitude

mCSA:

Muscle cross-sectional area

MVIC:

Maximal voluntary isometric contraction

RF:

Rectus femoris

TUCL:

Time under concentric load

US:

Ultrasound

VL:

Vastus lateralis

VM:

Vastus medialis

VOL:

Volume

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Noelle M. Yeo and Jessie M. Miller for their help with data collection. This study was supported in part by the University of Nebraska Agricultural Research Division with funds provided through the Hatch Act (Agency: United States Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture; Accession No.: 1000080; Project No.: NEB-36-078).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences, Room 211, Ruth Leverton Hall, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, 68583-0806, USA

    Nathaniel D. M. Jenkins, Terry J. Housh, Kristen C. Cochrane, Ethan C. Hill, Cory M. Smith, Glen O. Johnson, Richard J. Schmidt & Joel T. Cramer

  2. Department of Kinesiology and Health Promotion, 221 Seaton Building, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40506-0219, USA

    Haley C. Bergstrom

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  1. Nathaniel D. M. Jenkins
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Correspondence to Joel T. Cramer.

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Communicated by Nicolas Place.

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Jenkins, N.D.M., Housh, T.J., Bergstrom, H.C. et al. Muscle activation during three sets to failure at 80 vs. 30 % 1RM resistance exercise. Eur J Appl Physiol 115, 2335–2347 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-015-3214-9

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