Comparison of muscle activities during bench press at different angles in beginners.
Yusuke Chigira, Keita Kurihara, Kosuke Saida and 1 others
PMID 39764299WHAT IT FOUND
In beginners, raising the bench angle reduced middle and lower chest activity but increased front shoulder and triceps activity.
Flat benching maximized chest output, while steep inclines shifted the work to the shoulders and triceps.
Key findings
01Middle and lower pectoralis major activity decreased as bench angle increased from 0° to 60°.
02Anterior deltoid and triceps brachii activity increased with higher bench angles.
03Upper pectoralis major activity showed no significant difference across bench angles.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The sample size was small (15 participants) and fell short of the calculated target of 35, reducing statistical power. The study included only young male beginners, so results may not apply to women, older adults, or experienced lifters. Muscle activity was measured during a single session at a submaximal load, not during long-term training. The paper is marked as a Retracted Publication, which fundamentally undermines its validity.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not use this paper to guide clinical practice. The article is listed as a Retracted Publication, meaning the findings are withdrawn and should not be considered valid evidence.