The Study
Regional hypertrophy of muscle cannot be predicted by surface electromyography
This study looked at whether a muscle activity test (sEMG) can predict where muscles grow after exercise. It found no link in the 36 people studied, but it can't prove that there's no connection for everyone — it just shows they didn't see one here.
Analysis score
Maximum 44 for a cross-sectional study.
Where the score came from
Scientists wanted to see if measuring muscle activity with sensors on the skin could predict where arm muscles grow after exercise.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 536 / 100
Quality score
Snapshots of a population at a single point in time, or descriptions of small groups. Can identify correlations and prevalence, but cannot determine cause and effect.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1This means that just because a muscle is active, it doesn't show exactly where it will get bigger.
- 2The sensors showed the same muscle activity during two different curl exercises, even though muscles might grow in different areas.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Isokinetics and Exercise Science
Year
2023
Authors
Aitor Zabaleta-Korta, Unai Latorre-Erezuma, Eneko Fernández-Peña, J. Torres-Unda, J. Santos-Concejero
Related Content
Claims (3)
Measuring muscle electrical activity with sensors on the skin during bicep exercises doesn’t tell us where the muscle will grow more or less—this finding is from the abstract summary, full study details were not available.
Whether you do preacher curls or inclined curls, your biceps muscles activate in pretty much the same way if you're using a moderate weight and pushing to failure. Basically, the 'effort' your muscles put in is similar for both exercises.
If we use sensors to see which parts of a muscle are working hardest during a workout, those same areas are the ones that will grow the most over time.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.