Can muscle activity tell us where muscles grow?
Regional hypertrophy of muscle cannot be predicted by surface electromyography
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
sEMG shows no difference between preacher and inclined curls despite potential regional growth differences
Many believe that changing exercise angle (like incline vs. preacher) targets different parts of the biceps—this study shows the electrical activity doesn’t reflect that, contradicting common gym wisdom.
Practical Takeaways
Don’t rely solely on muscle 'pump' or activation cues to determine if you’re growing muscle in a specific area.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
sEMG shows no difference between preacher and inclined curls despite potential regional growth differences
Many believe that changing exercise angle (like incline vs. preacher) targets different parts of the biceps—this study shows the electrical activity doesn’t reflect that, contradicting common gym wisdom.
Practical Takeaways
Don’t rely solely on muscle 'pump' or activation cues to determine if you’re growing muscle in a specific area.
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.