The 6-RM load in the inclined bench condition (109.2 ± 11.1 kg) was 21.5% lower than in the flat condition (132.7 ± 17.1 kg) and 18.5% lower than in the declined condition (129.4 ± 13.7 kg, p ≤ 0.001, ES = 1.62 –1.63). No difference was observed between the flat and declined position (p = 0.212). Comparing the 6-RM loads in the different grip widths, 5.8% and 11.1% greater 6-RM loads were achieved in the wide grip condition (132.7 ± 17.0 kg) compared with the medium (125.4 ± 17.4 kg) and narrow grip (119.2 ± 16.6 kg), respectively (p ≤ 0.001, ES = 0.42–0.80). Furthermore, a greater 6-RM load was achieved using a medium grip compared with a narrow grip (p = 0.016, ES = 0.36).
Comparing the elbow position at the lowest bar position, a greater position was measured in the declined compared with the inclined bench position (p = 0.001). No differences in the elbow position were found between the flat and declined or inclined bench positions (p = 0.070–0.791). Comparing the grip widths, the wide grip induced a greater elbow position than the narrow and medium grip condition (p = 0.0250.047). No differences in the elbow position were observed between the narrow and medium grip (p = 0.369).
Comparing the vertical displacement of the barbell, there was no difference between the flat bench position and the two inclinations (p = 0.180–0.237), but a lower displacement was observed when performing using the declined compared to the inclined bench position (p = 0.001). For the grip widths, a greater displacement was observed performing a narrow grip compared with a wide grip (p = 0.025). No differences were observed between wide and medium grip width (p = 0.483) or between medium and narrow grip width (p = 0.124).
Similar lifting times were registered for the different bench press variations (bench inclination; p = 0.219–1.000 and grip widths; p = 0.357–1.000).
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Discussion
The main finding of this study is that performing a 6-RM bench press on an inclined bench resulted in lower triceps brachii activation, but higher biceps brachii activation compared with the flat and declined bench position. Comparing the three grip widths, similar muscle activation was observed, with the exception of reduced EMG activity in the biceps brachii using the narrow grip, compared to the medium and wide grip conditions. While 6-RM loads were found to increase as the grip position widened, lower 6-RM loads were achieved in the inclined bench position compared with the flat and declined bench positions, which may be of relevance in designing effective hypertrophy protocols.
Similar levels of activity in the PM (sternocostal and clavicular parts) were observed in the flat bench compared with the inclined and declined bench positions. Importantly, all participants were bench press athletes competing at national and international level and all participants used different bench press variations in their weekly training. This may have resulted in similar PM EMG activity in all three bench inclinations as the participants’ training enabled them to adjust their shoulder joint and trunk alignment to maximize the contributions of the PM during the different bench press positions. A one year study that observed elite weight-lifters lifting strategies found only slight differences in muscle activity on repeated EMG measurement (Hakkinen et al., 1987) suggesting elite lifters exhibit repeatable muscle activation patterns on different tasks. It is possible that athletes in this study may have adjusted their lifting action to preserve consistent muscle activation, although we did not use 3D motion analysis to examine this aspect.
Previous comparable studies have demonstrated inconclusive EMG results in the sternocostal and clavicular part of the PM (Barnett et al., 1995; Glass and Armstrong, 1997; Trebs et al., 2010). In line with the present study, similar EMG activity in the clavicular part of the PM between the flat bench and the inclined and declined bench positions has been shown (Barnett et al., 1995). This latter study, in contrast to the present one, demonstrated greater activation in the clavicular part of the PM when comparing inclined and declined bench press positions, although only six recreationally trained male subjects participated, and unlike our study, a +40º inclined and −18º declined bench was used, which may explain the differences in our findings.
Elsewhere the effect of different inclined bench press positions has been examined with findings of similar activation in the clavicular part of the PM, but greater activation of the sternocostal part of the PM using a 28º incline bench position compared with the flat BP (Trebs et al., 2010). This study used a Smith machine which imposes a fixed, one dimensional vertical lifting pathway, compared with the weighted barbell used in the present study. It is possible that constraining the motion pathway during the bench press action may result in stereotypical patterns of muscle activation compared with subtle adjustments in the glenohumeral joint and elbow position permitted by a weighted barbell in an experienced lifter.
