Comparison of muscle activities during bench press at different angles in beginners

[Purpose] The bench press can strengthen targeted muscles, such as the pectoralis major, deltoid, and triceps brachii. This study examined differences in muscle activities during the bench press at different angles in beginners to collect basic data and evaluate the clinical effectiveness of the bench press. [Participants and Methods] The participants were 15 male students with <1 year of training experience. The one repetition maximum (1RM) was measured at a bench angle of 0°, and electromyograms (EMG) were recorded at various angles at 50% of the weight at 1RM. [Results] In the middle and lower pectoralis major muscles, significant differences were observed according to the bench angles, as the outputs decreased with increasing angles. In the anterior deltoid, the output increased significantly with an increasing angle. The triceps brachii output showed significant increases on the medial and lateral sides only at a bench angle of 60° compared to the other angles. [Conclusion] Knowing the bench angle at the maximum output of each muscle contributes to efficient muscle strengthening using the bench press.