Abstract

The aim of the study was to analyze the percentage of muscle activation by surface electromyography (sEMG) at different intensities in bench press execution, in the pectoralis major muscle, anterior deltoid, serratus anterior, biceps brachii and triceps brachii of paralympic weightlifters. Six male paralympic weightlifting athletes were evaluated, aged 32.7 ± 3.50years, with a body mass of 78.3 ± 14.35kg, during a national Weightlifting Circuit held in Natal/RN, Brazil. Two tests were performed: on Test 1, the athlete performed the bench press movement with 50% of the maximum load lifted on the competition. The test 2 was performed, with the lifting of the maximum load (100%). The analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to evaluate the effect of the exercise performed.  The pectoralis major muscle was more active in both tests and the only one showed a statistically significant difference, with percentage of activation 19.9±3.19 on test 1 and 27.6±2.91 on test 2. The percentage of activation muscles in test 1 and test 2, respectively, was Serratus anterior (16.9±2.43 vs. 21.0±6.83); Triceps brachii (16.3±4.63 vs 19.6±4.93); Anterior deltoid (14.3±6.24 vs. 20.2±6.21) and biceps brachii (16.0±5.18 vs. 17.3±6.35) (p <0.05). In conclusion, the percentage of activation in all muscles analyzed during the execution of the bench press was greater with increasing intensity, suggesting that training with heavier loads lead to a greater muscle activation in paralympic weightlifters.