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. 2023 May 8;2(2):218-227.
doi: 10.3390/muscles2020016.

Analysis of Muscle Strength and Electromyographic Activity during Different Deadlift Positions

Vinícius Marques Moreira  1 , Leonardo Coelho Rabello de Lima  2 , Arnaldo Luis Mortatti  3 , Thiago Mattos Frota de Souza  4 , Fernando Vitor Lima  5 , Saulo Fernandes Melo Oliveira  6 , Christian Emmanuel Torres Cabido  7 , Felipe J Aidar  8   9 , Manoel da Cunha Costa  10 , Thiago Pires  1 , Tatiana Acioli  11 , Rogério César Fermino  12   13 , Cláudio Oliveira Assumpção  14 , Túlio Banja  1
Affiliations

Analysis of Muscle Strength and Electromyographic Activity during Different Deadlift Positions

Vinícius Marques Moreira et al. Muscles. .

Abstract

The aim of the study was to analyze muscle activation in the three positions of the deadlift (DL). Twenty male participants (33.4 ± 3.9 years; 42.2 ± 9.1 months of experience with DL; 91.0 ± 14.8 kg; and 1.78 ± 0.06 m) pulled a bar through isometric actions in three DL positions: lift-off, mid-pull, and lockout. Isometric strength, knee angle, and activation of the rectus femoris (RF), biceps femoris (BF), lateral gastrocnemius (GAL), and erector spinae (ERE) muscles were collected. The analysis of variance showed that the maximum isometric force presented differences between the positions (p = 0.001; η2 = 0.973) considered large with higher values at the mid-pull position. Interactions were found between muscles and position (p = 0.001; η2 = 0.527) considered large. The RF and ERE showed greater activation in the lift-off position, while in the mid-pull position, there was greater activation of the BF and GAL muscles. The DL positions produce different activations in the bi-articular and uni-articular muscles. The lift-off requires more activation from the RF and ERE positions. The mid-pull position, despite generating greater force, presented greater activations in the BF and GAL. The ERE showed higher activations as the external torque was greater.

Keywords: electromyography; isometric strength; muscle activity.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Muscle strength and knee joint range in the three DL positions. * Significant difference in relative strength for the lift-off position (p < 0.05).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Muscle activity in relation to DL positions. * Significant difference (p < 0.05) for the lift-off position. ¥ Significant difference (p < 0.05) for the mid-pull position.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Illustration of the 3 DL positions analyzed: lift-off, mid-pull, and lock-out.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Evaluation of a participant and electrode placements: (1) rectus femoris muscle, (2) biceps femoris muscle, (3) lateral gastrocnemius muscle, (4) erector spinae muscle, and (5) reference electrode.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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