Comparison of Electromyographic Activity of Selected Core Muscles While Performing Selected Core Stability Exercises Using TRX

Nowadays, suspended exercises have been considered as an effective way to improve core stability in healthy individuals and those with musculoskeletal disorders. However, the activity of different core muscles while performing suspended exercises has not been investigated yet. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to compare electromyographic activity of selected core muscles while performing selected core stability exercises using TRX.
A total of 15 healthy physically active female students participated in the current study. Each participant performed three repetitions of each of bridge, plank, and lunge exercises with the feet placed inside the TRX foot straps. Simultaneously, surface electromyographic data was collected on rectus abdominis, external oblique, erector spine lumbalis, and superficial lumbar multifidus. Resulting row data was amplitude normalized and the root mean square was then determined. Repeated-measure analysis of variance was used to determine any differences across the three exercises on a test group (p=0.05).
Different levels of muscle activation were observed during the three different exercises. Rectus abdominis activation was the greatest during plank exercise, while superficial lumbar multifidus activity peaked during feet suspended lunge and bridging.
Considering the levels of activity of all investigated muscles, plank seems to have the highest and lunge the least impact on improving the stability of core region.