Analyses of physiological wrist tremor with increased muscle activity during bench press exercise

[Purpose] To date, there have been no studies on the response of wrist tremor to increased muscle activity during exercise. This study aimed to evaluate the wrist tremor response with increasing muscle activity during bench press exercise. [Methods] Triceps muscle activity and wrist tremor response were measured by electromyography and an accelerometer, respectively, during bench press exercise in 11 healthy men without weight-training experience. Subjects performed bench press at 30% repetition maximum (RM), and the rating of perceived exertion (RPE) and lactate concentration were measured before and after exercise. One week later, an equivalent number of bench presses at 30% RM was performed without weight load as a control trial (CT). [Results] RPEs and lactate concentrations significantly increased after resistance exercise (30% RM) from 7.4 to 14.3 and 1.7 to 4.9, respectively (P<.01), but no such difference was observed in the CT. Muscle activity linearly increased during the 30% RM exercise, and wrist tremors were shown to linearly decrease. A strong negative correlation was observed between the two variables (r=-0.88, P<.001). [Conclusion] We found that wrist tremors during resistance exercise, as measured using an accelerometer, can be used to predict muscle activity.