Table 3

Biceps Curl Exercise muscle activation levels (% MVC, standard deviation in brackets), average difference between surfaces and number of participants whose change in activity was greater than 5% MVC.

Surface
Muscles studied during biceps curl exercise

Rectus Abdominis
External Oblique
Internal Oblique
Erector Spinae

Ball
5.0 (5.8)
3.0 (4.4)
9.0 (8.4)
8.7 (7.4)





Bench
4.2 (5.7)
2.2 (1.9)
6.9 (6.0)
6.5 (6.3)





Difference
.83 (2.65)
.74 (2.86)
2.14 (5.79)
2.23 (4.67)
Increase
1
1
1
3
Decrease
0
0
0
0

Lehman et al. Dynamic Medicine 2005 4:6   doi:10.1186/1476-5918-4-6