EMG as a Tool for Exercise Selection

Exercise selection — the process of choosing the right exercises to maximize training and rehabilitation outcomes — is a cornerstone of sports performance and rehab. Traditional recommendations can be useful as a general guide, but the process is nuanced, and a one-size-fits-all approach may limit outcomes.

Challenges in Exercise Selection

Individual differences play a large part in which exercises are safe and effective. Athletes with past injuries may present with muscle imbalances, inhibitions, or movement compensation strategies. Poor exercise selection can exacerbate these imbalances. Training history is another factor — experienced athletes may show better muscle recruitment patterns than novices who rely more on synergistic muscle groups. Without an understanding of how muscles respond to exercise, practitioners may be missing the full picture.

How EMG Can Help

Electromyography (EMG) measures the electrical activity produced by muscles during movement, allowing us to identify which muscles are active, when they are active, and how strongly they contribute. Using EMG, practitioners can:

• Test different exercises to identify which results in the highest recruitment of target muscles
• Uncover how an individual moves by quantifying and comparing muscle activity levels
• Track muscle activation patterns over time to assess whether training interventions are working

Using Trigno Analytics for Exercise Selection

In a practical example focusing on calf rehabilitation after Achilles Tendon rupture, three Trigno Avanti sensors were placed on the Right Lateral Gastrocnemius, Right Medial Gastrocnemius, and Right Soleus. After normalization to Maximum Voluntary Contraction (MVC), the athlete completed 10 reps each of sled pushes, standing calf raises, and pogo jumps.

The results revealed meaningful shifts in muscle recruitment patterns across exercises. Pogo Jumps produced the highest overall activation across muscles, while the Right Medial Gastrocnemius was the dominant contributor in all three exercises. Peak and average metrics did not always tell the same story — the Right Soleus reached its highest single burst during Pogo Jumps, while the Right Lateral Gastrocnemius showed the highest typical rep activation during standard execution.

Key Takeaways for Practitioners

• Match exercise to goal: If maximal explosive calf recruitment is the aim, Pogo Jumps may be preferable; for sustained contribution, sled pushes or calf raises may be more appropriate.
• Differentiate peak vs. typical effort: Use Max Activation to understand high-intensity efforts, and Average Max Value to identify primary movers during standard execution.
• Individualize progression: EMG can objectively inform when an athlete is ready to progress and how compensations may change over time.

Originally published on delsys.com.