Angle-Specific Upper and Lower Body Muscle Activation in Suspension Training

August 15, 2025 updated by: TSUNG-LIN CHIANG

Angle-Specific Upper and Lower Body Muscle Activation in Suspension Push-Ups: An Electromyographic Analysis Across Different Body Angles

The study aims to compare differences in muscle activation during push-ups performed at five body angles using different suspension methods. The investigators will recruit 20 healthy men with resistance-training experience. Each participant will perform push-ups under three suspension conditions (no suspension, hands suspended, and feet suspended) at +30°, +15°, 0°, -15°, and -30°. For each angle, participants will complete five repetitions with 3-5 minutes of rest between angles; at least 48 hours will separate suspension conditions. Surface electromyography (EMG) will record activity of the pectoralis major, anterior deltoid, triceps brachii, upper trapezius, and serratus anterior. EMG amplitudes will be normalized to maximal voluntary isometric contraction (%MVIC). Data will be analyzed using a repeated-measures two-way ANOVA to test the effects of suspension type and angle on muscle activation. The a priori hypothesis is that feet-suspended push-ups will elicit greater activation than other conditions, and that lower body angles will be associated with higher activation levels.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

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Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

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Study Type

Study Type

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Observational

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
26

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • Taiwan
      • Taipei City, Taiwan, 11114
        • Chinese Culture University

Participation Criteria

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Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Child
  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Healthy male adults with at least 3 months of regular resistance-training experience, capable of independently performing a standard push-up with proper form. Participants will be recruited from university sports facilities and local fitness centers through flyers, online announcements, and word of mouth.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Healthy male adults with ≥3 months of regular resistance-training experience.
  • Able to independently perform a standard push-up with proper form.
  • Willing to follow pre-session restrictions (e.g., avoid strenuous exercise within 24 h) and provide written informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Physician-diagnosed cardiovascular disease, musculoskeletal disorders, chronic pulmonary disease, or arthritis.
  • Major surgery or severe injury within the past 12 months that affects physical activity.
  • Current pain, injury, or functional limitation of the upper or lower limbs or trunk that would interfere with push-up performance.
  • Any medical condition judged by the investigators to make participation unsafe.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Muscle Activation (%MVIC) of Upper Body Muscles During Suspension and Stable Push-Ups at Different Angles
Time Frame: Baseline measurement during each exercise condition within 4 weeks of study start
Surface electromyography (EMG) will measure the root mean square (RMS) activity of the pectoralis major, anterior deltoid, triceps brachii, upper trapezius, and serratus anterior during push-ups performed under three suspension conditions (no suspension, hands suspended, feet suspended) at five body angles (+30°, +15°, 0°, -15°, -30°). RMS values will be normalized to maximal voluntary isometric contraction (%MVIC). Comparisons will be made using repeated-measures two-way ANOVA to determine the effects of suspension condition and angle on muscle activation.
Baseline measurement during each exercise condition within 4 weeks of study start

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
TSUNG-LIN CHIANG

Study record dates

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Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
January 3, 2019

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
November 22, 2019

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
November 22, 2019

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
August 11, 2025

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
August 11, 2025

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
August 17, 2025

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
August 20, 2025

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
August 15, 2025

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
August 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • No. 10711HS080

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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