Shoulder Muscle Activation Patterns Across Kettlebell, Dumbbell, and Band Exercises

Surface electromyography data records activation levels for seven shoulder muscles during overhead pressing, rowing, and swinging exercises. The dataset contains normalized EMG signals from 20 healthy male participants performing tasks with kettlebells, dumbbells, and elastic bands. Çağdaş Işiklar published the study on figshare in April 2026.

Use Cases

• Compare normalized EMG (%MVIC) values for the upper trapezius, lower trapezius, and infraspinatus across kettlebell, dumbbell, and elastic band modalities.
• Analyze the exercise×muscle interaction effect on activation patterns for overhead pressing, rowing, and swing categories.
• Model differences in middle and lower trapezius activation between free-weight rowing and elastic band rowing conditions.
• Identify which specific exercise, such as the Bottoms-Up Kettlebell Overhead Press, elicits the greatest activation in muscles like the biceps brachii.

Strengths

• Data includes EMG measurements from seven distinct shoulder muscles for comparative analysis.
• Statistical results are provided, including F-values, p-values, and effect sizes (η²) for main effects and interactions.
• EMG signals are normalized to maximal voluntary isometric contractions (%MVIC), enabling cross-muscle and cross-participant comparison.

Limitations

• Sample size is limited to 20 participants, all of whom were healthy young males, restricting generalizability.
• The dataset scope is narrow, focusing only on shoulder muscle activation during three specific exercise categories.
• The underlying raw EMG time-series data is not provided, only the processed and analyzed results.

Provenance

Source

Çağdaş Işiklar via figshare.

Collection Method

Surface electromyography recordings from participants performing randomized exercises in a controlled, cross-sectional study.

Time Range

Study period not specified; dataset reflects a single experimental session.

Freshness

Last updated in April 2026.

Geography

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