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University of Nevada, Las Vegas

A comparison of fast and slow contraction speeds using electromyography

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine if differences in EMG activity existed between fast and slow contraction speeds during isolated, one-armed biceps curls to muscle failure. Participants performed one set of biceps curls to muscular failure on two separate occasions at different contraction speeds. Constant load equal to 75% of 1RM was used for each test. The dependent variables were integrated EMG (iEMG), percent change in mean frequency, and time to muscular failure. Integrated EMG measurements revealed significantly greater muscle activity for the slow contractions (t = 4.76, p {dollar}<{dollar}.001). The time to muscular failure also showed significant differences having the fast contraction speed achieve muscle failure faster than the slow contraction speed (t = 5.23, p {dollar}<{dollar}.001). The comparison of frequency data failed to reach significance. A significant correlation (r =.514) was determined for iEMG and time to muscular failure. These results suggest that differences exist in iEMG and time to muscle failure between fast and slow contraction speeds.

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
Master of Science (MS)
Level thesis:degree_level
Thesis
Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
Kinesiology
Grantor dc:publisher
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Year
1999

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Melhorn, Philip James
Contributors dc:contributor
  • Mark Hoffman

Rights

dc:rights
Statement dc:rights
  • IN COPYRIGHT. For more information about this rights statement, please visit http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
Language dc:language
English

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:oasis.library.unlv.edu:rtds-2041

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
University of Nevada - Las Vegas
Base URL
oasis.library.unlv.edu/do/oai/
Last updated
2026-07-24
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
related terms
citation

Melhorn, Philip James. A comparison of fast and slow contraction speeds using electromyography. Thesis thesis, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, 1999. https://doi.org/10.25669/v0q1-xt5o