Impact of grip orientation on strength and muscle activation during the incline prone row
Anthony M. Fusco, Harbinder Dhariwal, Sean P. McBride, Dave T. Verhoff, Stephanie A. BornAbstract
Study aim
Horizontal rowing exercises are widely used to develop posterior chain strength, yet little research has examined how grip impacts muscle activation and strength. This study assessed surface electromyography (sEMG) activity and one-repetition maximum (1RM) across four barbell incline prone row variations in resistance-trained adults.
Material and methods
Twenty-three trained individuals (mean age: 23.2 ± 4.3 years; 5.7 ± 2.8 years lifting experience) completed 5RM testing to estimate 1RM for each grip variation. In a follow-up session, sEMG was recorded across two sets of three reps at 85% 1RM for upper-body muscles. Repeated-measures ANOVA assessed strength and activation differences across grip variations. A p value < 0.05 was considered significant for all analysis in this study.
Results
Grip width significantly influenced strength ( p < 0.001), with narrow grips yielding higher 1RM estimates. Grip angle had no effect on strength ( p = 0.154), and no interaction effects were found. sEMG analysis showed significant main effects for forearm angle in the middle trapezius (MT, p = 0.002), latissimus dorsi ( p = 0.040), middle deltoid ( p = 0.027), posterior deltoid ( p = 0.049), brachioradialis ( p = 0.040), triceps brachii ( p = 0.024), and biceps brachii (BB, p = 0.006). Grip width influenced the MT ( p = 0.044) and BB ( p = 0.001).
Conclusion
Narrow grip increased strength output during the prone row, while forearm angle consistently altered muscle activation patterns. These findings suggest that forearm angle may activate specific musculature in horizontal pulling. Future work should examine the long-term adaptations to grip manipulation.