All of the remaining exercises tested elicited
significantly lower muscle activation and RPE values
than the barbell bench press. “The exercises that
elicited the least amount of activation were actually
the push-ups,” says study author Whitnee Schanke,
B.S. “They came in at only 61 to 63 percent on average.
Granted,” he adds, “we didn’t add any weight to
the push-ups.” Although each of the three push-ups
tested target the chest muscles, subjects were not
‘lifting’ as much weight percentage-wise, so more
reps (nearly twice as many) would be required to
equal that of the top three exercises.