The Sling Shot is an instrument used during the bench press and is thought to improve performance, reduce upper limb pain, and promote proper technique. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of the Sling Shot on upper body muscle activity and one-repetition maximum (1RM) bench press performance. The hypothesis stated that if the Sling Shot decreases shoulder torque, then 1RM bench press performance should increase and upper body muscle activity should decrease while using the Sling Shot. Eight college-aged males participated in this study. Each participant’s 1RM was tested with and without the Sling Shot. Results are currently being analyzed for statistical significance. However, the bench press 1RM did increase an average of 29.38 ± 8.21 lbs while wearing the Sling Shot. Muscle activation of the pectoralis major, anterior deltoid, and triceps brachii was measured using surface electromyography (sEMG) on each participant during the bench press under three conditions; 80% of 1RM without the Sling Shot, 80% of 1RM wearing the Sling Shot, and 80% of Sling Shot 1RM wearing the Sling Shot. A 2-way ANOVA with replication is currently being conducted to assess the impact of the Sling Shot on sEMG results
