## 4 Discussion
As reported in previous studies, lower sEMG activity could also be related to reductions in motor unit recruitment, potentially leading to muscles' insufficient activation and suboptimal performance, especially in populations with different baseline fitness levels or motor control capabilities [23; 24]. However, this explanation does not appear to account for the current findings, as, in the present study, the same participantsperformed both experimental conditions, moving the same load, minimizing the influence of individual variations on performance. The present study's results also showed that the right biceps brachii had a better neuromuscular efficiency index when compared to the left biceps brachii during the concentric and eccentric phases. These results can be explained by studies in the literature, which indicate that the dominant side presents greater efficiency in motor tasks due to neuromuscular factors and biomechanical adaptations [25]. Lateral dominance is the result of greater motor representation and control in the cerebral hemisphere contralateral to the dominant limb, which results in the more refined control of movements and greater precision and muscle strength. Additionally, the dominant limb often experiences greater exposure to everyday activities, leading to greater coordination and motor skill development over time [26]. These results are corroborated by studies that highlight differences in muscle strength and neuromuscular activation in the members of the dominant group rather than the non-dominant one [27]. However, considering the results of the present study, these explanations should be viewed with caution. This is because, although Pilates breathing may promote greater efficiency in specific contexts, further research is needed to better understand these results' functional relevance in daily and clinical contexts. Additionally, one important point to highlight is that all participants were right-handed, which may have implications for the results' generalizability, particularly considering right and left hand comparisons. Future studies considering both right-handed and left-handed cases should be considered to confirm the results. Some limitations should be addressed in this study. The study was conducted with healthy volunteers. Other populations, such as older people, people with neurological disorders, or patients undergoing post-surgical rehabilitation, may have different outcomes. However, studies with healthy populations are important to evaluate the efficacy of PME under ideal conditions, allowing the identification of the basic benefits of the practice before considering adaptations for groups with specific needs. Another limitation of this study is related to the fact that PME was not practiced in association with the contraction of the core muscles. However, the present study aimed to evaluate the effects of PME breathing in isolation. Future research may investigate the effects of the practice of PME alone and associated with the contraction of the core muscles of the upper and lower limbs when performing resistance exercises in isotonic contractions. Finally, no equipment was used to control scapular movement, which can influence biceps brachii activity due to this muscle's insertion. Thus, it is suggested that future studies investigate the influence of scapular movement in biceps brachii activity during Pilates breathing.