Differences in the load-velocity profile between 4 bench-press variants
Abstract
Purpose: To compare the load–velocity relationship between 4 variants of the bench-press (BP) exercise.
Methods: The full load–velocity relationship of 30 men was evaluated by means of an incremental loading test starting at 17 kg and progressing to the individual 1-repetition maximum (1RM) in 4 BP variants: concentric-only BP, concentric-only BP throw (BPT), eccentric-concentric BP, and eccentric-concentric BPT.
Results: A strong and fairly linear relationship between mean velocity (MV) and %1RM was observed for the 4 BP variants (r2 > .96 for pooled data and r2 > .98 for individual data). The MV associated with each %1RM was significantly higher in the eccentric-concentric technique than in the concentric-only technique. The only significant difference between the BP and BPT variants was the higher MV with the light to moderate loads (20–70%1RM) in the BPT using the concentric-only technique. MV was significantly and positively correlated between the 4 BP variants (r = .44–.76), which suggests that the subjects with higher velocities for each %1RM in 1 BP variant also tend to have higher velocities for each %1RM in the 3 other BP variants.
Conclusions: These results highlight the need for obtaining specific equations for each BP variant and the existence of individual load–velocity profiles.
RAS ID
27216
Document Type
Journal Article
Date of Publication
2018
School
Centre for Exercise and Sport Science Research
Copyright
subscription content
Publisher
Human Kinetics Publishers Inc.
Comments
García-Ramos, A., Pestaña-Melero, F. L., Pérez-Castilla, A., Rojas, F. J., & Haff, G. G. (2018). Differences in the load-velocity profile between four bench press variants. International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance, 13(3), 326-331. Available here.