EFFECT OF MOVEMENT VELOCITY ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TRAINING LOAD AND THE NUMBER OF REPETITIONS OF BENCH PRESS

• Published in: Journal of strength and conditioning research Vol. 20; no. 3; pp. 523 - 527
• Main Authors: SAKAMOTO, AKIHIRO, SINCLAIR, PETER J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States National Strength and Conditioning Association 01.08.2006; Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Ovid Technologies
• Subjects: Adult; Analysis of Variance; Humans; Male; Muscle Contraction - physiology; Physical Education and Training - methods; Weight Lifting - physiology
• ISSN: 1064-8011; 1533-4287
• DOI: 10.1519/00124278-200608000-00011

This study investigated the effect of movement velocity on the relationship between loading intensity and the number of repetitions of bench press. Thirteen healthy men (age = 21.7 ± 1.0 years; weight = 76.8 ± 2.5 kg; 1 repetition maximum [1RM] = 99.5 ± 6.0 kg), who were involved in regular weight training, voluntarily participated in the experiment. Subjects performed bench presses on a Smith machine at 5 different intensities (40–80% 1RM), repeated for 4 velocity conditions (slow0.15 ± 0.03 m·s; medium0.32 ± 0.07 m·s; fast0.52 ± 0.12 m·s; ballisticmaximum velocity), which were randomly assigned over 5 experimental sessions after a 1RM test. Velocity significantly changed the relationship between intensity (%1RM) and the number of reps performed (p < 0.001), with faster velocities producing a higher number of reps. A significant interaction between intensity and velocity meant that velocity had a much greater effect on repetitions at lower intensities. These results suggest that the benefits of using a stretch-shortening cycle during faster movements outweigh the associated disadvantages from the force–velocity relationship. The practical applications of this study are that, when trainees are assigned a resistance training with specific RM values, the lifted intensity (%1RM) or weights will not be consistent unless velocity is controlled during training.