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Related Experiment Video

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Muscle Imbalances: Testing and Training Functional Eccentric Hamstring Strength in Athletic Populations

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Acute explosive-force movements enhance bench-press performance in athletic men.

Jim Wilcox¹, Rich Larson, Kevin M Brochu

¹Dept of Exercise Science and Physical Education, University of Massachusetts, Boston, MA, USA.

International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance

|January 1, 2009

Summary

Performing explosive upper body movements like plyometric push-ups or medicine ball chest passes before bench press exercise can significantly improve one-repetition maximum (1RM) strength in male athletes.

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Area of Science:

Sports Science
Exercise Physiology
Biomechanics

Background:

Optimizing strength performance is crucial for athletic development.
Pre-exercise stimuli can influence subsequent force production.
The acute effects of explosive movements on bench press strength require further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the impact of explosive-force movements preceding bench press exercise on maximal strength.
To determine if plyometric push-ups or medicine ball chest passes enhance 1-repetition maximum (1RM) bench press performance.

Main Methods:

Twelve male college athletes completed three testing sessions with at least 5 days of rest between sessions.
One-repetition maximum (1RM) bench press strength was assessed after a specific warm-up.
Subjects performed either two plyometric push-ups or two medicine ball chest passes 30 seconds before each 1RM attempt in randomized trials.

Main Results:

Bench press 1RM strength was significantly greater following plyometric push-ups (P = .004) compared to the control trial.
Bench press 1RM strength also showed significant improvement after medicine ball chest passes (P = .025) versus the control trial.
Mean 1RM strength increased from 120.9 kg to 123.8 kg (plyometrics) and 124.0 kg (chest passes).

Conclusions:

An acute bout of low-volume, explosive upper body movements performed shortly before a 1RM attempt can enhance bench press performance.
These findings suggest a potential pre-conditioning effect of explosive movements on maximal strength.
Athletic men may benefit from incorporating specific explosive drills prior to maximal bench press efforts.