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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 22, 2026

Setup for the Quantitative Assessment of Motion and Muscle Activity During a Virtual Modified Box and Block Test

Setup for the Quantitative Assessment of Motion and Muscle Activity During a Virtual Modified Box and Block Test

Published on: January 12, 2024

A virtual model of the bench press exercise.

Abderrahmane Rahmani¹, Olivier Rambaud, Muriel Bourdin

¹Laboratoire Motricité, Interactions, Performance, EA 4334, Université du Maine, Olivier Messiaen Avenue, 72085 Le Mans Cedex 09, France. arahm@univ-lemans.fr

Journal of Biomechanics

|June 2, 2009

Summary

This study presents a simple, validated 3D model for estimating upper limb muscle force during bench presses. The model accurately measures force using just three body measurements, proving useful in various settings.

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Area of Science:

Biomechanics
Human Movement Analysis
Sports Science

Background:

Accurate force estimation in exercises like the bench press is crucial for performance analysis and injury prevention.
Existing methods for force measurement can be complex or require specialized equipment.

Purpose of the Study:

To design and validate a three degrees of freedom (3-DOF) mechanical model for the bench press exercise in the sagittal plane.
To enable accurate global force estimation using a kinematic approach.

Main Methods:

Developed a mechanical model using rigid segments and revolute/prismatic pairs.
Required only three simple measurements: hand horizontal position, barbell vertical displacement, and elbow angle.
Validated the model by comparing calculated forces with simultaneous measurements from a force platform during maximal concentric bench presses.

Main Results:

Kinematic analysis showed segment and center of mass displacements mirrored the lifted mass.
Vertical velocity and acceleration of the combined center of mass and lifted mass were identical.
Calculated forces from the model showed less than 2.5% error compared to force platform measurements, with high correlation (r > 0.99).

Conclusions:

The developed 3-DOF model provides an accurate and valid method for evaluating upper limb muscle force during bench press exercises.
The model's simplicity, requiring only three measurements, makes it suitable for both laboratory and field applications.
This approach offers a practical tool for coaches, athletes, and researchers to assess strength and performance.