Changes in bench press performance and throwing velocity after strength-oriented and ballistic resistance training...

Area of Science:

• Sports Science
• Exercise Physiology
• Biomechanics

Background:

• Upper-body resistance training is crucial for athletic performance.
• Bench press (BP) and handball throwing velocity (HTV) are key performance indicators.
• Comparing strength-oriented vs. ballistic training effects is important for program design.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the effects of strength-oriented resistance training (STG) and ballistic resistance training (BTG) on bench press (BP) performance and handball throwing velocity (HTV).

Main Methods:

• Thirty resistance-trained males were divided into STG (70-90% 1RM BP) and BTG (40% 1RM BP throw).
• Training involved 8 sessions over 4 weeks, with pre- and post-testing of BP 1RM, BP20 (velocity against 20kg), and HTV.
• Statistical analysis included effect sizes (ES) and correlation coefficients.

Main Results:

• STG improved BP 1RM (ES=0.24) but not BP20 or HTV.
• BTG improved BP20 (ES=0.63) but not BP1RM or HTV.
• No significant correlations were found between BP measures and HTV.

Conclusions:

• Short-term resistance training programs focusing solely on bench press exercises are ineffective for increasing handball throwing velocity in untrained individuals.
• Neither heavy load (strength-oriented) nor light load (ballistic) bench press training significantly enhances HTV.
• Further research is needed to explore training methods that effectively improve throwing velocity.