Reliability of a Linear Position Transducer During the Bench Press Across Three Segments

The purpose of this investigation was to determine inter-set and inter-session reliability of the HUMAC360 measures for duration (DUR), peak velocity (PV) and mean velocity (MV) across three segments of the bench press. Seventeen recreationally active adults participated in this investigation. During visit one, participants completed a bench press one-repetition maximum (1RM). Visits two and three consisted of two sets of three repetitions at 30%-, 50%-, 60%-, and 70 %-1RM. Segments were defined by dividing total displacement into equal thirds at the bottom (BOT), middle (MID) and top (TOP). Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) and standard error of measurement (SEM) were used to assess reliability while paired samples t-tests were used to identify differences between sets or sessions with significance set at p≤0.05. Excellent ICCs were present for PV and MV at most intensities in each segment between sets, while ICCs for DUR varied. MV and PV displayed excellent ICCs at lower intensities across segments between sessions, with decreases at higher intensities, while variable inter- session reliability for DUR was present across intensities and segments. The HUMAC360 reliably measured MV and PV during each segment across sets, though caution is warranted for DUR.