Impact of Movement Tempo Distribution on Bar Velocity During a Multi-Set Bench Press Exercise

The goal of the present study was to evaluate the effect of contrast tempo movement on bar velocity changes during a multi-set bench press exercise. In randomized and counter-balanced order, participants performed three sets of the bench press exercise at 60%1RM under two testing conditions: E-E where all repetitions were performed with explosive (X/0/X/0) movement tempo; and S-E where the first two repetitions were performed with a slow tempo (5/0/X/0) while the third repetition was performed with explosive movement tempo (slow, slow, explosive). Twelve healthy men volunteered for the study (age = 30 ± 5 years; body mass = 88 ± 10 kg; bench press 1RM = 145 ± 24 kg). The three-way repeated measures ANOVA (tempo × set × repetition) showed statistically significant multi-interaction effect for peak bar velocity (p < 0.01; η2 = 0.23), yet not for mean bar velocity (p = 0.09; η2 = 0.14). The post hoc results for multi-interaction revealed that peak bar velocity in the 3rd repetition was significantly higher for E-E compared to SE only during set 1 (p < 0.001). Therefore, the distribution of movement tempo had a significant impact on peak bar velocity, but not on mean bar velocity. The decrease in peak bar velocity in the 3rd repetition during the S-E condition was observed only in the first set, while such a tendency was not observed in the second and third set.

Trybulski, R., Jarosz, J., Krzysztofik, M., Filip-Stachnik, A., Matykiewicz, P., Zmijewski, P. … Wilk, M. (2021). Impact of Movement Tempo Distribution on Bar Velocity During a Multi-Set Bench Press Exercise. Journal of Human Kinetics, 80, 277-285. https://doi.org/10.2478/hukin-2021-0106

Trybulski, R., Jarosz, J., Krzysztofik, M., Filip-Stachnik, A., Matykiewicz, P., Zmijewski, P., Bichowska, M., and Wilk, M. (2021). Impact of Movement Tempo Distribution on Bar Velocity During a Multi-Set Bench Press Exercise. Journal of Human Kinetics, 80, pp.277-285. https://doi.org/10.2478/hukin-2021-0106

Trybulski, Robert et al. “Impact of Movement Tempo Distribution on Bar Velocity During a Multi-Set Bench Press Exercise.” Journal of Human Kinetics, vol. 80, 2021, pp. 277-285. doi:10.2478/hukin-2021-0106.

Trybulski R, Jarosz J, Krzysztofik M, Filip-Stachnik A, Matykiewicz P, Zmijewski P et al. Impact of Movement Tempo Distribution on Bar Velocity During a Multi-Set Bench Press Exercise. Journal of Human Kinetics. 2021;80:277-285. https://doi.org/10.2478/hukin-2021-0106