Kinematics of Explosive Upper Body Movements: A Comparison of the Traditional Bench Press, Bench Press Throw and Bungy Resisted Bench Press

Claxton, Johnny

Department of Sport and Health Science, Auckland Institute of Technology

Johnny Claxton has recently completed a Bachelor of Sport and Recreation at the Auckland Institute of Technology, and is currently in his first year of a Masters in Health Science. He is also working as a sports trainer at AUT as Sport Performance Centre where he has specialised in the research and training of strength and power with athletes. His future career aspirations involve further involvement in the area of professional sports training.

INTRODUCTION

Sporting activities involving striking, throwing, jumping or rapid acceleration movements require a high power output of the muscles involved. Accordingly, athletes and coaches are constantly modifying training programs in a quest for the optimal power training method. Some researchers have proposed that heavy resistance training with slow contraction velocities does not effectively increase muscular power, but rather light loads (30-50% 1RM) should be used. (Hakkinen & Komi, 1985a; Kaneko, Fuchimoto, Toji, & Suei, 1983; Wilson, Newton, Murphy, & Humphries, 1993). However, the rationale for developing explosive power using light loads by performing traditional resistance training barbell and machine exercises rapidly, could also be questioned (Wilson et al., 1993). This is because during conventional resistance training exercises, a substantial portion of the lift involves a period when the bar is decelerated prior to achieving zero velocity at the end of the concentric movement. (Elliot, Wilson & Kerr, 1989). The deceleration phase is evident during maximal lifts and increases to 51.7% of the concentric movement when a sub-maximal load of 81% of maximum bench press load is lifted (Elliot et al., 1989). Further the deceleration phase is accompanied by a reduction in electromyographic (EMG) activity of the agonists in the movement (Elliot et al., 1989).

It has been proposed that by releasing the bar in a ballistic manner at the end of the concentric phase, one can drastically reduce the deceleration phase that is common in traditional bench press motions. (96%) *NEED REFERENCE*, This allows for a longer period of bar acceleration and is a more sport specific action. However, there is very little research on the nature phenomenon. (Newton, Kraemer, Hakkinen, Humphries, & Murphy (1996).

The objective of this study was to investigate and compare the kinematics of three different power training techniques: the traditional bench press; bench press throw; and, a bungy resisted bench press. It was proposed that the attachment of a rubber bungy to the bench press (refer Fig.1), would resist the motion at the end of the concentric phase and assist the early phase of the eccentric motion, whilst still allowing the release of the bar. The bungy would therefore, have the potential to enhance strength at these points in the range of motion, as well as reducing the large proportional deceleration phase. In respect to specificity of training, this part of the range of motion is important for many sporting tasks, such as throwing and striking. If the bungy successfully resisted the motion at the end of the concentric phase, it would also result in a more sustained velocity than that exhibited by both the bench press throw and traditional bench press. Should this be true, it could be assumed that according to the force-velocity relationship of muscle, the bungy resisted bench press would be producing higher forces than the bench press throw and traditional bench press, and possibly represent a superior form of resistance training for the development of explosive power.

METHODS

Subjects:

Five healthy males volunteered to take part in the study. The subjects were all recreational weight trainers. All subjects had to have a minimum of 6 months of weight training experience and be capable of bench pressing at least 70% of their own body weight.

Testing Procedures:

Testing was conducted over two sessions separated by 3 days. During the first testing session, each subject's one repetition maximum (1RM) load for the bench press was determined according to the procedures of Young & Bilby (1993). The subject's then performed a number of repetitions of the standard bench press, bench throw and bungy resisted bench press at 30% of their 1RM to become familiar with the test movement and technique.

The second test session began with a general warm-up involving two sets of 10 repetitions at a sub-maximal load of 30% of 1RM. Subjects were then instructed to perform the tests for each type of bench press lift, which used a load of 30% of 1RM.

The three tests were:

Traditional Bench Press (TBP) - the subjectâs were instructed to perform three consecutive explosive repetitions, without releasing the bar.

Bench Press Throw (BPT) - the subjectâs were instructed to perform three consecutive explosive repetitions, releasing the bar at the end of the motion.

Bungy Resisted Bench Press (BBP) - the subject's were instructed to perform three consecutive explosive repetitions, attempting to throw the bar.

Data Analysis

Analysis involved partitioning the displacement signal into sections, each section 10% of the total eccentric and/or concentric displacement. Velocity within each of these partitions was compared in addition to the peak concentric and eccentric velocities.

RESULTS

Figure 2 shows the difference in concentric velocity profiles between the traditional bench press, the bench press throw and the bungy resisted bench press. Analysis revealed that the bench press throw achieved the highest concentric velocities and also the earliest peak velocity (refer Fig.2). The bungy resisted bench press achieved the lowest velocities and achieved peak velocity lastest in the movement (70-80% of bar displacement), but remained at or close to peak velocity for longer than both the bench press throw and traditional press. The bungy resisted press also took longer to attain peak concentric velocity (0.46s) when compared to the bench press throw (0.43s) and the traditional press (0.40s). Peak concentric velocities for the traditional press occurred at 70% of bar displacement, but then decelerated quickly.

DISCUSSION

Attempting to perform a traditional bench press movement explosively, resulted in a considerable deceleration phase before the bar stopped at the end of the range. This action resulted in a lower velocity compared to the bench press throw, where the bar was accelerated throughout the range and released from the hands.

The bungy resisted bench press, when compared to the traditional bench press and bench press throw, exhibited lower concentric velocities whilst still showing the initial explosiveness, but remained at, or close to peak velocity for longer than both the bench press throw and traditional bench press (refer Fig.2). Therefore the muscles were producing tension over a greater portion of the concentric phase compared to the traditional press and bench press throw.

The bungy resisted bench press also took a longer time to attain peak concentric velocity. One can assume that due to this, the muscle activation and consequent force production would be greater during the bungy resisted press, than that achieved during the traditional press and bench press throw. Therefore, the proportion of concentric movement time and the total time of positive bar acceleration were greater in the bungy resisted press compared to the bench press throw and traditional press.

CONCLUSION

The results of this study indicate that performing an explosive bench press movement with the attachment of an elastic rubber bungy, produces greater concentric movement time and total time of positive bar acceleration, than that exhibited by both the traditional press and the bench press throw. As a result, the use of a rubber bungy when performing explosive bench press movements will cause increased force production and muscle activation, according to the force / velocity relationship of muscle. That is, at slower velocities the muscle is capable of producing greater force. Although this will need to be confirmed through further testing using EMG equipment, it appears that this form of power training could be a more superior method for developing upper body power, compared with the currently preferred bench press method, which is the bench press throw.

REFERENCES

Elliot, B.C., Wilson, G.J., & Kerr, G.J. (1989). A biomechanical analysis of the sticking region in the bench press. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 21, 450-462.


Hakkinen, K., & Komi, P. (1985a). Changes in electrical and mechanical behaviour of leg extensor muscles during heavy resistance strength training. Scandinavian Journal of Sports Science, 7, 55-64.


Kaneko, M., Fuchimoto, T., Toji, H., & Suei, K. (1993). Training effect of different loads on the force-velocity relationship and mechanical power output in human muscle. Scandinavian Journal of Sports Science, 5(2), 50-55.

Newton, R., & Wilson , G. (1993). The kinematics and kinetics of powerful upper body movements: the effect of load. Abstract from International Society of Biomechanics Conference, 936-937.


Newton, R.U., Kraemer, W.J., Hakkinen, K., Humphries, B.J., & Murphy, A.J. (1996). Kinematics, kinetics, and muscle activation during explosive upper body movements. Journal of Applied Biomechanics, (12), 31-43.


Wilson, G.J., Newton, R.U., Murphy, A.J., & Humphries, B.J. (1993). The optimal training load for the development of dynamic athletic performance. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 25(11), 1279-1286.


Young, W., & Bilby, G. (1993). The effect of voluntary effort to influence speed of contraction on strength, muscular power and hypertrophy development. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 7, 172-178.

PARTICIPATION INFORMATION SHEET

BENCH PRESS STUDY

The objective of this study is to observe the effects of standard bench press, bench press throws and bungy resisted bench press.

Investigators:		Johnny Claxton (3rd year student of Bachelor of Sport & Rec.)

			Corey Arona (3rd year student of Bachelor of Sport & Rec.)

Purpose of the study

In many sports the strength, power and/or speed that an athlete possesses often determines success or at least aids motor performance. There is much debate however, as to the most effective weight training methods to develop the above components. The purpose of this study is to compare the results of explosive bench press, bench press throws and bungy resisted bench press for its implications to power training.

Procedures

If you choose to participate, we would ask you to perform four tests to provide information regarding power performance. These tests include:

1. 1 Repetition maximum (1RM) assessment - This test involves assessing what the maximum weight is that you can bench press for one repetition. Your 1RM bench press will be determined by you lifting 80% of your body weight to failure, following a standardised warm-up. Following that you will be familiarised with the lifting techniques used.

2. Standard bench press - This test requires you to perform three consecutive explosive bench press repetitions, without letting go of the bar, at 30% of your 1RM.

3. Bench Press throw - This test requires you to perform three consecutive repetitions of a bench press throw at 30% of your 1RM. This will be performed on a Smith Press machine and enables the measurements of your chest strength and power.

4. Bungy resisted bench press - This test is a repeat of the bench press throw test which requires three consecutive bench press throws at 30% of your 1RM but the Smith Press machine will have a rubber bungy attached to each end which will increase the resistance.

The tests will take place in room AA129 at the Akoranga campus of AIT. The 1RM assessment and the tests will take one hour to complete.

The time commitment required from you will therefore be one hour.

Possible risks, discomforts and / or distress

The potential risks of participation are muscular strains or muscle soreness. Every attempt will be made to minimise this occurring by instruction on correct technique, correct warm-up and warm-down.

Be aware that you may withdraw from the study at any time, with no obligations to give reasons for your decision. All data from participants will be treated as confidential and used only for the purposes of this study.

Thank-you very much for your time. If you have any questions or wish to know more, please contact any of the research team.

APPENDIX

KINEMATICS of

EXPLOSIVE UPPER BODY MOVEMENTS:

A Comparison of the Traditional Bench Press, Bench

A STUDY PERFORMED BY:

JOHNNY CLAXTON & COREY ARONA

WRITTEN REPORT BY:

JOHNNY CLAXTON