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Another look at speed benching.

rev8ball Posts: 3,081 Joined: 2001/12/27	2006/09/18, 01:29 PM For those of us who have done speed benching, I thought this was an interesting concept: "In a study by Newton et al. (147), inappropriately hanging on to the bar and trying to perform speed repetitions resulted in a deceleration of movement and reduction in power in a bench press exercise. This was the opposite of what was intended in the choice of equipment; that is, the acceleration mass of free weights or machines that creates momentum must be decelerated if the athlete hangs on to the bar to the end of the joint’s ranged of motion. Therefore, a better choice may have been equipment that allows the weight to be released at the end of the range of motion (e.g., medicine balls) or that does not have an accelerating mass that needs to be slowed down at the end of the range of motion (isokinetic, hydraulic, or pneumatic devices). Such equipment would most likely not require deceleration response or cause a reduction in power when the intention was to train the body to accelerate a mass develop greater power." *Essentials of Strength Training & Conditioning, 2nd edition, Ch. 8, pg. 162, William J. Kramer, PhD, CSCS, FACSM Personally, I have just started plyometrics-benching on a Smith machine, where I slightly let go of the bar at the end of ROM, then catch and explode, but it’s too early to tell with that. However, we have some Kaiser pneumatic equipment at the gym that I train at, so I’m also going to experiment with this idea a little. We’ll see what happens… -------------- Michael If you have to tell people you're good, you're not that good.
gatormade Posts: 1,355 Joined: 2003/10/01	2006/09/18, 06:32 PM It depends on how the speed bench is performed in the research. When I do it, I forcefully finish into terminal extension. I believe speed benching has helped me more than any other exercise over the last 3 years on my bench. The studies are highly dependent on having the proper participants for usable data in our field.
bigandrew Posts: 5,146 Joined: 2002/10/21	2006/09/19, 09:13 AM terminal extension? -------------- Get your bicep curling, cut off shirt, matching workout outfit wearing,flexing in mirror "toned" wanna-be ass , out of my squat rack! People don't reach thier true potental, only those who seek it.
gatormade Posts: 1,355 Joined: 2003/10/01	2006/09/19, 01:43 PM Full extension is the way I should have expressed that.
bigandrew Posts: 5,146 Joined: 2002/10/21	2006/09/19, 01:55 PM this seems to be a big issue gator...whats the good %'s for speed training... some go as low as 40....while other say don't go below 60. its been compared to throwing a wiffle ball, to light not doing anything....to heavy as in a shot putt, can't forcfully move it with speed....but the base ball is just right? -------------- Get your bicep curling, cut off shirt, matching workout outfit wearing,flexing in mirror "toned" wanna-be ass , out of my squat rack! People don't reach thier true potental, only those who seek it.
	2006/09/19, 09:36 PM Andrew doesn't it depend on experience level? shouldnt't newbs stay with ~60% while more experienced lifters can drop to considerably lower %s due to better muscular recruitment?
bigandrew Posts: 5,146 Joined: 2002/10/21	2006/09/19, 11:04 PM hm I guess....I figured it would be vice versa...expieranced lift a little heavier...since they can "listen" and know whats right and wrong "feeling" -------------- Get your bicep curling, cut off shirt, matching workout outfit wearing,flexing in mirror "toned" wanna-be ass , out of my squat rack! People don't reach thier true potental, only those who seek it.
wrestler125 Posts: 4,619 Joined: 2004/01/27	2006/09/20, 08:37 AM If you are using some form of accomidating resistance, the bar will decelerate on its own while your force output should stay the same. Bands and chains allow you to continue to apply force throughout the whole movement because the weight cannot build momentum the same way. Experianced lifters typically use a lower % -------------- Iron and chalk.
bigandrew Posts: 5,146 Joined: 2002/10/21	2006/09/20, 01:21 PM Yeah i'm doing bandsand 1 board...on my "speed day" however not using less than 60%...just doing what I can do with speed...stoping when I feel I'm "slowing' down. Seems to work..I did 300 off one board...pretty fast with a pause. I ened with 315 of a board with no band....felt liek it flew off my chest. -------------- Get your bicep curling, cut off shirt, matching workout outfit wearing,flexing in mirror "toned" wanna-be ass , out of my squat rack! People don't reach thier true potental, only those who seek it.