Dr Mel Siff Blog

.

You may recall my referring before to Dr Tom McLaughlin’s book on the
biomechanics of bench pressing (“Bench Press More Now”) — well, here is an
interesting paper that he and a colleague wrote on the biomechanical
differences between novice and expert bench pressers.

————————

Madsen N, McLaughlin T

Kinematic factors influencing performance and injury risk in the bench press
exercise

Med & Science in Sports & Exercise. 16(4):376-81, Aug 1984.

The purpose of this research was to identify kinematic factors that could be
relevant to performance and injury risk in the bench press. The methods used
included: use of high-speed, 2D cinematographic procedures to record the
performances of 36 subjects (19 experts and 17 novices), determination of the
kinematic and kinetic differences between the groups, and identification of a
rationale describing how those kinematic differences could lead to the
kinetic differences. Kinematic factors so identified could influence
performance and injury risk.

In addition to the fact that experts were able to lift 79% more weight than
the novices, the pertinent KINETIC DIFFERENCES included the following:

1. the difference in peak force exerted while lowering the bar was only 43%;
2. the difference in peak force exerted while raising the bar was only 45%;
3. the difference in minimum force exerted while raising the bar was 87%.

There was no significant difference in torque required at the shoulder.

The relevant KINEMATIC DIFFERENCES were:

1. the expert group maintained a smaller bar speed while lowering the bar,
2. the expert group used a bar path closer to the shoulders; and
3. the expert group used a different sequence of bar movements.

The roles of these kinematic factors in the bench press merit further
investigation.

[It would be interesting to compare above finding No 2 with the Westside
recommendation to follow a lower trajectory than one that is closer to
the shoulders. Comments on all the above findings would also be of great
interest to many. Mel Siff]

Dr Mel Siff
Denver, USA
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Supertraining/

For more information on Facts and Fallacies of Fitness by Dr Mel Siff please click here

Tags: Bench Press, Bench Pressing, Biomechanics, Dr Mel Siff, High Speed, Injury Risk, Kinematic Differences, Mel Siff, Novice, Peak Force, Raising The Bar, Rationale, Shoulders, Super Training, Supertraining, Tom Mclaughlin, Torque, Trajectory