Velocity and Power-Load Association of Bench Press Exercise in Wheelchair Basketball Players and Their Relationships With Field-Test Performance

Abstract

Purpose: This study analyzes the relationship between mean propulsive velocity (MPV) of the bar and relative load (%1RM) in the bench press exercise, as well as determining the relationship of power variables (i.e. Mean Power (MP), Mean Propulsive Power (MPP) and Peak Power (PP)) in change of direction ability (CODA), linear sprint and RSA performance. Methods: Nine Spanish First Division wheelchair basketball (WB) players participated in the study. All participants performed an isoinertial bench press (BP) test in free execution mode, 505 change of direction ability test (505 CODA), linear sprint test (20 m), and Repeated Sprint Ability Test (RSA). Results: A nearly perfect and inverse relationship was observed for the BP exercise between the %1RM and MPV (r = -.97; R2 = .945; P < 0.001). The maximum loads for MP, MPP and PP were obtained between 48.1 – 59.4% of the 1RM. However, no significant correlations were observed between strength and wheelchair performance. Conclusions: WB players with different functional impairments showed a nearly perfect and inverse relationship for the BP exercise between the %1RM and MPV, thus the MPV could be used to estimate the %1RM. This finding has important practical applications for velocity-based resistance training in which coaches would be able to prescribe and monitor training load. Conversely, the absence of association between BP performance and field tests might be due to other factors such as wheelchair-user interface, trunk muscular activity or propulsion technique apart from strength variables.