Relationship between barbell power and velocity in bench press exercise and ball throwing velocity in professional handball players

Abstract

Abstract. The objectives of this study were (a) to analyze the relationship between one repetition maximum (1-RM) in free bench press exercise and ball throwing velocity in handball players U18 of international level and, (b) to analyze which variables of bench press exercise are more relevant in the specific performance during the ball throwing velocity test (T_3-Step). Sixteen (n = 16) players of the Spanish Youth Handball Team participated in the present investigation. All subjects included performed an incremental protocol bench press exercise, in addition to the T_3-Step. On the one hand, it analyzed the relationship between the mean velocity (Vel_mean), the mean velocity of propulsive phase (Vel_meanPP), peak velocity (Vel_peak), the average power (Power_mean), the average power of the propulsive phase (Power_meanPP), and peak power (Power_peak) over the entire spectrum of charges in relation to the launch speed. The same analyzes were also obtained with the load where the maximum average power (Load_MP). The results obtained, on the one hand that the correlation range of the Load_MP, Power_meanPP, Power_MPPMP and Power_peakPP and ball throwing velocity were .61 (p = .012), .70 (p < .01), .73 (p < .01) and 0.63 (p < .01), respectively. The correlation coefficient between the 1-RM and ball throwing velocity was r = 0.61 (p< .01). In conclusion, the relevant variables at the specific performance level with the ball throwing velocity were 1-RM, Load_MP, Power_MFPMP and Vel_MFPMP. All these analyzed according to 60% of the 1-RM.