Reliability of Bench Press Velocity-Spectrum Testing

Abstract

Evaluations were made of the stability reliability of force measurements obtained from an Ariel dynamometer, the test -- retest reliability of force and power data for bench presses using the same dynamometer at multiple velocities, and the logical (face) validity of force and power output using the same instrument and exercise. Stability reliability of the dynamometer was determined from daily duplicate force calibration checks using two standard loads. Intra- and intertest coefficients of variation ranged from 0.07% to 1.16%. The test -- retest reliability of the bench press force and power outputs of 33 young men as well as the logical validity of their bench press force and power outputs were assessed at 0.0, 0.124, 0.496, and 0.868 m · sec^-1, respectively. Intraclass correlation coefficients for force and power ranged from .95 to .99. Plots for both force and power were similar to those expected for analogous single-joint exercises. Therefore, data presented here support the stability reliability of the dynamometer for force measurements, the reliability of the bench press protocol, and the face validity of force outputs over a velocity spectrum.