Effects of an eight week training regimen with a novel bench press pad compared to a traditional bench on upper body strength and performance in collegiate American football players

Main Article Content

August E. Blatney
https://orcid.org/0009-0003-8808-2644
Joshua A. Kidwell
https://orcid.org/0009-0009-4301-0835
Trent Yamamoto
Phillip Goldman
https://orcid.org/0009-0008-2140-6321
Kyle J. Hetherton
Brett A. Dolezal
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0405-608X

Abstract

This study examined the efficacy of resistance training utilizing a novel bench press pad (BPAD) to improve performance in the one-repetition maximum (1-RM) bench press, the National Football League (NFL) 225-lb reps to-fatigue bench press test (NFL-225 Test), and a seated medicine ball throw (SMBT) following an 8-week, two-block periodized bench press training program. Thirty male collegiate football players with a history of moderate resistance training were randomized to one of two groups, each utilizing either a novel bench press pad or traditional flat bench (CONT). The participants exercised thrice weekly for eight weeks (totalling 24 sessions) while also participating in a simultaneous 8-week off-season training program. The bench press exercises were incorporated into the regular 1-hour sessions occurring three times per week and divided into two identical block periods, which differed only in the equipment used. The training session comprised three chest press exercises, upper and lower chest presses, as well as fly exercises, which enabled the application of different variations of external loads to the pectoral muscles. Both groups exhibited significant improvements in 1-RM BP, NFL-225 Test, and SMBT after 8 weeks (all p < .001), with the BPAD group demonstrating a significantly greater increase compared to the CONT group in all performance outcome measures (all p < .001). These results suggest that the use of a BPAD intervention may provide an additive effect to bench press training, which can elicit greater upper body strength, power and performance enhancements.

Article Details

How to Cite
Blatney, A. E., Kidwell, J. A., Yamamoto, T., Goldman, P., Hetherton, K. J., & Dolezal, B. A. (2025). Effects of an eight week training regimen with a novel bench press pad compared to a traditional bench on upper body strength and performance in collegiate American football players. Scientific Journal of Sport and Performance, 5(1), 10–21. https://doi.org/10.55860/RNUB8627
Section
Performance Analysis of Sport and Physical Conditioning
Author Biographies

August E. Blatney, University of California Los Angeles

Airway and UC Fit Digital Health-Exercise Physiology Laboratory. David Geffen School of Medicine.

Trent Yamamoto, University of California Los Angeles & Boston University

Airway and UC Fit Digital Health-Exercise Physiology Laboratory. David Geffen School of Medicine. University of California Los Angeles.
Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine. Boston University.

Kyle J. Hetherton, University of California Los Angeles

Airway and UC Fit Digital Health-Exercise Physiology Laboratory. David Geffen School of Medicine.

Brett A. Dolezal, University of California Los Angeles

Airway and UC Fit Digital Health-Exercise Physiology Laboratory. David Geffen School of Medicine.

References

Aslam, S., Habyarimana, J.D.D., & Bin SY (2025) Neuromuscular adaptations to resistance training in elite versus recreational athletes. Front. Physiol. 16:1598149. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2025.1598149 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2025.1598149

Beckham, G., Lish, S., Keebler, L., Longaker, C., Disney, C., DeBeliso, M., & Adams, K.J. (2019). The Reliability of the Seated Medicine Ball Throw for Distance. Journal of Physical Activity Research, 4(2), Article 2. https://doi.org/10.12691/jpar-4-2-9 DOI: https://doi.org/10.12691/jpar-4-2-9

Chapman, P. P., Whitehead, J. R., & Binkert, R. H. (1998). The 225-1b Reps-to-Fatigue Test as a Submaximal Estimate of 1-RM Bench Press Performance in College Football Players. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 12(4), 258. https://doi.org/10.1519/00124278-199811000-00010 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1519/00124278-199811000-00010

Contemori, S., Panichi, R., & Biscarini, A. (2019). Effects of scapular retraction/protraction position and scapular elevation on shoulder girdle muscle activity during glenohumeral abduction. Human Movement Science, 64, 55-66. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.humov.2019.01.005 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.humov.2019.01.005

Dolezal B., Lau M.J., Abrazado M., Storer T., Cooper C. (2013). Validity of two commercial grade bioelectrical impedance analyzers for measurement of body fat percentage. Journal of Exercise Physiology Online, 16: 74-83.

Edwards, T., Spiteri, T., Piggott, B., Haff, G. G., & Joyce, C. (2018). A Narrative Review of the Physical Demands and Injury Incidence in American Football: Application of Current Knowledge And Practices in Workload Management. Sports Medicine, 48(1), 45-55. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-017-0783-2 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-017-0783-2

Goldman, P., Taylor, J., Yamamoto, T., Blatney, A. E., Sahni, T. K., Lechner, R. J., Benna, D. M., Bolton, M., Shatagopam, V., Chen, E., Bright, J., & Dolezal, B. A. (in press). Eccentrically overloaded bench press training: Augmenting strength gains via a novel bench press pad. Scientific Journal of Sport and Performance, 4(3). https://doi.org/10.55860/JCDL3612 DOI: https://doi.org/10.55860/JCDL3612

Grgic, J., Lazinica, B., Schoenfeld, B. J., & Pedisic, Z. (2020). Test-Retest Reliability of the One-Repetition Maximum (1RM) Strength Assessment: A Systematic Review. Sports Medicine - Open, 6(1), 31. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40798-020-00260-z DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s40798-020-00260-z

Heyward V. (2001). ASEP methods recommendation: body composition assessment. J Exerc Physiol Online., 4: 1-12.

Hrysomallis, C. (2010). Upper-body strength and power changes during a football season. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 24(2), 557-559. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181c09c9c DOI: https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181c09c9c

Koshida, S., Urabe, Y., Miyashita, K., Iwai, K., & Kagimori, A. (2008). Muscular outputs during dynamic bench press under stable versus unstable conditions. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 22(5), 1584-1588. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0b013e31817b03a1 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0b013e31817b03a1

Król, H., & Gołaś, A. (2017). Effect of Barbell Weight on the Structure of the Flat Bench Press. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 31(5), 1321-1337. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0000000000001816 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0000000000001816

Krzysztofik, M., Wilk, M., Golas, A., Lockie, R. G., Maszczyk, A., & Zajac, A. (2020). Does Eccentric-only and Concentric-only Activation Increase Power Output? Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 52(2), 484-489. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0000000000002131 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0000000000002131

Kumar, A., Singh, R. K., Apte, V. V., & Kolekar, A. (2021). Comparison between seated medicine ball throw test and Wingate test for assessing upper body peak power in elite power sports players. Indian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology, 64(4), 286-291. https://doi.org/10.25259/IJPP_36_2021 DOI: https://doi.org/10.25259/IJPP_36_2021

Lauver, J. D., Cayot, T. E., & Scheuermann, B. W. (2016). Influence of bench angle on upper extremity muscular activation during bench press exercise. European Journal of Sport Science, 16(3), 309-316. https://doi.org/10.1080/17461391.2015.1022605 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/17461391.2015.1022605

Mann, J. B., Ivey, P. A., & Sayers, S. P. (2015). Velocity-Based Training in Football. Strength & Conditioning Journal, 37(6), 52. https://doi.org/10.1519/SSC.0000000000000177 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1519/SSC.0000000000000177

May A. K., Russell A. P., Della Gatta P. A., & Warmington S. A. (2022). Muscle adaptations to heavy-load and blood flow restriction resistance training methods. Front. physiology 13, 837697. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2022.837697 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2022.837697

Mayhew, J. L., Ware, J. S., Bemben, M. G., Wilt, B., Ward, T. E., Farris, B., Juraszek, J., & Slovak, J. P. (1999). The NFL-225 Test as a Measure of Bench Press Strength in College Football Players. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 13(2), 130-134. https://doi.org/10.1519/00124278-199905000-00006 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1519/00124278-199905000-00006

Noteboom, L., Belli, I., Hoozemans, M. J. M., Seth, A., Veeger, H. E. J., & Van Der Helm, F. C. T.(2024). Effects of bench press technique variations on musculoskeletal shoulder loads and potential injury risk. Frontiers in Physiology. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2024.1393235 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2024.1393235

Robbins, D. W. (2010). The National Football League (NFL) combine: Does normalized data better predict performance in the NFL draft? Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 24(11), 2888 - 2899. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181f927cc DOI: https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181f927cc

Robbins, D. W. (2011). Positional Physical Characteristics of Players Drafted Into the National Football League. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 25(10), 2661-2667. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0b013e318208ae3f DOI: https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0b013e318208ae3f

Robbins, D. W. (2012). Relationships between National Football League combine performance measures. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 26(1), 226-231. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0b013e31821d5e1b DOI: https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0b013e31821d5e1b

Rodríguez-Ridao, D., Antequera-Vique, J. A., Martín-Fuentes, I., & Muyor, J. M. (2020). Effect of Five Bench Inclinations on the Electromyographic Activity of the Pectoralis Major, Anterior Deltoid, and Triceps Brachii during the Bench Press Exercise. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(19), 7339. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17197339 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17197339

Saeterbakken, A. H., & Fimland, M. S. (2013). Electromyographic activity and 6RM strength in bench press on stable and unstable surfaces. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 27(4), 1101-1107. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0b013e3182606d3d DOI: https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0b013e3182606d3d

Sierer, S. P., Battaglini, C. L., Mihalik, J. P., Shields, E. W., & Tomasini, N. T. (2008). The National Football League Combine: Performance differences between drafted and nondrafted players entering the 2004 and 2005 drafts. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 22(1), 6-12. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0b013e31815ef90c DOI: https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0b013e31815ef90c

Smith, C. (2007). Football Training Like the Pros: Get Bigger, Stronger, and Faster Following the Programs of Today's Top Players. McGraw Hill.

Most read articles by the same author(s)