The Effects of 5 Weeks of Leg-Drive Training on Bench Press Performance in Recreationally-Trained, College-Age Men

The bench press is commonly used to measure upper-body strength. While much emphasis has been placed on the upper-body, little is known about how the lower-body can play a role in bench press performance. Leg-drive is a technique that includes flexing the knee so the feet line up posterior to the knee joint, while simultaneously contracting the knee extensors isometrically during the lift. The purpose of this study was to compare strength characteristics of lifters in a standard bench press versus a leg-drive bench press over the course of 5-weeks of training.

Twenty-three recreationally active males (age: 22.4±2.1 years, height: 175.0±5.9 cm, mass: 78.4±9.5 kg) were randomized into a standard bench or leg-drive bench press group. Participants performed four sets to failure, two times per week for five weeks. Variables of interests were training volume and 1-repetition maximum (1RM) strength. For training volume, a 2×5 (group×week) repeated measures analysis of variance (RMANOVA) was used. For the 1RM’s, a 2×2×2 (group×press type×time) RMANOVA was used. A priori alpha levels were set to 0.05.

Over time, both groups showed an approximate 6% increase in 1RM strength. Training volume for week 4 was 5.6% less than week 5, but was not different from weeks 1 through 3. No between-group differences were observed for 1RM strength or training volume.

This results of this work indicates that 5 weeks of leg-drive training is effective in increasing 1RM strength, but was not more effective than standard bench press training. Practically, lifters should choose either lifting style based on personal preference.