Relationship Between Velocity Loss and Repetitions Completed During the Bench Press Exercise: Comparative Effect of Generalized vs. Individualized Load-Velocity Relationship to Determine Relative Load

Abstract Puente-Alcaraz, C, Herrera-Bermudo, JC, Yáñez-García, JM, Rojas-Jaramillo, A, González-Badillo, JJ, and Rodríguez-Rosell, D. Relationship between velocity loss and repetitions completed during the bench press exercise: Comparative effect of generalized vs. individualized load-velocity relationship to determine relative load. J Strength Cond Res XX(X): 000–000, 2026—The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of the load-velocity equation used to determine the relative load (generalized vs. individualized) on (a) the variability in the maximal number of repetitions (MNR) performed against different relative loads; (b) the relationship between the percentage of velocity loss (%VL) in the set and the percentage of repetitions completed (%REP) with respect to the maximum that can be completed; (c) the degree of postexercise fatigue. A secondary objective was to examine the influence of the relative strength ratio (RSR) and wingspan (WP) of the subjects on the aforementioned variables. Twenty trained men performed 12 testing sessions (3–4 days apart): 2 progressive loading tests and 10 MNR tests, in a random order, using 5 different loads (50, 60, 70, 80, and 90% 1 repetition maximum) and 2 procedures for determining relative load (generalized vs. individualized load-velocity relationship). No significant differences were observed between generalized and individualized relative load determination in the MNR completed, the intersubject variability of the MNR completed, the relationship between the %VL and the %REP completed in the set, and the pre-post fatigue after the MNR tests. Furthermore, it was observed that the RSR and WP of the subjects had no effect on the number of repetitions completed, velocity loss, or postexercise fatigue. These findings, specific to the bench press exercise, suggest that the high variability in the number of repetitions completed for a given relative load and the relationship between the %VL and the %REP completed in the set are not conditioned by how the relative load (i.e., initial velocity of the set) is determined.