When performing bench presses to exhaustion at 70% of maximum strength, two different training styles—focusing on bar speed versus controlled movement tempo—produce the same amount of anaerobic...

When performing bench presses to exhaustion at 70% of maximum strength, two different training styles—focusing on speed versus controlled tempo—lead to the same total amount of oxygen debt and estimated oxygen use, meaning the contribution from anaerobic energy systems is not affected by how fast or slow the lifts are performed.

When performing a single set of bench press to failure at 70% of maximum strength, using a velocity-based approach results in a higher proportion of energy coming from aerobic systems (41%) compared to a tempo-based approach (33%), with a corresponding reduction in anaerobic contribution, even though the total amount of anaerobic energy used remains the same.

When performing a single set of bench press to failure at 70% of maximum strength, using a velocity-based training method results in a higher proportion of energy coming from aerobic pathways (41%) compared to tempo-based training (33%), with a corresponding reduction in anaerobic energy use, even though the total energy used is the same.

During bench press exercises performed to failure at 70% of one-repetition maximum, the greater total volume lifted with velocity-based training is partly due to a higher reliance on aerobic energy systems; when this aerobic contribution is accounted for, the difference in volume between training methods is no longer statistically significant.

When performing bench presses with a focus on moving the bar as fast as possible at 70% of maximum strength, athletes produce higher average speed and power compared to using a fixed tempo, without changing how far the bar moves or how long the lowering phase takes.