The Study
Bench-Press Performed With a Velocity- and Tempo-Based Approach: Are There Differences in Volume Load, Time Under Tension, and Metabolic Demands?
This study compared two ways of lifting weights and found that one way lets you do more reps with the same weight. But it only tested this once, in a lab, with 14 guys. So we know it works in this one situation, but we don’t know if it helps you get bigger muscles over time or if it works for other people.
Analysis score
Maximum 90 for a randomized controlled trial.
Where the score came from
This study tested whether lifting the bar as fast as possible (VBT) lets you do more reps than lifting at a slow, steady pace (TBT) during a tough set of bench press.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 555 / 100
Quality score
Participants are randomly assigned to treatment or control groups, minimizing bias. The gold standard for testing whether an intervention causes an effect.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Yes — doing 1.7 more reps per set with the same weight and range of motion means more total work, which could help build muscle over time.
- 2With fast lifting (VBT), people did 14.4 reps vs.
- 312.7 reps with slow lifting (TBT), and used 41% more energy from oxygen (aerobic) instead of stored energy (anaerobic), even though total energy used was the same.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Sports health
Year
2026
Authors
Afonso Fitas, Sergio Miras-Moreno, J. Oliveira, Margarida Cidrais, P. Pezarat-Correia, B. Schoenfeld, Goncalo V. Mendonca
Related Content
Claims (9)
Performing multiple sets of resistance exercise with sustained tension and fatigue leads to greater activation of muscle fibers and results in an increase in muscle size.
During a single set of bench press at 70% of maximum strength, using velocity-based feedback to control lifting speed results in about 12% more total weight lifted compared to using a fixed tempo, without changing how long the muscles are under load, suggesting that faster lifting can increase mechanical work by allowing more repetitions.
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 velocity-based bench press training, a greater reliance on aerobic energy metabolism contributes to higher total work volume, and when this metabolic factor is accounted for, the difference in total work between training conditions disappears.
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 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 energy use, even though they differ in how much oxygen is used and how much total work is done.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.