Jiménez-Alonso, A, García-Ramos, A, Cepero, M, Miras-Moreno, S, Rojas, FJ, and Pérez-Castilla, A. Velocity performance feedback during the free-weight bench press testing procedure: An effective strategy to increase the reliability and one repetition maximum accuracy prediction. J Strength Cond Res 36(4): 1077–1083, 2022—This study aimed to determine whether the verbal provision of velocity performance feedback during the free-weight bench press (BP) exercise influences (a) the within-session reliability and magnitude of mean concentric velocity (MCV) values recorded against a range of submaximal loads and (b) the accuracy of the individualized load-velocity profile to estimate the BP 1 repetition maximum (1RM). Fifteen men (BP 1RM relative to body mass = 1.08 ± 0.22) performed an incremental loading test until reaching the 1RM on 2 separate sessions. Subjects received verbal velocity performance feedback in 1 session (knowledge of results [KR]), and no KR was provided in another session (Control). A linear velocity transducer was used to collect the MCV against 4 loads (40-55-70-85% 1RM), and the BP 1RM was estimated from the individualized load-velocity relationship modeled through the multiple-point (40-55-70-85% 1RM) and 2-point methods (40-85% 1RM). The KR condition provided a higher reliability (coefficient of variation [CV]: KR = 2.41%, Control = 3.54%; CV ratio = 1.47) and magnitude (p = 0.001; effect size [ES] = 0.78) of MCV for the 40% 1RM, but no significant differences in reliability (CV ratio ≤1.15) nor in the magnitude (p ≥ 0.058; ES range = 0.00–0.32) were observed for higher loads. The accuracy in the estimation of the 1RM was higher for the KR (absolute errors: multiple-point = 3.1 ± 2.3 kg; 2-point = 3.5 ± 2.1 kg) compared with the Control condition (absolute errors: 4.1 ± 1.9 kg for both multiple-point and 2-point methods). These results encourage the provision of verbal velocity performance feedback during BP testing procedures.

Effect of augmented feedback on velocity performance during strength-oriented and power-oriented resistance training sessions. J Strength Cond Res 36(6): 1511-1517, 2022-This study examined the effects of providing instantaneous velocity feedback (knowledge of results [KR]) on velocity maintenance across multiple sets during strength-oriented and power-oriented resistance training (RT) sessions. Seventeen men completed 2 strength-oriented RT sessions (4 sets of 5 repetitions at 75% of 1 repetition maximum [1RM] during the back squat [SQ] and bench press [BP] exercises) in 1 week and 2 power-oriented RT sessions (4 sets of 5 repetitions at 30% of 1RM during the countermovement jump [CMJ] and BP throw [BPT] exercises) in another week. Subjects received verbal velocity performance feedback in 1 session (KR) and no KR was provided in another session. Greater velocities during the 4 sets of both strength-oriented (from 4.6 to 11.6%) and power-oriented (from 1.4 to 3.5%) RT sessions were observed. The increments in velocity performance during the KR condition were greater for the CMJ (2.25 6 0.14 vs. 2.18 6 0.17 m•s 21 ; 3.0%) than the BPT (2.33 6 0.13 vs. 2.29 6 0.16 m•s 21 ; 1.7%) and similarly for the SQ (0.59 6 0.07 vs. 0.55 6 0.06 m•s 21 ; 7.5%) and BP (0.47 6 0.09 vs. 0.44 6 0.07 m•s 21 ; 7.8%). The raw differences in the RT velocity for BPT were positively correlated with the raw differences in the RT velocity for SQ (r 5 0.524; p 5 0.031) and CMJ (r 5 0.662; p 5 0.004), but the remaining correlations did not reach a statistical significance (r # 0.370; p $ 0.123). Although these results support the provision of velocity performance feedback to increase training quality regardless of the type of RT session, the positive effect of KR seems to be more accentuated during strengthoriented compared with power-oriented RT sessions.

This study explored the impact of different frequencies of knowledge of results (KR) on velocity performance during ballistic training. Fifteen males completed four identical sessions (three sets of six repetitions at 30% one-repetition maximum during the countermovement jump and bench press throw) with the only difference of the KR condition provided: no feedback, velocity feedback after the first half of repetitions of each set (HalfKR), velocity feedback immediately after each repetition (ImKR), and feedback of the average velocity of each set (AvgKR). When compared with the control condition, the ImKR reported the highest velocity performance (1.9–5.3%), followed by the HalfKR (1.3–3.6%) and AvgKR (0.7–4.3%). These results support the verbal provision of velocity performance feedback after every repetition to induce acute improvements in velocity performance.