Load-Velocity Relationship in Bench Press and Effects of a Strength-Training Program in Wheelchair Basketball Players: A Team Study

Performance in wheelchair basketball is determined by capabilities, such as strength and power. The study has two aims: first, to analyze the association between speed and acceleration variables (collected in the bench press (BP) exercise) and the distinct percentages of one-repetition maximum (1RM); second, to analyze the effect of a strength training protocol on wheelchair basketball (WB) players according to their functional impairments. Ten Spanish male WB players volunteered to participate in the study. The players did a pretest and posttest (1RM in bench press) with 6-week muscle strength intervention program. The results showed a high association between the %1RM and the mean propulsive velocity (MPV) and the maximum velocity (V(max)), both in the total of the participants, and in each separate group of athletes. After implementing the strength training program, both the players of the IWBF (International Wheelchair Basketball Federation) < 2.5 group and those of IWBF > 2.5 group improved their 1RM (p < 0.01, ES = 0.20 to 0.23). However, the program produced positive effects at submaximal intensities in the MPV reached with 30, 40, 70, and 80 kg and in time to maximum velocity (TV(max)) with 30, 40, and 70 kg (ES = −3.24 to 1.32) only in players with greater functional impairments. The high association between %1RM and MPV and V(max) can allow for determination the %1RM of the WB players in the BP using the MPV and the V(max). The training program was effective in improving 1RM in both groups, while improvements in submaximal values only occurred in the IWBF < 2.5 group.