Side view of The Launch Pad® Gen II positioned on a black flat bench inside a power rack.

THE LAUNCH PAD®

Generation II

Every Rep Begins Where
The Athlete Meets the Equipment.

The bench isn't just where you lie, it's part of the human-machine system. Its surface geometry influences positioning, shoulder mechanics, stability, range of motion, and how consistently force is expressed. That makes the surface a performance variable.

The Launch Pad® is the world's first patented Performance Interface™ for the weight bench. Instead of simply adding padding, it re-engineers the athlete-to-bench interface through human-centric support-surface geometry, helping optimize positioning, improve force transfer, and create a more repeatable pressing environment.

It doesn't replace technique or move the weight. It upgrades the physical boundary beneath every repetition.

The result is a stronger foundation for every rep, supporting greater strength, better mechanics, more consistent performance, and less unnecessary joint stress.

  • ✓Supports Natural Shoulder Mechanics & Greater Range of Motion
  • ✓Improves Muscle Activation & Force Transfer
  • ✓Enhances Strength, Power & Muscular Endurance
  • ✓Promotes More Consistent & Repeatable Movement

$357.99

In Stock
SKU: AMMLAUNCHPAD
Side view of The Launch Pad® Gen II positioned on a black flat bench inside a power rack. The Launch Pad $357.99

Start with your reason

What brought you here?

Most people do not begin by searching for The Launch Pad®. They begin because something about their bench press is off. Maybe benching feels uncomfortable, their setup changes every set, the chest never gets the work they expect, progress has stalled, or the challenge is coaching a room full of athletes who all meet the same flat bench differently. Choose the problem that sounds most like yours.

Shoulder-conscious pressing

The bench should not be fighting your shoulders.

Grip width, elbow position, warmups, mobility, and accessory work can all matter.

But when a full-width bench continues through the shoulder and upper-arm region, your body must create all of the available clearance on its own.

The Launch Pad® changes the point of contact. Its contoured side geometry creates more room around the shoulders and upper arms while continuing to support the torso.

What changes

The contact surface narrows through the shoulder region instead of carrying full-width support through the entire press.

Evidence boundary

The acute study measured range of motion, pectoralis major activation, and bar velocity—not pain, injury incidence, or joint forces.

Start skeptical

This is not “just a pad.”

The Launch Pad is an approximately 22-pound rigid performance interface with engineered support-surface geometry, an aluminum substructure, adjustable lumbar support, molded traction, and commercial-grade construction.

Inspect the structure, the mechanism, the published research, the patents, the customer experience, and how it fits the equipment you already own.

Review the evidence

Different reasons. One overlooked variable: the surface your body is pressing from.

A CENTURY OF INNOVATION

WHAT 125 YEARS OF INNOVATION LEFT UNCHANGED.

The bench press began as a floor-based strength movement and gradually developed into one of the most recognizable exercises in modern training. Explore the milestones below to see how the equipment, standards, and methods surrounding the lift evolved across more than a century.

01 / 08

For more than a century, nearly every part of the bench press evolved, from racks and frames to padding thickness, adjustability, and training methods. Yet the physical interface beneath the athlete remained fundamentally the same. That is where the story of The Launch Pad® begins.

Rear angled view of The Launch Pad Generation II installed on a bench at The Castle Metroflex Gym in Fort Worth

THE NEXT CHAPTER

THE BENCH IS NO LONGER JUST A PLACE TO LIE.

The Launch Pad® is the first patented Performance Interface™ developed to rethink the relationship between the athlete and the bench.

Instead of expecting every athlete to adapt to one flat surface, its human-centric support geometry is engineered to better cooperate with the body’s anatomy and the mechanics of pressing.

The result is an interface designed around positioning, shoulder mechanics, force transfer, repeatability, and long-term joint health.

01

HUMAN-CENTRIC ERGONOMICS

02

PERFORMANCE BIOMECHANICS

03

TRAINING LONGEVITY

SO WHAT CHANGES?

THE EXERCISE STAYS FAMILIAR. THE CONDITIONS BENEATH IT CHANGE.

The Launch Pad® is not designed to replace the flat bench or remove the need for sound technique. It improves the physical interface between the athlete and the equipment. When that interface changes, three physical conditions change with it.

HOW THE SHOULDERS MEET THE BENCH
HOW THE BODY ESTABLISHES POSITION
HOW THE ATHLETE STAYS CONNECTED UNDER LOAD

Those differences are not abstract. They are physical, repeatable, and often noticeable from the very first set.

WHAT PHYSICALLY CHANGES

THREE CHANGES YOU CAN FEEL ON THE FIRST SET.

The Launch Pad® changes three physical conditions between your body and the bench without changing the fundamental exercise.

Athlete bench pressing on The Launch Pad with increased shoulder clearance
01

MORE ROOM AROUND THE SHOULDERS

HUMAN-CENTRIC
CONTACT GEOMETRY

Purposeful contours change where the shoulders and upper arms meet the bench, giving the athlete more clearance to establish a strong pressing position.

WHY IT MATTERS: Less unnecessary interference between the athlete and the bench, more usable pressing space, and a clearer path to a repeatable upper-body position.

02

FIND THE SAME POSITION AGAIN

ADAPTIVE BODY
POSITIONING

Height-adjustable lumbar support establishes a clearer relationship between the hips, lower back, torso, and bench, helping the athlete reproduce the same body-to-surface position from set to set.

WHY IT MATTERS: Less setup guesswork, greater positional consistency, and a more repeatable foundation for sound technical execution.

Athlete using The Launch Pad adjustable lumbar support during the bench press
The Launch Pad installed on a bench showing molded traction and securing straps
03

STAY PLANTED UNDER LOAD

STRUCTURAL
INTERFACE STABILITY

Rigid construction, an aluminum substructure, molded traction, and securing straps preserve the intended geometry and help the athlete maintain contact as load and fatigue increase.

WHY IT MATTERS: A more stable platform for force expression and less time spent rebuilding position between repetitions.

THE EXERCISE STAYS FAMILIAR. THE SURFACE BENEATH YOU CHANGES.

The next question was whether those physical differences could be measured.

THREE PEER-REVIEWED STUDIES

WHAT CHANGED WHEN
THE SURFACE CHANGED?

The preceding section explains what The Launch Pad® physically changes at the athlete-to-bench interface. The research examined whether those differences could also be observed in measurable biomechanical and performance outcomes.

Rather than relying on a single experiment, three peer-reviewed studies followed the effect from a single repetition, to weeks of training, to improvements in athletic performance.

01

IMMEDIATE BIOMECHANICS

THE REP
CHANGED.

10 resistance-trained males · randomized single-blind crossover · 5 repetitions at 70% 1-RM

+24.4% / +27.1%

Right / left pectoralis major activation

+17.5%

Mean bar velocity

+15.8% EACH

Peak bar velocity & range of motion

KEY TAKEAWAY

The Launch Pad® immediately changed several measurable aspects of the bench press, including pectoralis major activation, bar velocity, and available range of motion. These findings describe acute changes observed during a single testing session, not long-term training adaptations.

READ THE PEER-REVIEWED STUDY
02

FOUR-WEEK STRENGTH TRIAL

THE ADAPTATION
CHANGED.

42 trained males · randomized controlled trial · 12 supervised eccentric-overload sessions

+18.4 KG

Launch Pad® group 1-RM gain

+11.1 KG

Standard flat bench group 1-RM gain

HEDGES’ G = 3.85

Between-group effect size

KEY TAKEAWAY

Both groups completed the same supervised four-week eccentric-overload program using the same adaptive-resistance system. The primary difference was the bench interface. The Launch Pad® group increased 1-RM strength by 18.4 kg compared with 11.1 kg for the standard flat bench group—an average improvement that was 66% greater.

READ THE PEER-REVIEWED STUDY
03

EIGHT-WEEK PERFORMANCE TRIAL

THE PERFORMANCE
CHANGED.

30 male collegiate football players · randomized controlled trial · 24 supervised sessions over 8 weeks

+19.4 VS +9.7 KG

1-RM bench press change · Hedges’ g = 3.99

+7 VS +4

NFL-225 repetition change · Hedges’ g = 3.67

+2.7 VS +2.0 M

Seated medicine-ball throw change · Hedges’ g = 4.10

KEY TAKEAWAY

Under the same eight-week strength program, athletes training with The Launch Pad® achieved greater improvements in maximal strength, muscular endurance, and upper-body power than athletes training on a standard flat bench. All three between-group comparisons were statistically significant, with very large effect sizes.

READ THE PEER-REVIEWED STUDY

Read the Evidence at the Depth You Want

Simple Takeaways. Scientific Detail. Complete Transparency.

Whether you’re looking for the headline findings or a deeper understanding of the research, you can explore each study at your own pace. The key outcomes remain front and center, while expandable sections explain the methodology, statistics, practical implications, and study limitations.

Three complementary studies examined three different aspects of performance.

Acute Biomechanics Study

A randomized crossover design where every participant performed both conditions. This allowed researchers to compare movement mechanics, muscle activation, velocity, and range of motion within the same athletes.

4-Week Training Study

Resistance-trained males were randomly assigned to either The Launch Pad® or a traditional flat bench while completing 12 supervised eccentric-overload training sessions. Both groups followed the same adaptive-resistance program, with the athlete-to-bench interface serving as the primary variable.

8-Week Collegiate Football Study

Male collegiate football players were randomly assigned and completed 24 supervised strength sessions. Researchers measured improvements in one-repetition maximum bench press, NFL-225 repetitions, and seated medicine-ball throw performance.

What this means: Together, these studies examined both the immediate mechanical effects of the interface and the longer-term training adaptations that followed. They evaluated The Launch Pad® under specific research conditions—not every athlete, every exercise, or the Joint Ops™ Bench platform.

Statistical significance tells us whether a result is likely real. Effect size tells us how meaningful it may be.

A p-value below .001 indicates that, under the statistical model used, results this large would be expected less than about 1 time in 1,000 if there were actually no true difference between groups.

While statistical significance answers, “Is the difference likely real?”, Hedges’ g answers, “How large is that difference?”

0.20 Small
0.50 Moderate
0.80 Large Effect
3.67–4.10 Reported Range
Effect sizes of this magnitude are uncommon in applied resistance-training research. They deserve both serious attention and continued independent investigation.

Important: A Hedges’ g of 4 does not mean “four times better.” It indicates an exceptionally large standardized separation between the reported groups within the specific training protocols studied.

The interface didn’t replace the training program—it changed the surface the program was performed on.

The athletes still had to train hard. Programming, effort, technique, loading, coaching, recovery, and consistency remained essential.

The evidence suggests that the athlete-to-bench interface may influence:

Positioning and setup consistency
Force expression
Movement quality
Repetition consistency
Long-term training adaptations
For coaches and performance professionals, the support surface becomes another performance variable to evaluate alongside programming, load, velocity, exercise selection, fatigue management, and recovery.

Strong evidence still requires careful interpretation.

These studies were conducted with trained male participants performing specific, supervised bench-press protocols. The strongest conclusions therefore apply to athletes and training environments similar to those studied.

Like most equipment research, participants could see which surface they were using, so complete blinding was not possible. The studies were not placebo-controlled.

The acute biomechanics study demonstrated significant improvements in several mechanical variables, but power output did not reach statistical significance.

The studies also did not measure injury rates, shoulder joint loading, rehabilitation outcomes, or long-term medical effects.

The current evidence supports meaningful performance benefits under the conditions tested. It should not be interpreted as a guarantee of identical results for every athlete or as a medical claim.
Enter the Research Center Upgrade My Bench

PATENTED PERFORMANCE-INTERFACE DESIGN

EXPLORE THE LAUNCH PAD’S ERGONOMIC DESIGN FEATURES

Every feature is engineered as part of an integrated ergonomic system, working together to support shoulder freedom, spinal alignment, setup consistency, and more efficient force transfer under load.

The Launch Pad Performance Interface with contoured shoulder-clearance geometry, adjustable lumbar support, and mold-integrated traction

Select a hotspot or feature to explore the design.

The contoured side geometry creates additional space for the shoulders and upper arms to move during pressing and other upper-body exercises.

Why it matters: By reducing unnecessary interference around the shoulder complex, the design supports more natural pressing mechanics, a less restricted movement path, and greater access to the athlete’s usable range of motion.
Greater shoulder freedom Cleaner pressing path More usable range
Better positioning Better stability Better mechanics Better performance

PERFORMANCE INTERFACE COMPARISON

THE SURFACE IS PART OF THE LIFT

Compare the traditional flat bench with the world's first patented Performance Interface™, engineered to improve positioning, support, repeatability, and force transfer.

Traditional flat bench compared with The Launch Pad Performance Interface

Getting Started

Give Your Body a Few Sessions to Adapt

The Launch Pad® changes the geometry beneath your body, so it should not feel identical to a flat bench on day one. Some lifters feel the difference immediately. Others need several training sessions to discover the new contact points, establish a repeatable setup, and learn how to use the available range of motion. Give yourself a few deliberate sessions before comparing it to years of movement on a traditional flat bench.

The Launch Pad installed on a bench press station

Start Conservatively.

Use a lighter load during your first session so you can focus on positioning rather than the weight. Learn the new movement environment before returning to your normal working loads.

Learn the Contact Points.

Establish the interface the same way every session. Set your strap tension, hip position, lumbar support height, upper-back contact, and head position before judging how the interface performs. Consistency creates consistency.

Evaluate It After Several Sessions.

Avoid judging The Launch Pad® after a single workout. Like any meaningful equipment change, it takes a few deliberate exposures to develop familiarity. Once the setup becomes automatic, you are evaluating performance—not novelty.

Positioning The Launch Pad on the weight bench

Position the Interface

For barbell bench press, position the top of The Launch Pad® approximately 1–1.5 inches beyond the top edge of the bench. For dumbbell work and compatible machines, align it flush with the bench.

Securing The Launch Pad to the weight bench with cam straps

Secure It to the Bench

Route both cam straps through the torso slots and beneath the bench frame. Remove all slack, lock the cam buckles, and confirm the interface cannot shift before training.

Adjusting The Launch Pad lumbar support

Set the Lumbar Support

Sit just in front of the lumbar support—not directly on it. As you lie back, the support should settle naturally into the curve of your lower back rather than lifting your hips. Adjust the pin height until the contact feels supportive and natural.

Establishing the correct starting position on The Launch Pad

Establish Your Start Position

Place your head near the logo, position your eyes beneath the bar, establish normal lower-body contact, and begin with a conservative load while learning the interface.

The lumbar support is designed as a positioning reference—not a seat. When adjusted correctly, it fills the natural curve of the lower back without pushing the pelvis upward or creating pressure beneath the hips.

If it feels intrusive, adjust the pin height or hip position until the contact becomes supportive and natural.

Sitting directly on the lumbar support places it too low and can create unnecessary pressure. Instead, sit just in front of it.

As you lie back, the support naturally settles into the lumbar curve where it was designed to work. Proper positioning makes a noticeable difference in comfort, stability, and repeatability.

The Launch Pad® is compatible with most flat, adjustable, Olympic, utility, and many machine benches.

Benches with unusually wide pads, split-pad designs, enclosed frames, or non-standard geometries may require additional verification.

If you are unsure, send us a clear photo of your bench along with its pad dimensions and we will confirm compatibility before you order.

Check My Bench Fit →
1 × The Launch Pad® Gen II
1 × Tactical Carrying Backpack
2 × 5-Foot Cam Straps
1 × Lumbar Adjustment Pin

Set Up In Under 60 Seconds Once Familiar.

No tools. No drilling. No permanent bench modification.

Teams · Tactical · Facilities · Equipment Partners

One Performance Interface™. Two Paths to Institutional Adoption.

Organizations should not have to replace an entire equipment fleet to improve the point where the athlete meets the bench.

The Launch Pad® gives teams, tactical units, training facilities, and equipment partners a practical path toward more human-centric strength equipment—whether that means upgrading existing stations today or developing the next generation of equipment around the athlete-to-machine interface.

Florida State strength and conditioning facility equipped with training racks and benches
The Launch Pad deployed across adjustable benches at The Spot Athletics
Institutional Deployment

Introduce a more consistent athlete-to-bench interface across compatible stations without rebuilding the room around it.

01

Teams · Tactical · Facilities

Upgrade the Bench Fleet You Already Trust.

Deploy a patented Performance Interface™ across compatible benches without drilling, welding, permanent modification, or a facility-wide equipment replacement.

  • Start with one station. Evaluate the interface in your own training environment before expanding deployment.
  • Scale around your program. Move one unit between stations or equip an entire strength room.
  • Create a more repeatable setup. Establish clearer torso, lumbar, head, and shoulder contact points across athletes and sessions.
  • Support institutional purchasing. Discuss volume pricing, program requirements, and qualified customization.
Request Team or Facility Pricing Review Research and Specifications
02

OEM · Equipment Partners

Engineer the Next Generation From the Interface Outward.

The athlete-to-equipment contact condition should be treated as a product-development variable—not as padding added after the frame, mechanics, and geometry have already been finalized.

  • Licensing opportunities. Explore access to patented support-surface concepts and related intellectual property.
  • Product integration. Evaluate how human-centric interface geometry can be incorporated into existing or future equipment.
  • Engineering collaboration. Work together on support surfaces, positioning systems, and athlete-equipment contact conditions.
  • Platform development. Discuss Joint Ops™ and future strength-equipment systems built around the human-machine interface.
Start an OEM Conversation Explore Joint Ops™

Keep the benches your organization already trusts. Upgrade the athlete-to-bench interface where every repetition begins.

Andrew Harvot, founder and inventor of Advanced Muscle Mechanics, with The Launch Pad

Invented From the Athlete Outward

It Started With a Question the Industry Stopped Asking.

Why was the athlete expected to adapt to the bench instead of the bench being engineered around the athlete?

After more than two decades under the bar, Andrew Harvot began treating the athlete-to-bench point of contact as an engineering problem rather than an unavoidable limitation.

The result progressed from prototypes to The Launch Pad® Gen II, two issued U.S. patents, three peer-reviewed studies, and use across individual, collegiate, tactical, coaching, and facility environments.

The Launch Pad® is the available-now expression of a broader design philosophy: human-centric strength equipment engineered from the athlete outward.

Read the Founder’s Story See What Comes Next

Before You Decide

A Serious Product Should Survive Serious Questions.

You do not have to take the category claim on faith. Review the construction, fit, intended role, evidence, limitations, first-session expectations, and return terms before deciding whether The Launch Pad® belongs in your training.

No. The Launch Pad® is an approximately 22-pound rigid, contoured interface with an aluminum substructure, height-adjustable lumbar support, molded traction, securing slots, and a 2,200-pound durability-test reference—not a user-weight or working-load rating. It is designed to preserve its intended geometry under load—not collapse for comfort.

A cushion softens the same basic surface. A Performance Interface™ changes how the body meets the bench.

Health notice: The Launch Pad® is a performance-training product, not a medical device. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease or injury. Stop or modify training and consult an appropriately qualified professional when pain, injury, neurological symptoms, or other medical concerns are present.
The Launch Pad Generation II Performance Interface installed on a weight bench

The Point of Contact Changes the Starting Position

Your Next Rep Can Start From a Better Surface.

You have invested in the bar, the rack, the program, the coaching, and the work. The point where your body meets the bench deserves the same level of intention.

Keep your bench. Change the interface.

$357.99 In stock

Includes The Launch Pad® Gen II, tactical carrying backpack, two 5-foot cam straps, and one lumbar adjustment pin.

Check My Bench Fit Team / Facility Pricing
2 issued U.S. patents 3 peer-reviewed studies Under-60-second setup once familiar 30-day return window

Research references: Kidwell et al. (2026), DOI 10.70252/IJES2026103; Goldman et al. (2025), DOI 10.55860/JCDL3612; Blatney et al. (2026), DOI 10.55860/RNUB8627. Reported values are group means from the published protocols. Individual results vary.

Product and health notice: The Launch Pad® is a performance-training product. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease or injury. Stop or modify training and consult an appropriately qualified professional when pain, injury, or medical concerns are present.

Intellectual property: The Launch Pad® is protected by U.S. Patent Nos. 12,115,411 and 12,678,656. Additional U.S. applications are pending. Return eligibility and refunds are governed by the current Refund Policy.