Eccentrically Overloaded Bench Press Training: Augmenting Strength Gains via a Novel Bench Press Pad
Phillip Goldman; John Taylor; Trent Yamamoto; August E. Blatney; Trinabh K. Sahni; Ross J. Lechner; Dominic M. Benna; Matthew Bolton; Vishruth Shatagopam; Ethan Chen; Jacob Bright; Brett A. Dolezal
DOI: 10.55860/JCDL3612
What Was Tested—and What Was Held Constant.
Randomize
Forty-two participants were allocated 1:1 to Launch Pad or Standard Flat Bench groups.
Match the Program
Both groups used the same connected adaptive resistance exercise machine and supervised protocol.
Train
Three non-consecutive sessions per week for four weeks; 12 total sessions.
Test
1-RM bench press was assessed before and after the training block.
Raw Numbers First. Interpretation Second.
| Outcome | Standard Flat Bench | Launch Pad | Change | p-value | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard Flat Bench group | 98.1 ± 4.5 kg baseline | 109.2 ± 6.7 kg post | +11.1 ± 2.4 kg | < .001 within | - |
| Launch Pad group | 97.4 ± 6.1 kg baseline | 115.8 ± 5.0 kg post | +18.4 ± 4.3 kg | < .001 within | - |
| Between-group advantage | Flat: +11.1 kg | Launch Pad: +18.4 kg | +7.3 kg / +16.1 lb | < .001 between | Hedges’ g = 3.85 |
All values are reported group means or mean changes from the published paper. Visual bar lengths are normalized within each row and are not a shared-unit scale across different outcomes.
What This Study Supports. What It Does Not.
Both Groups Improved
The Standard Flat Bench group gained 11.1 kg on average. The Launch Pad group gained 18.4 kg. The relevant finding is the 7.3 kg difference in average improvement under the matched protocol.
Both groups became stronger. The important comparison is the difference in average improvement under a matched program: 18.4 kg versus 11.1 kg. That is evidence for an additive surface effect within this protocol, not a guarantee that every program or athlete will reproduce the same magnitude.
Do Not Expand the Claim Beyond the Outcome.
Hypertrophy, pain, injury incidence, joint forces, long-term retention, or outcomes outside the eccentric-overload protocol.
Group averages are not individual guarantees, and this study does not automatically establish outcomes for Joint Ops™.
Questions to Ask Before Programming From It.
Does my athlete match the sample?
42 intermediate-trained males (21 per group) were studied. Apply more cautiously outside that population.
Does my program match the protocol?
Twelve supervised sessions, three times per week. Both groups used the same connected adaptive resistance exercise machine for supramaximal eccentric overload; the bench surface differed.
Am I using the right outcome?
Change in one-repetition-maximum bench press strength was measured. Do not substitute pain, hypertrophy, or on-field outcomes that were not assessed.
How will I preserve specificity?
Standard Flat Bench practice still matters when competition, testing, or technical specificity is the target. The Launch Pad can be programmed as a complementary surface.
The Finding Gets Stronger When the Boundary Stays Visible.
- Small, homogeneous male sample and short four-week duration.
- The result belongs to a specific supervised eccentric-overload protocol using a connected adaptive resistance exercise machine.
- Diet was not tightly controlled beyond supplement restrictions.
- The study measured 1-RM strength, not hypertrophy, pain, injury incidence, joint force, or long-term durability of the response.
- The paper proposed possible mechanisms, but those mechanisms were not directly measured in this trial.
- Male samples only.
- Group averages are not individual predictions.
- Pain, injury incidence, and joint forces were not measured.
- Launch Pad findings do not automatically transfer to Joint Ops™.
- Read the full paper before citing the result in academic or clinical work.
Keep the Source Attached to the Claim.
Goldman, P., Taylor, J., Yamamoto, T., Blatney, A. E., Sahni, T. K., Lechner, R. J., Benna, D. M., Bolton, M., Shatagopam, V., Chen, E., Bright, J., & Dolezal, B. A. (2025). Eccentrically overloaded bench press training: Augmenting strength gains via a novel bench press pad. Scientific Journal of Sport and Performance, 4(4), 480-490. https://doi.org/10.55860/JCDL3612