Mariscal Campón, GonzaloAsín Izquierdo, IvánCornejo Daza, Pedro JesúsOrtega Becerra, Manuel AlejandroPareja Blanco, Fernando2026-06-092026-06-092026-05-20Mariscal Campón, G., Asín Izquierdo, I., Cornejo Daza, P. J., Ortega Becerra, M., & Pareja Blanco, F. (2026). Effects of Velocity Loss Programming in the Bench Press on Strength Gains and Hypertrophy. International journal of sports medicine, 10.1055/a-2860-6331. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1055/a-2860-633110.1055/a-2860-6331https://hdl.handle.net/10433/26911This study aimed to compare the effects of two bench press (BP) training programs differing in velocity loss (VL) modulation (stable vs. progressive) on strength and hypertrophic adaptations. Twenty-four resistance-trained men were randomly assigned to a stable VL group (STA) or a progressive VL group (PRO). Subjects trained the BP for eight weeks, 15 sessions, performing three sets per session at 65–75% 1RM. STA trained with a constant 25% VL, whereas PRO followed a progressive strategy (0-12.5-25-37.5 -50% VL). Assessments conducted before and after training included pectoralis major cross-sectional area (CSA), a progressive loading test, and the maximum number of repetitions in BP. No significant differences in VL between groups were observed during the training program (~26%). A significant main “time” effect was observed for all variables, with no significant group × time interactions. Only PRO obtained significant increases in CSA (effect size = 0.31), while only STA significantly improved maximal unloaded velocity (effect size = 0.80). Both stable and progressive VL programming were effective at improving strength performance in BP. However, stable VL strategies may be preferable for athletes prioritizing high-velocity performance, whereas progressive VL approaches may be more advantageous for hypertrophy-oriented athletes.application/pdfenVelocity-based trainingResistance trainingFatigueCross-sectional areaStrength performanceTraining periodizationjournal articlerestricted access