title: A comparison of peak power in the shoulder press and shoulder throw.
abstract: The ability to generate peak power is central for performance in many sports. Currently two distinct resistance training methods are used to develop peak power, the heavy weight/slow velocity and light weight/fast velocity regimes. When using the light weight/fast velocity power training method it was proposed that peak power would be greater in a shoulder throw exercise compared with a normal shoulder press. Nine males performed three lifts in the shoulder press and shoulder throw at 30% and 40% of their one repetition maximum (1RM). These lifts were performed identically, except for the release of the bar in the throw condition. A potentiometer attached to the bar measured displacement and duration of the lifts. The time of bar release in the shoulder throw was determined with a pressure switch. ANOVA was used to examine statistically significant differences where the level of acceptance was set at p < 0.05. Peak power was found to be significantly greater in the shoulder throw at 30% of 1 RM condition [F, (1, 23) = 2.325 p < 0.051 and at 40% of 1 RM [F, (1, 23) = 2.905 p < 0.05] compared to values recorded for the respective shoulder presses. Peak power was also greater in the 30% of 1 RM shoulder throw (510 +/- 103W) than in the 40% of 1 RM shoulder press (471 +/- 96W). Peak power was produced significantly later in the shoulder throw versus the shoulder press. This differing power reflected a greater bar velocity of the shoulder throw at both assigned weights compared with the shoulder press.
authors.affiliation: School of Human Movement Studies, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Australia.
authors.forename: W M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Dalziel
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Neal
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Watts
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology*; D012782:Shoulder / Q000502:physiology*; D014891:Weight Lifting / Q000502:physiology*