Validation of a Velocity Perception Scale for the Bench Press: Accuracy in Velocity Perception and %1RM Perception Across Multiple Loads

Dello Stritto, E, Sánchez-Valdepeñas, J, Romagnoli, R, and Piacentini, MF. Validation of a velocity perception scale for the bench press: Accuracy in velocity perception and %1RM perception across multiple loads. J Strength Cond Res 40(3): 265-271, 2026-The aim of this study was to validate a velocity perception scale specific for the bench press to help subjects accurately perceive the execution velocity of each repetition. In addition, we investigated whether subjects were also able to estimate the lifted %1RM and whether this estimation was more or less accurate than their perception of velocity (PV). Twenty healthy males completed 4 familiarization sessions with the velocity perception scale and 3 testing sessions, where they performed 7 different loads per session in a random order (velocity ranging from 1.10 m·s -1 to 0.20 m·s -1 ). For each repetition, the real velocity (Vr) measured, the perceived velocity (Vp) and the perceived %1RM (%1RMp) were registered. Pearson's correlation ( r ) and the coefficient of determination ( R2 ) demonstrated high values across all 3 days for both Vp-Vr ( r = 0.94-0.95; R2 = 0.89-0.90) and %1RMp-measured %1RM ( r = 0.89-0.92; R2 = 0.80-0.85). The reliability of Vp was assessed using intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) model 2, form 1, and showed good values for each load used, ranging from ICC = 0.77-0.84 across the 7 loads. Perception of velocity accuracy was determined using the DeltaScore, defined as the difference between Vp and Vr (DeltaScore = Vp - Vr). Subsequently, %1RMp was converted into velocity using individual load-velocity relationships, leading to the creation of DeltaRM defined as the difference between %1RMp (converted to velocity) and Vr (DeltaRM = %1RMp - Vr). This conversion enabled a direct comparison between the accuracy of the DeltaScore (Vp - Vr) and DeltaRM (%1RMp - Vr) via Bland-Altman plots, which consistently revealed a lower error for the DeltaScore. In conclusion, Vp proved to be a very stable parameter across the 3 days, and subjects were able to accurately discriminate even small velocity variations resulting from the use of 7 different loads during bench press.