The ‘Sling Shot’ increased the maximum number of repetitions in the barbell bench press in men with different resistance training experience

Purpose
The study examined if the elastic device named Sling Shot could increase the maximum number of repetitions (MNR) and diminish the mean repetition duration in men with different resistance training experience while performing the bench press exercise in multiple sets.

Methods
Overall, 22 men were grouped depending on their resistance training experience. The most experienced group (MEG; 11 men, 65.45 ± 26.27 months of training experience) and the less experienced group (LEG; 11 men, 3.09 ± 2.07 months of training experience) performed 3 sets at 80% of the 1-repetition maximum test as fast as possible, with 2-min rest, of the barbell bench press exercise with and without the Sling Shot. Two 3-way ANOVA tests, with α = 0.05, were used to compare the MNR and mean repetition duration in inter- and intra-group comparisons across the sets.

Results
The Sling Shot increased the MNR in the 2 groups throughout the 3 sets. The increase was 50.5%, 65.4%, and 43.8% in the MEG group and 120%, 68.4%, and 43.3% in the LEG group for the 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd sets, respectively. However, there was no difference in the MNR between groups when the Sling Shot was used. Additionally, both groups performed the repetitions with a shorter mean duration with the Sling Shot than without it. No difference was observed between the groups.

Conclusions
Regardless of training experience, the Sling Shot constitutes an alternative for increasing the MNR and decreasing the mean repetition duration in multiple sets.