03/12/2026
The bench press hasn’t changed in 100 years. But the science finally has.
For decades, lifters have pressed on the same flat surface, despite the fact that the human spine, rib cage, and shoulder complex aren’t flat.
So what happens when you change the pressing surface instead of the weight?
A newly published peer-reviewed study in the International Journal of Exercise Science (2026) tested resistance-trained lifters performing bench press at 70% of their 1RM.
When the bench was equipped with The Launch Pad®, researchers measured:
⚡ +17.5% faster bar velocity
💪 +24–27% greater pec activation
📏 +15.8% greater range of motion
🔋 +8.8% higher power output
Same lifters.
Same load.
Same exercise.
Completely different performance.
The reason is simple:
When posture improves, mechanics improve.
And when mechanics improve, performance follows.
The Launch Pad® converts a flat bench into a biomechanically optimized pressing surface, allowing athletes to move more explosively, recruit more muscle, and generate more power without increasing weight.
This is now the third peer-reviewed university study validating the concept and we’re just getting started..
Maybe the bench press didn’t need more weight.
Maybe it needed better design.
Stay Tuned.