Is Strength and Power Comparable for Men and Women in the Bench Press?

Resistance training (RT) elicits muscle hypertrophy and strength gains in both men and women. However, sex differences in neuromuscular performance, muscle fiber composition, and hormonal environment in-fluence strength and power adaptations. While men generally exhibit greater absolute and relative strength, the extent to which these differences persist across various loads remains unclear. Understanding sex-specific strength and power profiles may optimize training strategies. Objective: To compare male and female athletes in strength and power performance during the bench press exercise relative to body mass and fat-free mass (FFM). Methods: Twenty-nine physically active individuals (16 men: 21.3 ± 4.1 years, 13 women: 22.6 ± 4.9 years) performed a one-repetition maximum (1RM) test and an incremental velocity-based assessment at 45%, 55%, 65%, 75%, and 85% of 1RM using a Smith machine. Barbell velocity was measured via a linear transducer, with mean propulsive velocity (MPV) recorded for each load. Power-related varia-bles (e.g., peak force [F0], maximal velocity [V0], maximal power [Pmax]) were analyzed. To account for differences in body composition, data were adjusted for body mass and FFM. Results: Men exhibited sig-nificantly greater strength and power than women at most loads relative to both body mass and FFM (p < 0.05). Differences were particularly pronounced when adjusted for FFM, with effect sizes classified as large (ηp2 > 0.110). Sex differences in MPV disappeared at 85% 1RM, suggesting that maximal neuromuscular re-cruitment reduces sex-related disparities at higher loads. Additionally, men demonstrated significantly greater values in six of the seven power-related variables, with no differences observed in %1RM required for optimal power output. Conclusions: These findings confirm that men exhibit higher strength and power than women, even when accounting for body composition differences. However, at high relative loads (>85% 1RM), sex differences in movement velocity diminish, likely due to similar recruitment patterns of fast-twitch muscle fibers. These insights underscore the need for sex-specific RT programming, particularly regarding load selection and velocity-based training applications.