opinions on shirts/suits/etc.

[Beelzebub]

From what I hear, Beelze already has a "really short 'stroke'"

tis true. i compensate with arm size and a big truck.

anyhoo, here is a powerlifting/bodybuilding board i frequent that has a bunch of videos of members performing their lifts. one of the mods has a vid of him doing a 425 raw bench and it looks like he's doing all the same **** ya'll are talking about. check it out and see if this is kinda **** i should be doing. http://www.massmuscleinc.net/forum/s...ead.php?t=6651

kwy, you're already a member there little fella.

[kwyckemynd00]

sho iz ain't i?

[screwbol]

alright, i was just looking at the competition homepage for the one i plan to do. it says a singlet is required for everyone. does that mean the raw lifters too? on the form, it says to declare whether you're doing 'raw' or 'assisted', then at the bottom it says everyone needs a singlet. so wtf?

and yeah ant, i need some tips for the bench. it's a push/pull meet so squats are out. i can probably get up to 600 or more by competition day in mid-october for the dead. but i've always been adjusted to benching for size and not for strength, elbows out and all that jazz. any tips for bench numbers? i'm gonna start doing elbows in next chest day and get used to it, but i'm sure there's more to it.

I would not start altering technique and practicing a high arch until you are familiar with the rules of the federation you are competing in. If it is an IPF type fed, you will be required to bring the bar down relatively high on the chest compared to the way many guys w/ insane arches bring the bar down to the upper abs.

Don't get caught up too much in keeping your elbows tucked to a certain amount. You don't want your arms brushing the sides of your body on the way down. Most good benchers have their elbows at around 30-45 degrees at the bottom of the lift and gradually rotate/flair them out to 90 as they lockout the weight. Especially if you are lifting raw and need the extra strength from the delts and chest at the bottom of the lift--you don't want to tuck too much. I would advise you to practice your form w/ an empty bar every day for 30-40 good singles so you can find the perfect groove/bar path and re-train your CNS (not gonna be easy).

The best thing I did for my bench press was buying the Elite Fitness Systems bench press index DVD. I had no one to show me how to properly set up for the bench and perform it in person, and trust me--this is the next best thing. Jim Wendler (675lb bench press, 2375lb total @275)spends 20-25 minutes going through the proper way to bench for powerlifting from foot placement to setting up, to arching, pressing, using leg drive etc. And then he does it again for lifters who cannot/don't want to arch. Additionally, he gives you several great tips for competition, one of them is a technique to lockout the last 2-3" of a bench w/o actually moving the bar (you'll have to see it to believe it) by manipulating your wrists/forearms. Trust me, I've used it at strictly judged comps and it works. After that he shows how to use bands/chains, boards, and a bunch of other exercises to increase the BP. The DVD is really worth the 50 bucks if you have never competed and don't have someone right there showing you. It is really something you have to see to understand, I can't explain it in words or I would to save you the money (LOL). I really recommend it if you want to learn the right way to bench for strength. www.elitefts.com

[screwbol]

I dont know exactly what your bench form is now, but keep your shoulder blades contracted as tight as possible, your traps should be driven into the bench. If you are flexible enough, try and get a really high arch, the middle/lower back wont even be touching the bench. The easiest way to set up like this is when you lay down on the bench, slide back until the bar is right over your chest while it is in the rack, then pull your feet back under you, digging your toes into the ground, your toes will be all that is touching the ground. Then push yourself back to where you want to be set up under the bar. Personally I dont have the flexibility to do this, my hip flexors always cramp up as it really stretches your hips out. The guys that are really good at this look like a rainbow by how arched they are. Then when in this position, keeping your shoulder blades contracted as tight as possible, have your partner help with the lift off. Keep your elbows around 45 degree to your body, just whatever is mostly comfortable, for me I bring the bar just below my pecs. It is kind of hard explaining the arch set up, the best way to learn is just watch alot of powerlifting clips and you will see how they do it. www.irongame.com has alot of good clips. I was just trying to find an article from www.elitefts.com by Louie Simmons on bench techniques, but they seem to have changed their site and I cant find any of the Louie Simmons articles.

All of Louie Simmons' Powerlifting USA articles that were hosted by EliteFTS and then some can be found on the Westside Barbell homepage.

[kwyckemynd00]

Just got done watching a guy put up 495 with a shirt....first half of lift was cake, second half I thought he was going to drop it.......I just don't get it....

So, I had to bump the old thread

[NickW]

Shirts prevent injuries and prolong careers. My shirt gives me about 100lbs +/- a few. I can bench well over 600 raw, but getting overzealous and doing it every week caused me to tear both my pecs. I have had very few injuries since using a shirt, so I will continue to use one. I will eventually be over 800shirted (hopefully by october 29th,lol), but that won't be until I have learned to use my shirt properly, and that is something that takes a ton of practice and work. Its a lot more difficult than most would imagine. I do agree that there are thos in the sport who know how to work the gear good enough to get 400lbs out of it, but there are less than 10 in the sport like that.

[kwyckemynd00]

I know shirted benching is hard...some people never find their groove. And, your lifts are huge BTW

But, is a 3 ply suit really necessary to prevent injuries? Or, has it absolutely turned into a way for lifters to add (what are in my opinion, artificial) numbers to their lifts. If a single ply works, it works. IMO, If I were to make a powerlifting federation, I would standardize equipment. Use what is essential for protection, and make sure everyone uses the same equipment.

JMO.

[NickW]

I know shirted benching is hard...some people never find their groove. And, your lifts are huge BTW

But, is a 3 ply suit really necessary to prevent injuries? Or, has it absolutely turned into a way for lifters to add (what are in my opinion, artificial) numbers to their lifts. If a single ply works, it works. IMO, If I were to make a powerlifting federation, I would standardize equipment. Use what is essential for protection, and make sure everyone uses the same equipment.

JMO.

Over two-ply anything is overkill, and truth be told will prolly hurt you more than help (too much shirt resistance with 3). I think 2 ply should be the max, and it is according to WPO rules.

[kwyckemynd00]

Really? All the big lifters i know are in 3ply. But yeah, usually they can't even touch their chest until they get damn near 600lbs on the bar. And, like i said before, they'll explode the weight up for the first half of the lift (when the shirt's resistance is helping) and then as soon as they get to the lockout and the tris have to "actually" work, the lift slows down considerably. Just seems odd....

I've never lifted shirted, so I can't say too much for or against From what I know now, I'm just not big on the idea.

[Beelzebub]

Really? All the big lifters i know are in 3ply. But yeah, usually they can't even touch their chest until they get damn near 600lbs on the bar. And, like i said before, they'll explode the weight up for the first half of the lift (when the shirt's resistance is helping) and then as soon as they get to the lockout and the tris have to "actually" work, the lift slows down considerably. Just seems odd....

I've never lifted shirted, so I can't say too much for or against From what I know now, I'm just not big on the idea.

lattimer is having problems touching with 900+ right now. rage double X shirt or some ****. he blew another one recently. got a pic of it on MMI kwy.

[NickW]

WPO only allows 2ply, but I have heard rumors of Big Gene cheating a bit with the ply #. I only wear two ply and that is more than enough for me to handle. I have so much trouble finding the groove and dropping the weight in properly so as not to dump the weight. I still have a ton to learn, but luckilly I train with the best in the world at shirt technique. I would start out with a single ply, get good at that, then switch to a second ply, and then get good at it. The form is so much different for shirted bench and raw bench.

[kwyckemynd00]

lattimer is having problems touching with 900+ right now. rage double X shirt or some ****. he blew another one recently. got a pic of it on MMI kwy.

That just sounds too ridiculous

900lbs on your chest, and you can't even get it to touch, despite a huge arch? See...this is just where it seems to be "too freggin' much", ya know?

Just imagine the additional force a PLer is given by a shirt that resists 900lbs and the PLer trying to pull the weight to his chest?

[NickW]

lattimer is having problems touching with 900+ right now. rage double X shirt or some ****. he blew another one recently. got a pic of it on MMI kwy.

That was in his Inzer Ultimate Denim, which is actually a canvas shirt. I think he might be switching to a RageX though. Mike Wolfe used his RageX for the first time and BLASTED up 855, that shirt is the one everyone is hitting big numbers in.

[NickW]

That just sounds too ridiculous

900lbs on your chest, and you can't even get it to touch, despite a huge arch? See...this is just where it seems to be "too freggin' much", ya know?

Just imagine the additional force a PLer is given by a shirt that resists 900lbs and the PLer trying to pull the weight to his chest?

Latt is the 2nd best shirt technition there is. He benches about 550 raw. I wish I could manipulate a shirt that well.

[Beelzebub]

Latt is the 2nd best shirt technition there is. He benches about 550 raw. I wish I could manipulate a shirt that well.

550 exactly. new PR for him. at least that's the last i read. he keeps a training log over there. and yup, you're right, ultimate denim is the one he blew recently with a 925 bench that had just touched. 905 wouldn't touch at all.

like you said, the rage double X is putting up some big #'s for random ppl.

[grape ape]

Iam not against lifting shirts and the like, but like kwyck said I feel it would be better with standardization of lifting gear. I used to use a single ply some but became too troublesome since many times I dont have a training partner. Also, I know a couple of guys locally that said they were benching 600+ and squating 800+(SHW) . Funny thing is that at the meets they didnt pass their squat because they couldnt get down far enough and the same guy couldnt get his first lift in on the bench because he couldnt get 315 down to his chest. To me that would be embarsing. They blamed it on politics.

[NickW]

Yes, it would be embaressing to miss a weight because you can't touch. You are always supposed to start with a weight that you know will touch and go from there. It really just boils down to the lifter knowing how to use their shirt and making good decisions on lifting attempts.

[kwyckemynd00]

Iam not against lifting shirts and the like, but like kwyck said I feel it would be better with standardization of lifting gear. I used to use a single ply some but became too troublesome since many times I dont have a training partner. Also, I know a couple of guys locally that said they were benching 600+ and squating 800+(SHW) . Funny thing is that at the meets they didnt pass their squat because they couldnt get down far enough and the same guy couldnt get his first lift in on the bench because he couldnt get 315 down to his chest. To me that would be embarsing. They blamed it on politics.

IMO, if you have to use a shirt to bench 315...you shouldn't be using a shirt

[NickW]

IMO, if you have to use a shirt to bench 315...you shouldn't be using a shirt

Very true

[Beelzebub]

IMO, if you have to use a shirt to bench 315...you shouldn't be using a shirt

i'd say 405. then add a single ply for safety. to hell with the rest. but like we discussed earlier, if one guy uses a double rage X, we all have to. pretty ****ty.