Thread: lifting shirts

They are for powerlifters, and generally should not be used without getting advice from someone who knows how to use one. Different materials have different characteristics, some of them will have a tendency to make the bar want to say hello to your teeth, so multiple spotters are in order.

The lifting shirt, will make the bench more triceps heavy. You will also need help putting them on, if you buy a loose shirt, there will be no point in wearing it. The tighter the fit, the more it will assist.

We have to max for football. Do you think it would be beneficial for me? If so what would you recomend to boost my lifts? Thanks Mudge the Monster.

It would be cheating if everyone else benched raw, however some people who train shirted increase their raw bench. So you could train shirted then lift raw at your "test," if you can find a way to get it on. It takes from 5-25 minutes for most people to put on a shirt.

Do you have a weak point in benching where you always freeze on heavy weights? For me its lockout, triceps.

An entry level single ply poly shirt will cost about $35-$45 depending on brand and where you buy it.

hey sweatshop I wouldn't advise you using a bench shirt for regular training...unless you are going to get into the sport of powerlifting using a shirt is not worth your time. Like Mudge said they are supposed to be tight making them very uncomfortable and not something you want to use for reps. You are going to need spotters when using the shirt not only because you should be doing a max lift attempt, but as Mudge also mentioned the shirt makes the bar spring back towards your face. You have to learn how to use the shirt otherwise it will not help. They do add a ton of weight to an experienced lifters bench. If you need some assistance in locating shirts I know of some of the best shirt makers in the biz... I can point you in the right direction.

Bench Shirt 101; or what I’ve learned from Metal Militia.
By Jim Wendler
For EliteFTS.com

It is no secret that Bill Crawford and the Metal Militia are the undisputed kings of the bench press. They have taken the bench shirt to new levels. Not only have they revolutionized how to put the shirt on, but they have learned how to correctly bench with a shirt. The bench shirt is a difficult thing to master and is probably the most frustrating piece of equipment in the powerlifter’s arsenal. I am by no means a master of the bench shirt. In fact, I’m in the same boat as most of you. I can’t count the number conversations that I’ve had with other powerlifters on how to use a shirt and (more importantly) how to use it correctly.

Earlier this year, I had the chance to attend a seminar given at Nazareth Barbell by Mike Miller and Bill Crawford. This was a great experience and I came away with a ton of great information and a new gym PR. Coming home, I was excited to begin teaching myself and others what I’ve learned. Unfortunately, there was a lot of information and a lot to go over and digest. With the help of Bill, Mike, Dave Tate and Bob Youngs, I started trying some of the new techniques. Here is a brief overview on what I learned. Remember that this is second hand information. Some of it may be slightly skewed but this should help you get started.

Putting the Bench Shirt on

1. Put your shirt on and have someone pull the shoulders on as tight and high as possible. Do this one shoulder at a time. The best way to do this is to have your partner pull on the back of the shirt while you lean forward. If the arms of your shirt are tight, it would benefit you to wiggle your arms back and forth. This will help pull the shirt on and place it in the correct position. Your partner may have to brace one of his arms on your middle back to give him better leverage.
2. Now that your shoulders are in the shirt, attach the Velcro straps on the back of the shirt very lightly. You do not want these to be tight. Usually, the bottom two straps are the only ones that are fastened.
3. Put your belt on. It should be loose at this point.
4. Have your partner stand in front of you. With your arms out in front of you, cross them so that the chest plate of your shirt develops “shirt cleavage”.
5. With your arms crossed, have your partner tug on the bottom of your shirt. This will eliminate the “shirt cleavage”.
6. Once the cleavage is gone, your partner should hold the bottom of your shirt taut. At this point, arch your lower and upper back and uncross your arms. The shirt should be very tight in your chest and shoulders. With your partner holding the bottom of your shirt, have someone tightened your belt. This will keep the shirt in place. Make sure the belt is very tight. You will have to suck your stomach in to achieve this.
7. Once the shirt is in position, have your partner adjust the shoulders again. You do not want to pull them as high as they were in the beginning, but just enough to be comfortable. This will vary from person to person and in time, you will know exactly where you want the shirt.

Technique


1. When setting up underneath the bar (setting your upper back, lats and your low back arch), the shirt will have a tendency to ride up and lose position. In order to combat this, set yourself up using an underhand close grip. This will keep your shirt in perfect place. Once your body position is perfect, grab the bar at your competition grip. I personally like to pull myself up (like an underhand pull-up), tuck my feet underneath me, pull my upper back together and push myself into position. This is what I’ve always done, but was reinforced over and over again at Nazareth Barbell by Mike Miller and Bill Crawford. Your upper back should feel spring loaded. If you do this correctly, you will probably be sore the next day.
2. Once you receive your handoff, hold the bar for a second or two. This will accomplish two things. One, it will allow you to start the bar where you want it. Too many times people will rush the descent and thus lose their groove. Two, it will allow you to let the bar sink and reduce the distance the bar has to travel. When you hold the bar, push your shoulder blades/upper back into the bench and push your stomach up. I’ve seen a lifter take more than 3” off his stroke by simply mastering this technique. To learn how to do this, put your shirt on and practice this with light weights. You’ll be surprised at how much this helps.
3. When you begin lowering the bar, do not tuck your elbows in the beginning. Keep your elbows out during the first inch or so. This will help lock your shirt into your triceps. Once the back of your shirt sleeves lock, begin tucking your elbows. This is one that needs to be practiced over and over again. You will develop the feel of when to begin tucking your elbows over time. Again, this is very individualistic.
4. When you are lowering the bar, keep your head on the bench and keep pushing your chest and stomach up as high as possible. This will reduce the distance that you have to push the bar. Having someone yell, “Big stomach!” or something similar will help. Make sure you are keeping your upper back and lats tight and pulled together.
5. Keep tucking your elbows as hard as you can. Once the bar touches your chest/stomach and you receive the press command, drive your feet into the ground and your upper back into the bench.
6. At about ¾ of the way up, begin turning your elbows out. This will ensure for a stronger lockout and a more advantageous pressing position. In order to see how to do this, I highly recommend going to a seminar by Bill Crawford or Mike Miller. Also, the Nazareth Bench Video is a great way to see this technique. This has to be practiced over and over again. You will not get this down on the first try so don’t get frustrated. There is an incredible amount of timing involved.
7. Once you lockout the weight, hold it and wait for the rack command.
8. Some of the key points such as pushing your belly out, tucking your elbows, holding the bar at the top, keeping your head down, etc. are things that need to be coached throughout the lift. This is what training partners are for. They need to be coaching you throughout the entire lift. I also recommend trying these new techniques one at a time. Trying all of these things at once will result in sensory overload.

I realize that it is difficult to “see” some of these things in an article, but you should get an idea of what most of this means. The best way to learn is to get out and do it! Even if you don’t get it right the first time, you may stumble onto something. Again, I highly suggest trying to go to a seminar with Mike Miller and/or Bill Crawford. Call EliteFTS @ 888 854 8806 if you are interested in the Nazareth Barbell Bench Video. Also, I will not answer any question such as, “What does Louie Simmons think of all of this?” If you want to know, ask him yourself. EliteFTS is not a messenger for Louie Simmons. Now go get some chalk on your hands and learn how to bench.

i know nothing about these shirts, but i saw some powerlifter use one once. Whats the point? You dont actually get stronger with thing thing right? Looks like the only reason for this thing is for a power lifting event to be able to cheat your way to a few extra pounds. am i right?

Its for safety, and yes it can increase your bench.

ah ok, didnt know that.

Its to protect the shoulders/rotators, so it assists in the bottom portion of the bench.

Sabre bench shirts are used more for support to allow you to safely lift more weight. The shirt does help A LOT when it comes to getting the weight out of the hole...but you still have to be able to lift whats on the bar because the shirt only assists you push the bar up so far. Bench shirts IMO are not a tool for BBer. There are some shirts made out of Polyester. If you get one of those to fit a little on the loose side I suppose you could get support for that and still do reps. There is no logic in using a denim, double, or triple denim shirt for BBing...then you could go all out and get a shirt made out of canvas. Thats the cream of the crop in the powerlifting world.