Bench Grip

[k1401]

I'm a little confused about the last few posts.

I thought that the shirt would help off the chest, and then tris took over. If so how would doing boards with a shirt help?
Not trying to take anything away from you guys, if you're making gains maybe I should try it as well sometime.
I just don't understand how the shirt is helping off the boards.
Can someone enlighten me?

 

[Dickvanveiner]

Thanks Benchmonster,

I was stuck for a while and knew I was weak in the 2 to 3 board area. What I did for a program was go for 8 weeks doing a simple 5,5,3,3,3,2,2,1 periodization using westside ME movements.

weeks:
1. warm up to 2x5, No shirt on 2 or 3 board
2. same 2x5 same
3. same 2x3 same
4. I put the shirt on, this got me used to the new groove and also helped me to overload this area to greater degree than if I wasn't wearing a shirt, It kept me tight, and personally I liked the fact I could go heavier, it also changed the exercise and kept to the priciple of westside of changing exercises every 1-3 weeks. It also saves the shirt, not as much wear and tear as when you take it all the way down to your chest (2x3)

I'll continue with the shirt until I max on week 8.

And to your post k1401--I was only using a poly shirt, and the poly in my opinion will help you over a greater range of motion than compared to denim( I may be wrong, don't hold it against me), so by wearing the poly, it keeps your shoulders tighter and your tris tight and you don't lose any energy when you contract, you develope more force--I'm probably explaining this wrong but try it and you'll see. I've read some articles on this, I can't remember where maybe someone else can help me here.

 

[benchmonster]

K1401,

I don't know exactly how to explain this, but I can do a lot more wearing a shirt on the board presses than I can without the shirt on board presses. I don't know if this is true for everyone or not, but it is for me. I wear a double denim. I don' t wear poly any more, too hard to get into IMHO.

I cannot go to a max grip without a shirt. My shoulder will not hold up to it. The shirt puts me in a different, and much more powerful groove than I have raw. By training with a shirt on for boards, I intended to do this so I could maintain my shirt groove between meets without having to wear the shirt and myself out by doing reps in it all the time. But I discovered very quickly that I could use a lot more weight than normal by doing board presses with a shirt.

Before doing shirt/boards recently the most I had ever benched was a very questionable 475 a couple different times in the gym. The most I had ever done for a 3 board press was just low 400's. But then I stumbled onto this idea, and now as posted above, have benched over 500 (albeit with a red for butt raise, but there was not doubt the strength is there) and a 550 3 board press. I am better able to overload the muscles that are responsible for locking out big weights by doing board presses with a shirt. I have no pain in my shoulder, and it just works.

I think everyone should try them. Louie Simmons says that there is a movement out there for everyone that will put 50 lbs on their bench. I think for me, at least, that I have found that movement. I would note that I have only done one M.E. day with a 2 board/shirt, and one M.E. day with a 3 board/shirt. I will know for sure if these work well after having done each of them for 5 workouts or so. I will keep the board updated.

B.

 

[k1401]

Thanks for the replies
I'll have to try working those in my ME day cycle after my upcoming meet.
Always looking for something new.

 

[powerlifterjay]

I can defintily hit more with a shirt on boards. I did a 700lbs off a three board a few weeks ago. But i cannot do that without the shirt. We just started using these and i liek them. We have been doing them trying to get used to pulling down on the shirt. Good movement.