Confused about Bench Shirt Now, PowerlifterJay, the Mann, 1dawg Need advice Big time

[natural-mike]

Guys.

I just went to watch my first powerlifting meet this past Saturday, as much as I am into powerlifting now and I just started, after the meet I am hooked. Anyway, like I spoke with a few of you I was getting ready to get a bench shirt, my first one, all and I mean all of the lifters at the meet, women, men, ligth class or heavy weights had bench shirts which were open in the back, most people had denim, some had poly but all were open in the back no one had a full shirt. In fact the real big bench guys had these denim shirts that were completely open in the back with maybe one or 2 velcro straps and every shirt with velcro straps had straps low down I would say from mid back to lower back, no straps were up high, in fact many of the huge bench pressers , there shirts were just open in the back, no straps nothing these were denim shirts, I spoke to a few guys there and they said you have to go with denim dont even waste time with poly, when I told him it ws my first shirt he said then OK go with poly buthe said you never buy a shirt without velcro.

I am really confused now, the mann you gave me a ton of info on bench shirts and of course I value what you said and will PROBABLY go that route, but what do you guys recommed, and lastly why was every shirt open in the back it was wierd , also it looked like some people cut the neckline of the shirt lower, so many questions, I really want a shirt and am ready to push the go button and call INZER but I just dont know whats best and why certain peoplke choose certain shirts, I'm not being cheap but I really want something great that I will get greeat use out of if I spend the 100 on a shirt, .

Need help, very confused,
Peace,
Natural Mike

 

[PowFit]

A shirt that is open in the back except for the top 6 inches or so and has velcro is made so that a tight shirt is easier to get into. It does not improve your bench unless the conserved energy helps you.

Shirts with a complete open back are a little different. These are for people that are really comfortable with denims and have a crazy tight shirt. You can change the groove line of the shirt making it higher or lower. Halbert made this popular. It was pretty rare before him. Most people do not need to go this route. I have done it to a shirt that was almost impossible for me to touch and it helped. The complete open back is not needed by the vast majority of denim users. The velcro back, in my opinion, is a huge energy saver and is well worth the money if you are using a denim.

Good luck.

Poly shirts are used by a lot more people than denims. You might want to start with a good poly. Denims are highly custom and take some getting used too. It is frustrating for a now bench shirt user to wait a long time for a custom built shirt and find out he can't use it after it comes in. Polys tend to be easier to fit and get used too. After you master a double Extra HPHD it will be easier to convert.

 

[I'D RATHER BE DEADLIFTING]

Exactly how hard is it to get in one? Say a newbie to the bench shirt got a poly, would he need a few people to help him get it on? Or could he swing it himself?

 

[natural-mike]

Pow thanks for the response it makes a lot of sense, however, should I get the full poly or the velcro straps poly, many have shot down the velcro straps on a poly and say its not as good poly with velcro or without?

Any one else have any opinions?

Thanks POwfit

 

[1-dawg]

If you are going to get a poly don't even bother with the velcro -- it takes away from benefits of wearing a polyester shirt. Here's my take on teh different materials -- apoly shirt will give you a push thru a greater range of motion but not as much off the bottom. The denim shirt will give the most pop from your chest to abotu 6 inches abv your chest -- then it's all you. If you are gong to compete where they allow denim then I would go straigt to the denim however, I would first get just a single ply. get it with the velcro back and radical cut. The velcro makes it muich easier to get into. Some people cut the top velcro off as well as the back of the neck. I tried it and it's ok, but I like to keep the neck in mine. If you are gong to cut the neck then you pull the front of the shirt down to tighten it up. You'll need to knwo your shirt very well to do this otherwise if you pull it too far down then the weight will never make it to your chest. If you don't pull it down far enuf then it won't work as well. When Halbert hit his 733 he had lines drawn on his chest to where he wanted the front of the neck pulled down to. HE obviously knwos his shirt very well.

 

[natural-mike]

Dawg thanks, this is starting to make sense now. But for a first shirt, should I go with Poly or denim and when you say poly gives you greater range of motion what exactly do you mean, that it is less restricting than a denim shirt or that it helps you more throughout the movement.

Basically I am just knit picking I really got the jist of what your saying, I am just undecided on whether to go denim for first shirt or poly. But if I get the poly, per everybody elses suggestion I should get the full shirt not the open back poly?

I think everybody at the meet I saw had the open back poly because they could easily get it on and even take it off in between lifts where as a full poly its probably not even worth taking off once you got it on.

Mike

 

[1-dawg]

The poly helps you more thrughout the range of motion. I would go with a single denim, velcro radical cut. Yes, the poly ismuch less restrictive than the denim, but if your tri's are strong you will bench more ina single denim than any dbl poly.

 

[natural-mike]

Last question, 1 dawg

Why not a double denim, is that way too advanced for a first shirt???

My tri's are very strong, I think I may actually get the denim shirt as my first shirt, I will learn it and work with it, many may disagree and say poly as first shirt, but I think I will learn the shirt and make the best of it, now how do I size for a denim shirt, the same as the usual sizing for a poly shirt, how many sizes smaller do you go especially now considering it is velcro, do I measure diffeent areas for a poly than a denim I know I am killing you with questions but its like inbce I make my mind up today I am calling inzer??

These are the last questions
\
Mike

 

[PowFit]

It helps to have really strong triceps when you are using a double denim. If it takes 100 pounds over you unequipped max to touch your chest, you better be strong enough to lock it out.

Another thing that makes denims hard to get used to is that they do not work off of a stretch like a poly. It is more of a compression of the body. Double Radical people know what I am talking about. It feels like you are getting crushed and if you are not mentally prepared for that you will panic and miss the lift.

You measure for a denim the exact way you measure for a poly. You need to be careful though. If you take one inch off in a denim it can make a HUGE difference.

There is really no shirt that you can get into by yourself. I have heard of people using complete open backs without help, but typically you need at least one person helping you out.

Natural-Mike Do not worry about asking to many questions. We have all been there at one point and the good thing about powerlifting is that powerlifters like helping each others. It is what separates us from everybody else. If you have any question about bench shirts and would like to talk to someone you can call 1-800-268-2248.

 

[The mann]

sorry so long to respond Mike,
you have gotten the best advice you will get from both..
the reason i wanted you to go with poly is it is a very easy shirt to get uesd to and you can make good gains quick with it.i had the double poly and totaly hated it....would not reccomend velcro on poly . as 1 dawg said,if your meet allows denim,go single ply,cause you won't believe the feel of denim till you wear one,and i would NOT even think of double or open back bro.i'm still toying with a new denim and i've been using shirts for years(poly),the denim whoops poly's ass once you learn a shirt though.....and as powfit said...you MUST have strong tri's ..but you have gotten EXCELLENT answers from them