Double Denim Test Night...

[Screwball]

Okay, here we go. I received my new double denim (Karin's) today. Of course, I tried it on as soon as I got it. The shirt is awesome. The quality & design is top-notch. However, that sum-bitch is tight. It may be a little small in the shoulders and across the chest. The arms are tight too and barely fit over my forearms especially after I have a little pump going. I'm just not sure and I need some input from the experts. This is how the workout went:

Flat Bench - Bar x 15 x 2, 135 x 8, 185 x 4, 225 x 2 - warmups

3-Board Presses - 275 x 3, 315 x 3, 365 x 3

Put new shirt on w/ 3-boards

405 x X - no touch but locked out easily
455 x X - no touch but locked out fairly easily
455 x 1 - barely touched and locked out fairly easily

495 x X - full range, no boards - no touch and help with the lockout
Partner said this may have touched a 2-board

Flat Bench - 225 x 23 - repped out raw

I'm in some trouble here. It's probably going to take at least 525 to touch and I can't lock that shit out. I guess I should mention that I really didn't even pull the shirt down; I let it sit across the top of my chest. I also had to pull the bar down and got a hell of a back workout. Should I give the shirt a couple of more workouts before I think about having it altered? If I need to have the shirt altered I'm thinking about letting the shoulders out 1/4"-1/2", the chest 1" and the arms 1/4". What do you guys think? I'm at the point that I think I can lock-out 470-490 lbs. so I need a shirt that will allow a touch in that range. Any and all suggestions/comments welcome!

- Screwball

 

[IrishPower]

are you getting ready for a meet? how soon?

if you dont have a meet in the next 6 weeks or so, i would just spend time breaking the shirt in. triple board one week, double board another, maybe some reverse band presses or carpet presses another.

eventually, the shirt will loosen, and you will also develop some lockout power in the meanwhile.

if you have a meet in the next 5 weeks of so, i would think about getting that shirt altered asap or ordering another one.

mastering the denim is a bitch. start early.

good luck.

/irish

 

[brianmincher]

sounds like it is pretty snug. Don't freak out though. A buddy of mine just dropped off two EHPHD double ply's one with a velcro back, and I am pretty sure they would fit you. They are sized 64. This does not mean a size 64 chest. I tried the open back on just for S&G, and it was just a bit snug in the chest, and had plenty of "growing room" in the arms and shoulders, so I think we could squeeze you into it with some effort. If we baby powder you up, I think we could get you in it. They are Kim Brownfield's old shirts, and I think you and he are about the same size in the upper body, or close enough, at least. If you will remember, Kim is the meet director from McAlester.

In the meantime, you may want to spray down the front of your denim shirt with warm water while you are liftin in it. I have heard that helps get it broke in quicker.

B.

 

[brianmincher]

And guys, he is not kidding about the forearm thing. Screwball's forearms would make Popeye jealous.

B.

 

[TeStbaby]

wet that shirt down good when you use it next.soak it good!leave the straps open and pull the fron down the best you can and snug up your belt.what are you going to open with?you don't want anything less than your opening attempt to touch anyway.you have to break the denim in,i wouldn't send it back,

 

[Screwball]

Thanks for the replys...

IrishPower: I am shooting for a meet on May 11, so I am running out of time. I'm going to continue to work with the denim shirt and see what I can do.

Brian: I would love to give the EHPHD's a try. Kim Brownfield is a big dude though. We'll have to see how they fit. If Sunday is no good for you then how about Friday or Saturday. I'm flexible. I really need your expertise with the denim shirts for an honest evaluation. I'll try to spray the seams down the next time I use the shirt. And what's the deal about forearms, yours are bigger than mine.

TestBaby: The shirt is open-backed with only one small piece of velcro. If I pull the shirt down on my chest won't it be even more difficult to touch? I'll need even more weight on the bar. I will definitely wet the shirt down next time to try and loosen it up a bit. And your right about having your opener be the lightest weight at which you can touch. Great advice from you & Brian.

 

[TeStbaby]

when you want the shirt tighter for your other attempts you pukll it down,you said you touched with 455 so your next attempts you adjust the shirt.another tip with denim is try raising your head when you bring the bar down.it will help you get the weight down also,i use double denim that i cut the collar up the back.i use the same shirt for all attempts.i can adjust my shirt and make 455 touch and i can pull the shirt down in the front and you will see me struggle to get 550 to touch.no shit

 

[brianmincher]

I will let you know as soon as I can, probably by wednesday or thursday about availability this weekend. I promise I will do what I can to get together, but it will be a bit dicey this weekend. But I will let you know.

I really think that the EHPHD will fit you, it is big on me, but not so big that I could get no good at all out of it, so if we could squeeze you in it, I think it would be a great shirt for you. (for those of you who don't know why I am laughing as I write this, Screwball outweighs me by 70 lbs and is about 6 inches taller) I really think that you and Kim are pretty close to the same size around the chest.

And give me a break on the forearms shit. Nobody believes you. As soon as BigOkie reads this thread he is going to call B.S. on you. If my forearms were the size of yours, and my upper arms remained the same, they would put me in the Smithsonian Institute for being a genetic freak of nature.

I'll let you know something ASAP.

B.

 

[Screwball]

Hey TestBaby...

I'm going to try raising my head to get the weight down. Brian Mincher mentioned this to me in the past but I had forgotten the technique. George Halbert's 733 comes to mind, he looks as if he's trying to bite the freakin' bar. Thanks for the tip.

The thing about the shirt is, I didn't pull the front down at all and I barely got 455 to touch a 3-board. The 495 attempt was without any boards to see how far I could get the bar down and it may have touched a 2-board. So I figure the bare minimum it will take to touch my chest is 525. I'm not strong enough for the shirt yet but I will keep trying to break it in. If I could lockout 525+ I would be set. Gotta work those damn tris.

 

[powerlifterjay]

Well first try what everyone has said. I am going ot try the boards as well with my shirts. Sounds like a good way to learn to pull down and not freak out by pulling it too far. But as much as you can break it it and work with it if it aint gonna work it might not work. I just got mine back today and i will let ya'll knwo how a half ass test day goes in it tommoorw. but someitmes tigh tis too tight. I hate to say it but i hav eshirts thats never felt the bar sit on them. But, i do knwo i have them whne my tris are ready to lift what it takes to touch. But i can tell you now before i do a couple of attempts tommoorw that my shirt is borderline too tight. It will take 650 or so, i promise...probably more. So work with it and if you can get 495 down then i would try to work with it and get my tri's stronger and use it in the future. Or really concentrate on the pull down with 460 on the boards and just learn to pull. And yes with out the head up movemnt forget it. I couldnt get anything close. The head must come up, way up!