Got my new bench shirt in today

[brianmincher]

Hey there guys,

My new velcro double denim radical cut came in the mail friday.

WABDL outlawed open back shirts, and I had to order a new shirt for the upcoming competition. In my competition open back shirt, it took around 450 before the bar would even touch, so knowing that this shirt could not have the back cut out of it, I ordered it with 1/2 inch smaller arms, and a 3 inch smaller chest.

I tried it out today after speed bench, putting 405 on the bar expecting it to stop about halfway down . . . and the damn bar just kept dropping and went all the way to my chest. I don't understand exactly what is going on, because the shirt is a tight bastard, especially in the arms. When I got the shirt on, my arms stuck straight out in the front even when I relaxed, just like a super tight poly.

I have been using the open back shirts for about 5 months now, and am not real happy having to pay for and wear a shirt without the neck cut out.

I am remembering as I write this that my open back shirt would touch with like 365 when I first got it, and it took more and more weight to touch the more I wore it. Could this be a break in problem?

PowerlifterJay, have you had a similar experience or am I just screwed having to use an inferior shirt?

 

[Aussie Juga naught]

Could u please explain what these shirts do. Im not a powerlifter but i have heard of them before.

thanks

 

[brianmincher]

They provide support for your chest and shoulders at the bottom portion of a bench press. They aid in injury prevention as well as allowing you to press more weight. A very high percentage of all state national and world records have been set wearing a bench shirt. Almost nobody goes raw (shirtless) in a meet, unless it is a raw only meet because of the tremendous disadvantage you have raw vs. equipped.

B

 

[powerlifterjay]

Well just from what you said 405 should not touch. But, i have experimented with every size possiable. Out of all my shirts i can only use 4or 5 the others doint work for me cause the shoulders were to big. They were deducted from my actual shoulder measurement but didnt work. And dude 1 inch is a whole bunch when it comes to shirts. What did you deduct off the shoulders? That can be the only thing that it could be. I have a velcro back but not open back and it takes about 565 to touch n it. On that shirt I deducted 4 1/2 off shoulders 5 off chest and 1 off arms. Bro one thing for sure you can have them bring it in. Find out if you have time to send it back and get it back. Also just inccase you didnt know this,with the closed back denim velcro i with velcro lean up against a wall and try to almost (as far as it will go) do a push up while my partner behind me pulls the velcro all the way tight as he can starting from the top. With your both arms pulled way back you will be surprisd how much tighter it will go. BUt in the bottom position of this standing pushup make that velcro tight as shit. But at this point i can almost promise you its in the shoulders.

 

[brianmincher]

Thanks Jay,

I did not consider that the shoulders might be cut too big, but now that I think about it, I did not take off much from the actual measurement on the shoulders.

I will try the wall push up thing wednesday, but if that doesn't solve the problem, I will send the shirt to Karin for an alteration, taking another inch out of the chest and taking about 3 inches out of the shoulders.

Will tightening the shoulders make it feel like my arms are pinched together more? Right now the arm tubes are insanely tight, but it feels as if it is too easy to pull my hands away from one another compared to my other two shirts. With the neck cut out of the others it is easy to make adjustments by pulling down on the neck, but with this one, it is pretty much staying put.

Thanks for the advice.

B

 

[powerlifterjay]

tighter shoulders will make a world of difference. Just be carefull. Too much and you will have another open back shirt! You will hav eto cut it. My last open back i got i couldnt get in it at all. No chance no way!

 

[brianmincher]

I talked to Karin yesterday, and she will do the adjustment for 20 bucks. In talking with her and in reading your post, I think that some needs to be taken out of both the shoulders and the chest. With the neck cut out of my other shirts I have been pulling them down to where the chest portion of the shirt is much tighter, and with the neck intact I have to deal with the shirt as it is. I will hopefully have it back in from Karin's in about 10-12 days, and still have 3-4 weeks to get used to it before the meet.

Anything would be better than the way this shirt is fitting right now. I might as well be doing raw for all the help I am getting out of it right now.

Thanks as always for the help Jay.

B

 

[powerlifterjay]

Anytime Brian.