Thursday, September 21, 2006

09/21 ME Bench -Shirt Work

Bench Press 135x5, 185x5, 225x3, 275x1, 315x1
Shirted 345x5x1, 365x1, 385x1
BW Dips 4x10

Well, i had an epiphany today. Decided to go with bench anyway as my shoulder seemed to be a bit better and didnt really hurt on the warm-ups. Put on the shirt and figured i would experiment with the thing. The following is a description of the attempts and what i found out with this thing:

1. 345x1 Collar High- No Pop out of the bottom, feels more like a RAW bench than it should.

2. 345x1 Collar Down 1/2"- More pop than the previous, but still nothing to write home to mom about.

3. 345x1 Collar Down 1"- Getting there, still having trouble with the set up.

4. 345x1 Collar Down around 1.5-2"- Got the pop i think im looking for but the set-up is still hokey.

5. 345x1 Collar Down, used a crappy Valeo Weight lifting Belt, Collar Down, .5" above nipples, shoulders covered, sleeves rolled up with a 1" Cuff -No Touch!!!! Have not had this happen since owning this shirt!!!

6. 365x1 Same Set-up as #5-I think i have arrived!!!, This was hard to touch and flew to lockout....

7. 385x1 Same Set-up as #5-Yep i think i figured this fucker out....Again slow to touch but flew to lockout...

First things first, i gotta get this sucker altered in the arms. I have always had slack by the elbow joint which i think has attributed itself to me having lockout problems, or that feeling of the shirt fighting me. By "Cuffing" The sleeves i was able to pull the shirt down to a legal level and utilize the shirt better. The Second thing is i gotta get me a thin belt for Benching. Up until last night on the last couple of set's i had been using my Forever LEver Belt @ 13mm thickness which was screwing my set up. I am by no means an arch type bencher but i do have a mini one, and i think this sucker was getting in the way. When i went to the Valeo belt i was much more comfortable in the set-up. It's gonna take a few more sessions in it to get to where i would like to be and get accustomed to the new set-up, but i think i am on the right track...I finished the workout up with Dips as i ran long with the shirt work, i will most likely hit the accessory work tomorrow....Well, here's to getting stronger.......

2 comments:

Tig5165 said...

great work...I really didn't understand what you were talking about with the shirt 'cuffing it" but I am guessing it has something to do with the arms being to long???I think I read before but can't remember, but what kinda shirt is it???keep working...now did I read that you don't always use a belt with the bench shirt???just wondering...cause I couldn't think about doing that as the belt holds the shirt down and makes it tight agaist the chest...but everyone is different...gl man

Powerlifter1974 said...

Hey Tig,
Yeah i had to roll the sleeves up about an inch, the shirt is a Rage (Not the X). I have always usd a belt with this thing but it was the one i use for squatting which is a Forever Lever Belt with 13mm thickness which screws with my set up, i cant arch for crap with the thing on. I tried a cheesy Valeo belt, which is kinda part Neoprene, which allowed for a good arch (at least to my standards, i suck at arching)...i figure if i stick at using what i learned on that night i will get there....trial and error, life's great gift to man!!!