I tried the Rage shirt for the first time...

[Gambino]

didn't really fit that well, still kinda new to shirts...but holy fuck was that a tight shirt...couldn't get anything under 400 even close to down, shirt is taunt as a motherfucker...the shirt really hurts as i get lower with it, right above my triceps...gonna take some getting used to.

 

[EnderJE]

So, did you find it helping your lifts?

 

[Chambewy20]

Inzer shirts tend to cut right under the pits and tri's and their sizing sucks. Hope it works for you, I'm assuming it's a closed back single ply, jump over in the powerlifting forum if you need some tips or help, i have a Metal x-type single ply and had the same problem, takes some getting used to.

I would suggest starting with some boards, you'll have to take heavy weights down faster in order to touch without dumping on your gut, k to ya bro.

 

[Gambino]

chambewy- it wasn't my shirt so the sizing was off a bit...it was a 48 whereas i should proly be in a 46. and it's a open back shirt. good idea on the boards, proly start with a 4 board and work down. k back nizzle

ender- only lift i use a shirt for is bp...and yes their is a noticable difference, to say the least

 

[EnderJE]

chambewy- it wasn't my shirt so the sizing was off a bit...it was a 48 whereas i should proly be in a 46. and it's a open back shirt. good idea on the boards, proly start with a 4 board and work down. k back nizzle

ender- only lift i use a shirt for is bp...and yes their is a noticable difference, to say the least

Is it a measureable improvement over a non-shirt lift?

 

[Chambewy20]

Gambino - great that it's an open back, you can adjust a ton more, I usually just have the shirt meet the top of my delts once you get it dialed in, you will see. With an open back, get as small as you can get your arms and chest in and work at it. Tips on touching besides increasing eccentric phase speed, you can wet the shirt down, they usually get more plyable (?) when wet, take your time and find the groove. Usually in poly shirts the groove is wider than denim but the Rage material is like the Viking stuff, practically denim.

Enderje - once you get into benching with shirts, you usually train to bench in shirts or compete. It's remarkable the weight you can put up and the injuty prevention. A completely different experience in my opinion, just have to maintain raw strength to increase shirt strength and learn how to bench in a shirt.

 

[EnderJE]

Enderje - once you get into benching with shirts, you usually train to bench in shirts or compete. It's remarkable the weight you can put up and the injuty prevention. A completely different experience in my opinion, just have to maintain raw strength to increase shirt strength and learn how to bench in a shirt.

When's a good time to use the shirt? I' figured that I would start using them when I can put up 315 easily. But, I'm only good at 245 right now. Too early?

 

[Gambino]

Is it a measureable improvement over a non-shirt lift?

it will be once i train for a bit with a proper fitting shirt. but at the same time a rookie couldn't put a shirt on and bp 500 lbs...without technique & adequate training i dunno how good the shirt would help... dude is right, material is fuckin viking strong.

 

[Illuminati]

like Cham said, you really have to learn to pull the weight down. you can't let it come down to the chest. wearing a shirt takes some time to get used to. you really have to pull the bar down with your lats, stay tight in your back with it touches, and then explode with all you got off the chest.
try getting some Jumpstretch bands to help you with your speed. i have found that they have done a tremendous amount of help in bringing my bench up.
doing board presses will help too. unless you have really long arms, don't waste your time with 4 board press. i would start with 3 board, and work your way down

 

[Illuminati]

dude is right, material is fuckin viking strong.

LOL....he wasn't saying that the material is viking strong, the name of the material is called "Viking"

 

[Gambino]

yeah i need to get some bands and chains...it just amazes me how taunt that shirt was. god forbid it blew out...does that ever happen? proly not with my girly weight, but if you got over 700, i would imagine it pushes the shirt to the edge of performance

 

[Chambewy20]

When's a good time to use the shirt? I' figured that I would start using them when I can put up 315 easily. But, I'm only good at 245 right now. Too early?

If you plan on ever using a shirt, the sooner the better is the best time. The more time you have using a shirt, learning how to bench in one, all that stuff the better.

I had a cheap shirt then got a Metal Vikingx-type bencher about a month and a half from a meet, didn't have enough time in it and couldn't get my opener to touch, therefore bombed.

There are some good articles on Elitefts regarding learning a shirt and jacking it up, will send a link when I have more time.

 

[Chambewy20]

yeah i need to get some bands and chains...it just amazes me how taunt that shirt was. god forbid it blew out...does that ever happen? proly not with my girly weight, but if you got over 700, i would imagine it pushes the shirt to the edge of performance

I would start with bands, despite of what others might say simply because they are less expensive, easier to tote in a gym bag and have a similar type effect as chains.

Just have to be careful with them and wave them in and out of your training, me and my guys alternate both on ME and DE bench days just so you don't get used to them.

Starting out you can use them for a 2 or three week wave, after that the second half of the concentric phase of your bench will fly up, no chit man!!!

 

[Illuminati]

I would start with bands, despite of what others might say simply because they are less expensive, easier to tote in a gym bag and have a similar type effect as chains.

Just have to be careful with them and wave them in and out of your training, me and my guys alternate both on ME and DE bench days just so you don't get used to them.

Starting out you can use them for a 2 or three week wave, after that the second half of the concentric phase of your bench will fly up, no chit man!!!

bands are definately better choice i think. much like Cham said, you dont have to lug 60+ lbs of chain in the gym when you are using the bands. you can get them over at ELITEFTS.COM

word of advice, make sure you have a spotter the first time you use them, and start out with a light weight. you will be amazed at what 50lbs of band tension will do if you are not ready for it. especially if you dont stay tight when you unrack the weight with the bands doubled over.

 

[coldblue1955]

show what the shirt looks like.

 

[Chambewy20]

bands are definately better choice i think. much like Cham said, you dont have to lug 60+ lbs of chain in the gym when you are using the bands. you can get them over at ELITEFTS.COM

word of advice, make sure you have a spotter the first time you use them, and start out with a light weight. you will be amazed at what 50lbs of band tension will do if you are not ready for it. especially if you dont stay tight when you unrack the weight with the bands doubled over.

Absolutely, have seen people tattooed by them. Also make sure the bands are choked in line with your groove or where on your chest/belly the bar will touch. More bar weigth also equals greater bar stability, your stabilizer muscles will definately mature with these things, you will be shaky at first but you will learn what tightness is really fast.

 

[Gambino]

show what the shirt looks like.

it's a inzer rage open back shirt