If you never competed...would you...

[b fold the truth]

If you never competed...would you train with your gear on? I do mean a full suit and/or shirt.

When I train for a contest...I train totally raw throughout...till the last two weeks. Two weeks out I try my belt, wrist wraps, and maybe knee wraps out to make sure that they feel good on my heavy sets only. I wear them loose. One week out I wear very little gear because I go light...

If I was never training for a contest...I don't think I would ever wear much gear at all...what about you?

B True

 

[Scotsman]

I agree, I train equipment free until I am doing contest prep. Except I do wear wrist wraps for heavy bench since I cracked some bones in one of my wrists a few years ago. Then I only wear my belt when I am doing max effort work.

Cheers,
Scotsman.

 

[Screwball]

I believe that when off-season training, raw is the way to go. However, even if you never wanted to compete the use of gear will allow a lifter to progress more quickly. For example, if I throw a shirt and wrist wraps on when performing board presses (every so often) I can use more weight. The additional poundage stresses the body and it naturally adapts. Same thing goes for a squat suit and knee wraps. The additional weight handled allows you to feel more poundage on your back and additional stress on your body. The use of gear can allow a lifter to increase his/her strength more quickly if used correctly and in moderation. IMHO.

 

[p03t1c]

i have to say i agree with screwball. hitting weights u dont normally get gives you that extra boost of confidence, and since lifting is very much mental it supplies a sort of extra edge.

i use my belt on dynamic squat days but never on max effort.

 

[Mountain Man]

I so far have not worn any gear, even though I own a bench shirt and briefs{never worn}, belt ,wraps, etc. I might start to compete in masters bench, then all 3 lifts, I have to take the first step. I believe that screwball and po3tic have a good point on C.N.C. but partials can also do the same thing, right?

 

[Screwball]

Absolutely...

Good point I neglected, p03t1c! The mental aspect of handling big weights also aids in strength progression and confidence. In my opinion, the mental part of lifting is MORE important than the physical. It's been said before, but I'll say it again. "The brain is the most powerful muscle in the body." Great post, p03t1c, and I'm not just saying that because it supports the "use of gear" viewpoint (he, he).

 

[powerlifterjay]

As far as shirts and suits probably just to test my self. Maybe twice a year on squats, and every 3 months on bench. But i would definitly wear my belt and wraps. If you train squats with no belt then ya you will get stronger but your short changing what your legs and hips can handle with the aid of a belt and wraps. So while your 100% raw hittin 5 reps with 585 iam belt and wraps and am repping 675 or so. So now my body got to handle the weight and my back got to handle more as well. I use my belt always. Now i only tighen it up on squats over 600, and pulls over 525. But by pushing my abs against my belt i can handle more as well.

With out wrist wraps i cannot handle big weights on bench either. SO there a must. BUt my tris are glad i do. Cause now they can handle more weight. Without wrist wraps my tendonitis acts up and they get sore as hell. Do my tris need to suffere from my bad wrist? No there good to me and do not deserve to be treated that way!

 

[Arioch]

Nope. Have not competed in 8.5 years, and have not missed squeezing delicate portions into a squat squit.

 

[BodybuildingUniverse]

and have not missed squeezing delicate portions into a squat suit

ha! I hear ya on that!

 

[Arioch]

Tried a deadlift suit on. Once. I am not sure if I feel respect or pity for the guys that can pull in one. No amount of weight is worth that. Felt like I was straddling a band saw.

 

[IrishPower]

some thoughts:

gear usage for injury prevention.

this kind of gear would be like snug groove briefs to facilitate wide squats and minimize groin pulls and hip ache. i wear these all the time on dynamic squat and even ME lower back day when i do wide good mornings.

since my pec repair, i have started using an inzer cut-back poly shirt for my heavies on bench. i will throw these on whenever i feel like going over 405. i feel it is keeping me tighter and i worry less about blowing a pec.

belt: i stopped using a belt on all non-ME work. this included shrugs, low rows, bent rows, bench press, etc.... i now believe that if you need a belt to do these movements, you are doing them too heavy anyway. i do half my squats without a belt, but add the belt on for the 2nd half and any heavies at the end. squatting with a belt is almost a different movement then squatting without one. practice makes perfect


heavy duty gear: denim bench shirts and canvas squat suits....you MUST make sure you are comfortable with these. i will try and get one or two workouts in in a pre-meet cycle (8 weeks) to make sure my technique is on, i can achieve depth, and touch my chest with my opener. i would NOT take too many sessions in this gear.

I spoke with Dave about this issue. I asked him how they could go into a meet and take 100 - 200 lbs more than they ever took in the gym with raw weight and not using the suit. he replied the answer to this was band tension. if you are consistently using 500 raw weight and a shitload of bands on your squat, your body knows what 700 feels like. therefore, they are confident to take this in a meet with gear. i am STILL digesting this theory. i imagine i am going to try this out for this meet.

/irish

 

[CytoMel]

Gear and frequency

Benching- Rehband elbow sleves and inzer wrist wraps EVERY TIME the whole ME and DE workouts. Bench with the shirt 1x every month or so.

Squatting- DE squat day always suit bottoms to protect the hips+ rehband elbow sleves