The Sheiko, My Powerlifting Journal

[fallingeggs]

Monday, 9 - 17

Squat
5 x 1 / 190
4 x 2 / 230
3 x 2 / 265
2 x 2 / 305
2 x 3 / 345

Bench with shirt
5 x 1 / 155
4 x 2 / 185
3 x 2 / 210
2 x 4 / 245
1 x 3 / 265

 

[UAphenix]

I'm having a hard time believing you are able to get the bar down to your chest in a shirt with that weight. It seems like you're benching around the shirt instead of using the shirt. I have to get up to around 315 to get the bar down and even then I'm rowing the weight down to my chest. Just my 2 cents.

 

[fallingeggs]

I'm having a hard time believing you are able to get the bar down to your chest in a shirt with that weight. It seems like you're benching around the shirt instead of using the shirt. I have to get up to around 315 to get the bar down and even then I'm rowing the weight down to my chest. Just my 2 cents.

The shirt I have been practicing with is a really old one. It is very stretched out. I put on a newer (only slightly used) katana yesterday and it took everything I had to touch 265. also, both shirts are 42 and i am really a 40.

I cant use a shirt any tighter then the katana or else my tricepts would not be able to lock out the weight it would take to touch.

if these were new shirts that fit correctly then your point would be very true.

 

[fallingeggs]

Wednesday, 9 - 19

Bench with shirt on the 265 and 275
5 x 1 / 120
4 x 2 / 145
3 x 2 / 170
2 x 2 / 195
1 x 1 / 215
3 x 1 / 265
1 x 1 / 275 (this is actually a pr)

I am testing next wednesday and wanted to get use to the katana that i will be using so i put on some actual weight to try it out. at first i tried to touch 240, but that did not come close to happening. after some adjusting to the shirt i got down 265 with a big struggle. 275 went down a little smoother. once i get over 300 i bet i will be able to find a nice smooth groove. now i just need the lock out.

 

[fallingeggs]

Friday, 9 - 21

Deadlift
5 x 1 / 220
4 x 1 / 260
3 x 2 / 300
2 x 5 / 340

Bench
5 x 1 / 120
4 x 2 / 145
3 x 2 / 170
3 x 5 / 195

 

[UAphenix]

Wednesday, 9 - 19

Bench with shirt on the 265 and 275
5 x 1 / 120
4 x 2 / 145
3 x 2 / 170
2 x 2 / 195
1 x 1 / 215
3 x 1 / 265
1 x 1 / 275 (this is actually a pr)

I am testing next wednesday and wanted to get use to the katana that i will be using so i put on some actual weight to try it out. at first i tried to touch 240, but that did not come close to happening. after some adjusting to the shirt i got down 265 with a big struggle. 275 went down a little smoother. once i get over 300 i bet i will be able to find a nice smooth groove. now i just need the lock out.

It makes sense about the older bench shirts. If you don't mind me asking which katana are you using? The S/S model (90 degree arms) or the A/S model (45 degreeish arms)? Also do you bench with a big arch or are you more of a flat bencher?
I'm currently using a hand me down fury with a open back and although its a little loose for me (i can slip into the arms unassisted by still need someone to tweak it for me) my last PR attempt (missed it...but came close to lockout) was 345 at BW 150 and that still took a ton of effort to get the weight to touch. I'm still having a hard time believing your getting the most out of your shirt if your able to touch a new katana with 275. Can you give me a run through of how your benching, for example at what point you start tucking your elbows and what not?

And don't take any of my comments as undermining what your doing, I'm just curious as everyone has their own way of lifting in a shirt and I've been taught one way. Here's an example of how the guys I lift with set their shirt up:

Shirt Jack for Strengthworks Gym

 

[fallingeggs]

It makes sense about the older bench shirts. If you don't mind me asking which katana are you using? The S/S model (90 degree arms) or the A/S model (45 degreeish arms)? Also do you bench with a big arch or are you more of a flat bencher?
I'm currently using a hand me down fury with a open back and although its a little loose for me (i can slip into the arms unassisted by still need someone to tweak it for me) my last PR attempt (missed it...but came close to lockout) was 345 at BW 150 and that still took a ton of effort to get the weight to touch. I'm still having a hard time believing your getting the most out of your shirt if your able to touch a new katana with 275. Can you give me a run through of how your benching, for example at what point you start tucking your elbows and what not?

And don't take any of my comments as undermining what your doing, I'm just curious as everyone has their own way of lifting in a shirt and I've been taught one way. Here's an example of how the guys I lift with set their shirt up:

Shirt Jack for Strengthworks Gym

Ok I see the big difference between how they put on the shirt and how I have been doing it. They keep talking adjusting the the shirt for more support... I pretty much do the opposite. I need to take as much support out of the shirt as i can. This is because if i adjusted the shirt to get the most support out of it, there would be no way i could lock out the weight needed to touch.

Some notable things that I do is pull the sleeve seem up pretty high, almost behind my shoulder. I also do not pull the front seem down at all, it is way high on my chest.

I am training with a 165 that just got invited to the Arnold Classics, so these are all of his ideas. To get to his level, he must know something so that is why i do what he says.

And i am not sure of the type of katana, but if i were to guess, I would say it is the 45 degree one. I have a decent arch while going raw, but the shirt messes it all up (only been using a shirt for two months now).

 

[UAphenix]

Ok I see the big difference between how they put on the shirt and how I have been doing it. They keep talking adjusting the the shirt for more support... I pretty much do the opposite. I need to take as much support out of the shirt as i can. This is because if i adjusted the shirt to get the most support out of it, there would be no way i could lock out the weight needed to touch.

Some notable things that I do is pull the sleeve seem up pretty high, almost behind my shoulder. I also do not pull the front seem down at all, it is way high on my chest.

I am training with a 165 that just got invited to the Arnold Classics, so these are all of his ideas. To get to his level, he must know something so that is why i do what he says.

And i am not sure of the type of katana, but if i were to guess, I would say it is the 45 degree one. I have a decent arch while going raw, but the shirt messes it all up (only been using a shirt for two months now).

I can see your issue with the shirt. That's basically everyone's problem when it comes to shirted bench, is training the lockout. From the sounds of it, your losing most if not all support from the shirt by having it raised so high on your chest. On issues with your arch and the shirt, do you know if the fed you will eventually lift in allows open backed shirts? If so, I would just say to slice the shirt down the back. This makes life 10x easy for not only keeping a big arch, but also adjusting the shirt.

Yeah if someone is competing at the arnold, they have to be doing something right. I just haven't seen their style in real life so I can't properly judge it. If its working for you great, just from reading your log, it seemed like you could being getting more out of the shirt if you did some minor tweaks. Worse comes to worse you have to do heavy board presses in the shirt to train your lockout for the weights that are to heavy to lockout now.

 

[fallingeggs]

I can see your issue with the shirt. That's basically everyone's problem when it comes to shirted bench, is training the lockout. From the sounds of it, your losing most if not all support from the shirt by having it raised so high on your chest. On issues with your arch and the shirt, do you know if the fed you will eventually lift in allows open backed shirts? If so, I would just say to slice the shirt down the back. This makes life 10x easy for not only keeping a big arch, but also adjusting the shirt.

Yeah if someone is competing at the arnold, they have to be doing something right. I just haven't seen their style in real life so I can't properly judge it. If its working for you great, just from reading your log, it seemed like you could being getting more out of the shirt if you did some minor tweaks. Worse comes to worse you have to do heavy board presses in the shirt to train your lockout for the weights that are to heavy to lockout now.

I compete in IPF/USAPL meets, so no open back shirts for me. The guy i train with uses the shirt to the max... aka jacking it down and adjusting the seems and such. Last year while he was a junior he came close to breaking the record with a 435 bench at 165 pounds.

I think i am going to start adding some heavy high board presses some where to work the lock out. As the lock out gets better i will start to use the shirt more.

 

[fallingeggs]

Monday, 9 - 24

Test day on squat

opened at 370 (pr). Moved to 400 and nailed it with good form and decent speed out of the hole. put on 435 but missed it due to lack of speed out of the hole. Just was not focused enough and my stance was a little wide which caused a decrease in hip drive. going to try and narrow the stance some and see if i can get the good speed going down, with the control and good acceleration out of the hole.

Wednesday is bench and deadlift. going for 300/420.