Bench Shirt Opinions

[Halo]

I am currently using a Titan Super Katana. I've only been benching in a shirt for a couple of months. I've benched 455 raw.

Ordered my first shirt same as I'm using now except I ordered by giving my measurements they sent me a shirt that was obviously too big (60) I could put in on and it wasn't too tight. First night wearing it I pushed 545 to the touch. Started working out at a PL gym everyone looked at it on me and said wayyyy too big. I called a different vendor who reps Titan who said I should be able to get into a (54) so I ordered it and can get into it. Lots harder to touch not deadly tight but leaving marks on me for days tight. Doing lots more reps on heavy days at new gym but pretty much haven't gone over 485 with this shirt.

If you've seen felt or worn a Super Katana it's super strong canvas it doesn't really give and being a the canvas isn't feeling like the longterm direction I want to go. I've seen plenty of other guys with Inzer double and triple ply shirts (Rage X and Phenom) and the the feel of the thick poly seems like something I think I would like, feel like I can stretch them a little and the thicker softer material in my mind seems like it would be better for me.

So I'm looking for the experienced thoughts and opinions on my situation. Thanks for taking the time!

 

[hawkeye]

Have you messed with any of the Metal shirts. The new Jack shirt by Metal is supposed to be kick ass and I believe the material is a bit more forgiving.....

 

[Halo]

Have you messed with any of the Metal shirts. The new Jack shirt by Metal is supposed to be kick ass and I believe the material is a bit more forgiving.....

Haven't tried any others yet, I'll check the Jack out. Thanks Hawk!!!

 

[hawkeye]

I know Metal does have some poly shirts like you are talking about but they also have a material that seems almost spongy but it's obviously sturdy too. If worse case, get ahold of a Metal retailer. I am fairly certain Elite Fitness Systems sells Metal. Call them and ask to talk to a rep or something.

 

[Halo]

I like the words spongy and forgiving that would be optimal!

 

[porky little keg]

Metal shirts are .... I tried an ACE for a few workouts, and have a few buddies who jumped on the Jack bandwagon only to give up on it and go back to their old shirts. They can work for some people, but for the money there are better options out there

1st off, your super Katana is poly, not canvas, it's just really stiff because it's new. A Rage X will feel the same, my Overkill felt the same. It just takes 4-6 good workouts in the shirt to break it in to where you can feel it stretching.

As for shirts that are easy to touch..... the go-to for most guys is a SDP ( phenom). The only drawbacks is that the shirt is good for about one training cycle before it loses it's pop.
Rudy from Overkill has a standard material that is like the material from your KAtana but he can also do a stretchier material that is easier to touch in. And all of his gear is custom made to your exact measurements for the same price as a stock Titan shirt. I've been using my same Overkill shirt for 3 years and it has taken me from mid-500's in contest to mid-7's now.

Other than trying new shirts there are two things you can do.
1) and I'm not trying to be a dick, but... man up. Bench shirts are uncomfortable as shit. The more support they give, the less comfortable. They will and should leave your arms torn up ( funny story about that later), but all of that resistance that you are fighting against to bring the weight down is just energy that will help pop the weight off of your chest. Learn to love that pain.

2) Most bench shirts are stiff as heck when new. A trick that my team uses is to take a 5-gallon bucket, pour in 3 cap-fulls of Downy fabric softener ( or woolite), fill the bucket the rest of the way with water and soak your shirt in it over night. The next day, wash it on cold with no detergent, just more fabric softener and tumble try on NO HEAT. The shirt will be much easier to work and you will be able to feel it stretching. My wife benches ~135 raw and is close to 300 in her 2-ply Overkill. In order for her to touch with 185-200 we soaked in in downy and it helped a lot. I did the same with my 3-ply. It really helps a lot.


So, funny story.... my wife competes multi-ply and is strong as shit for her size ( upper 120's)... her last physical was the day after our bench night with the team so her arms and chest are all welted up from her bench shirt. Now, my wife is a tiny, pale, blond woman who, although being a great lifter, still looks very girly.... I'm a SHW with a beard and generally look a little intimidating, like most lifters do.....
So, my wife and I are goofing around in the Dr's office and for part of the exam the doctor asks if I could leave the room.... fine, no worries.... and she proceeds to ask my wife if she feels safe at home. It took quite some convincing from my wife to get this woman to believe that the marks on her arms and across her chest aren't from me beating the shit out of her... LOL
I told my wife to tell her it's from really weird sex next time it comes up. That's easier to explain than a bench shirt.

 

[BrotherIron]

Haven't tried any others yet, I'll check the Jack out. Thanks Hawk!!!

One of the lifters on the Team uses a Jack brief and squat suit. He loved them. I'll talk to him about it on Mon when I see him.

 

[Halo]

Metal shirts are .... I tried an ACE for a few workouts, and have a few buddies who jumped on the Jack bandwagon only to give up on it and go back to their old shirts. They can work for some people, but for the money there are better options out there

1st off, your super Katana is poly, not canvas, it's just really stiff because it's new. A Rage X will feel the same, my Overkill felt the same. It just takes 4-6 good workouts in the shirt to break it in to where you can feel it stretching.

As for shirts that are easy to touch..... the go-to for most guys is a SDP ( phenom). The only drawbacks is that the shirt is good for about one training cycle before it loses it's pop.
Rudy from Overkill has a standard material that is like the material from your KAtana but he can also do a stretchier material that is easier to touch in. And all of his gear is custom made to your exact measurements for the same price as a stock Titan shirt. I've been using my same Overkill shirt for 3 years and it has taken me from mid-500's in contest to mid-7's now.

Other than trying new shirts there are two things you can do.
1) and I'm not trying to be a dick, but... man up. Bench shirts are uncomfortable as shit. The more support they give, the less comfortable. They will and should leave your arms torn up ( funny story about that later), but all of that resistance that you are fighting against to bring the weight down is just energy that will help pop the weight off of your chest. Learn to love that pain.

2) Most bench shirts are stiff as heck when new. A trick that my team uses is to take a 5-gallon bucket, pour in 3 cap-fulls of Downy fabric softener ( or woolite), fill the bucket the rest of the way with water and soak your shirt in it over night. The next day, wash it on cold with no detergent, just more fabric softener and tumble try on NO HEAT. The shirt will be much easier to work and you will be able to feel it stretching. My wife benches ~135 raw and is close to 300 in her 2-ply Overkill. In order for her to touch with 185-200 we soaked in in downy and it helped a lot. I did the same with my 3-ply. It really helps a lot.


So, funny story.... my wife competes multi-ply and is strong as shit for her size ( upper 120's)... her last physical was the day after our bench night with the team so her arms and chest are all welted up from her bench shirt. Now, my wife is a tiny, pale, blond woman who, although being a great lifter, still looks very girly.... I'm a SHW with a beard and generally look a little intimidating, like most lifters do.....
So, my wife and I are goofing around in the Dr's office and for part of the exam the doctor asks if I could leave the room.... fine, no worries.... and she proceeds to ask my wife if she feels safe at home. It took quite some convincing from my wife to get this woman to believe that the marks on her arms and across her chest aren't from me beating the shit out of her... LOL
I told my wife to tell her it's from really weird sex next time it comes up. That's easier to explain than a bench shirt.

Thanks so much PLK, I don't think you're trying to be a dick bro, I'm sure if I knew all the stuff that you know and have done the thing you've done I'd most likely say the same shit to me LOL... I'm a little older and still getting stronger but I think I really have a couple of years window to really push the shit out of myself to find out what I am capable of so I want to get into the gear that works best for me to optimize my chances. The big this has been getting into the gym I'm in with the group in there, some pretty strong cats. I really appreciate you taking the time to give such a great answer. I'll definitely give the Downy a shot tonight I don't bench again till Thur, I'll be looking forward to seeing how it works.

I know allot of things are changing right now my form wasn't so much tucking and flaring in the past but I'm learning it now, I also didn't have shit for an arch, not that I have one now but I'm working on it LOL... I know all of that stuff is going to impact how I feel about my lifts right now and I'm trying to dial all of it in. The crazy part is that when I was benching in the big ass 60 I felt like I had great pop off of the bottom even though the shirt was pretty loose as far as things go. I had the neck pulled down far enough and my belt cranked enough to keep it down and was working the pressure into it and that felt awesome, but I know from all I've read the shirt needs to be tight or it isn't right.

Great story about your wife! We've had incidents similar to that. My wife has some low blood sugar episodes every blue moon and one day she was out back and instead of sitting were she stood she tried to walk to a place to sit down and took a face shot sliding forward on the ground. When I got home from the gym I was like Oh shit who's ass do I have to kill..... She told me the story I tried to get her to go to the hospital to get checked out and she was like hell no they are going to lock your ass up. I was like I don't give a shit you probably have a concussion we need to go to the hospital. She's stubborn as shit and didn't go. A week later she still looked pretty bad and she was like lets go to the movies.... Yeah if people could have cuffed my ass they would have LOL... I could instantly see what she was talking about, the hospital would have been an episode I'm sure.

Thanks again for the advice PLK, it's greatly appreciated! I'll let you know how it's going as I figure it out.

One of the lifters on the Team uses a Jack brief and squat suit. He loved them. I'll talk to him about it on Mon when I see him.

Thanks BI, I'm interested to hear what he has to say, thanks for asking.

 

[porky little keg]

Funny stuff, man....

Just give it time, and keep us all posted on how you do. The form and pressure take a lot of getting used to.... as for getting older...... Look up Roger Ryan. Benching with him at half his age is a very humbling experience. Or for full meet crazyness look up Ernie Frantz's 800+ squats and 700+ pulls at 220# and 60 years old +

 

[TheChosen1]

You can't go wrong with an Inzer!