Buying My First Gear

Bigger Stronger Leaner Powerlifting & Strength Sports
1

Hello,

I’ve trained in gear before, so this will not be my first time (Was lent an old Inzer Hardcore, HD Blast, and Metal Pro deadlifter for two months). I previously trained to compete in the 220-242# weight classes, however after an injury I stopped altogether, that being said I’ve gained weight, am 6’4 285-290 over the past two months. I was considering competing in the USAPL but I’ve decided to alternate but primarily compete in the IPA.

SO, I have enough for a squat suit, bench shirt and briefs. I squat super wide. Was thinking of either an Inzer T-Rex or a Metal Pro Squatter. For briefs my cousin recommended Metal pro briefs. As for a bench shirt I’m not so certain. I remember reading a thread in this forum where it was recommended that a lifter beginning with bench shirts should just go straight to double denim, or something like a Phenom if they are competing in the USAPL. Should I do that? (Specifically, Inzer’s Standard Denim?)

Thanks a lot I appreciate it.

2

Metal gear is easy to learn and use and has a very forgiving groove. Not to mention it’s very easy to get your hands on it. I have used Metal briefs and suits before and liked them both, I got around 150 pounds out of the briefs the first time I used them (you and I are the same size).

As far as Metal bench shirts go, they are a pain in the ass to touch with. I have long arms for my height (and I’m 6’4") so touching is extremely difficult. I have a denim shirt too, but it beats me up too much – like I literally have cuts on my arms and chest after using it. If I were to buy a shirt now it would be a Phenom or SDP, just because it seems to be one of the easiest shirts to touch with.

3

[quote]frankjl wrote:
Metal gear is easy to learn and use and has a very forgiving groove. Not to mention it’s very easy to get your hands on it. I have used Metal briefs and suits before and liked them both, I got around 150 pounds out of the briefs the first time I used them (you and I are the same size).

As far as Metal bench shirts go, they are a pain in the ass to touch with. I have long arms for my height (and I’m 6’4") so touching is extremely difficult. I have a denim shirt too, but it beats me up too much – like I literally have cuts on my arms and chest after using it. If I were to buy a shirt now it would be a Phenom or SDP, just because it seems to be one of the easiest shirts to touch with.[/quote]

Thanks for your help. I’m definitely going to get the Metal pro briefs and squatter. Could you tell me how you sized the briefs? That is a ridiculous carryover.

After reading around a little bit more some people have said that the phenom and SDP are also very very comfortable shirts to wear. Probably going to get a Phenom. Thanks again frankjl

Any other opinions though?

4

Congrats to your return! As far as bench shirts go i love my F6 easy to use material is tough but forgiving last long! I would recommend a 2ply f6 but a guy at my gym has had an f6 for 5 years to train in! It got used 1 once a week for 5 years and it just blew last week! So it will last!

5

[quote]Thomasm122 wrote:

[quote]frankjl wrote:
Metal gear is easy to learn and use and has a very forgiving groove. Not to mention it’s very easy to get your hands on it. I have used Metal briefs and suits before and liked them both, I got around 150 pounds out of the briefs the first time I used them (you and I are the same size).

As far as Metal bench shirts go, they are a pain in the ass to touch with. I have long arms for my height (and I’m 6’4") so touching is extremely difficult. I have a denim shirt too, but it beats me up too much – like I literally have cuts on my arms and chest after using it. If I were to buy a shirt now it would be a Phenom or SDP, just because it seems to be one of the easiest shirts to touch with.[/quote]

Thanks for your help. I’m definitely going to get the Metal pro briefs and squatter. Could you tell me how you sized the briefs? That is a ridiculous carryover.

After reading around a little bit more some people have said that the phenom and SDP are also very very comfortable shirts to wear. Probably going to get a Phenom. Thanks again frankjl

Any other opinions though? [/quote]

I bought the size 50 Metal Pro Briefs. When I first got them, it took quite a while to get them on. The poly material in general seems to stretch quite a bit, so I ended up having the hips and legs taken in 1/2 inch after 4-5 months of use. You and I weigh about the same too, so I’d imagine these would fit you well.

6

[quote]frankjl wrote:

[quote]Thomasm122 wrote:

[quote]frankjl wrote:
Metal gear is easy to learn and use and has a very forgiving groove. Not to mention it’s very easy to get your hands on it. I have used Metal briefs and suits before and liked them both, I got around 150 pounds out of the briefs the first time I used them (you and I are the same size).

As far as Metal bench shirts go, they are a pain in the ass to touch with. I have long arms for my height (and I’m 6’4") so touching is extremely difficult. I have a denim shirt too, but it beats me up too much – like I literally have cuts on my arms and chest after using it. If I were to buy a shirt now it would be a Phenom or SDP, just because it seems to be one of the easiest shirts to touch with.[/quote]

Thanks for your help. I’m definitely going to get the Metal pro briefs and squatter. Could you tell me how you sized the briefs? That is a ridiculous carryover.

After reading around a little bit more some people have said that the phenom and SDP are also very very comfortable shirts to wear. Probably going to get a Phenom. Thanks again frankjl

Any other opinions though? [/quote]

I bought the size 50 Metal Pro Briefs. When I first got them, it took quite a while to get them on. The poly material in general seems to stretch quite a bit, so I ended up having the hips and legs taken in 1/2 inch after 4-5 months of use. You and I weigh about the same too, so I’d imagine these would fit you well.[/quote]

Depending on how tight you like your gear, I would say go a size smaller and get 48, I’ve had a pair of Metal Pro Briefs for a couple years and the poly material will loosen up over time, so I think it’s worth it to really be tight as hell the first couple times (took me 30+ minutes to get on and seated properly with help), that way they will be a competition fit. When you first try to get the briefs on it will seem like an impossible feat, but you can work them up, trust me. I like a tight pair of briefs and a little looser suit and when I was going pro/pro brief/suit combo it was nice to not feel like I was being crushed by the suit and actually be able to breath. To give you an idea on how much the material can stretch, I used the same briefs for 181 (a little loose), 198 (dialed in) and a light 220 (tight as hell and took much help to get into and out of). At 220, if I wore them too long my legs turned bluish but I got a PR squat. So the poly material will stretch out.

I really like metal squat and deadlift gear. The squat gear feels like a “hug” compared to the way the other company briefs tear and lock into your leg, so if you’re in them for an extended period, it’s nice not to be miserable the entire time. I’ve used my metal pros with a centurion (pr at 181-440), then metal pro squatter( pr at 198-500) and finally (my favorite) the leviathan (pr at 198 600 and 220 608) and they’ve been very good to me. I’ve tried a couple other briefs; predator and metal aces. The predators were the most painful briefs (hips ached and just painful to get on and off) worked with and my carryover sucked with them. The aces would have been nice if I had got more work in them, but were tossing me around like a rag doll. I always kept going back to my pros and they’ve never failed me.

The metal deadlift suit is the most painful motherf-er I’ve ever used, it literally feel like your junk is getting ripped off and jammed up into your throat. But I pull better and faster with it on and just tell myself lifting heavy shit wasn’t meant to feel good (even if this is a contradiction to my previous statement about how comfortable the briefs are).

For shirt, I like the katana, but it takes some time to get used to the groove. The problem I’ve seen with the phenom is it loosens up very quickly b/c it’s so stretchy, some guys say it looses pop even after a 3-4 workouts. Frank is right on the metal shirts, they’re notoriously hard to touch in… A good rule, unless you have alligator arms, metal shirts get you down to about a 1 board, then you just hover. I’ve heard good things about the new jack shirt (but I’m not sure if that’s legal in the IPA) about being more forgiving to touch in and having good pop. Hope that helps.

7

[quote]UAphenix wrote:

[quote]frankjl wrote:

[quote]Thomasm122 wrote:

[quote]frankjl wrote:
Metal gear is easy to learn and use and has a very forgiving groove. Not to mention it’s very easy to get your hands on it. I have used Metal briefs and suits before and liked them both, I got around 150 pounds out of the briefs the first time I used them (you and I are the same size).

As far as Metal bench shirts go, they are a pain in the ass to touch with. I have long arms for my height (and I’m 6’4") so touching is extremely difficult. I have a denim shirt too, but it beats me up too much – like I literally have cuts on my arms and chest after using it. If I were to buy a shirt now it would be a Phenom or SDP, just because it seems to be one of the easiest shirts to touch with.[/quote]

Thanks for your help. I’m definitely going to get the Metal pro briefs and squatter. Could you tell me how you sized the briefs? That is a ridiculous carryover.

After reading around a little bit more some people have said that the phenom and SDP are also very very comfortable shirts to wear. Probably going to get a Phenom. Thanks again frankjl

Any other opinions though? [/quote]

I bought the size 50 Metal Pro Briefs. When I first got them, it took quite a while to get them on. The poly material in general seems to stretch quite a bit, so I ended up having the hips and legs taken in 1/2 inch after 4-5 months of use. You and I weigh about the same too, so I’d imagine these would fit you well.[/quote]

Depending on how tight you like your gear, I would say go a size smaller and get 48, I’ve had a pair of Metal Pro Briefs for a couple years and the poly material will loosen up over time, so I think it’s worth it to really be tight as hell the first couple times (took me 30+ minutes to get on and seated properly with help), that way they will be a competition fit. When you first try to get the briefs on it will seem like an impossible feat, but you can work them up, trust me. I like a tight pair of briefs and a little looser suit and when I was going pro/pro brief/suit combo it was nice to not feel like I was being crushed by the suit and actually be able to breath. To give you an idea on how much the material can stretch, I used the same briefs for 181 (a little loose), 198 (dialed in) and a light 220 (tight as hell and took much help to get into and out of). At 220, if I wore them too long my legs turned bluish but I got a PR squat. So the poly material will stretch out.

I really like metal squat and deadlift gear. The squat gear feels like a “hug” compared to the way the other company briefs tear and lock into your leg, so if you’re in them for an extended period, it’s nice not to be miserable the entire time. I’ve used my metal pros with a centurion (pr at 181-440), then metal pro squatter( pr at 198-500) and finally (my favorite) the leviathan (pr at 198 600 and 220 608) and they’ve been very good to me. I’ve tried a couple other briefs; predator and metal aces. The predators were the most painful briefs (hips ached and just painful to get on and off) worked with and my carryover sucked with them. The aces would have been nice if I had got more work in them, but were tossing me around like a rag doll. I always kept going back to my pros and they’ve never failed me.

The metal deadlift suit is the most painful motherf-er I’ve ever used, it literally feel like your junk is getting ripped off and jammed up into your throat. But I pull better and faster with it on and just tell myself lifting heavy shit wasn’t meant to feel good (even if this is a contradiction to my previous statement about how comfortable the briefs are).

For shirt, I like the katana, but it takes some time to get used to the groove. The problem I’ve seen with the phenom is it loosens up very quickly b/c it’s so stretchy, some guys say it looses pop even after a 3-4 workouts. Frank is right on the metal shirts, they’re notoriously hard to touch in… A good rule, unless you have alligator arms, metal shirts get you down to about a 1 board, then you just hover. I’ve heard good things about the new jack shirt (but I’m not sure if that’s legal in the IPA) about being more forgiving to touch in and having good pop. Hope that helps.[/quote]

It does! Thanks for all the advice. I’m gonna do some more research overall on the bench shirt, I’m also going to take your recommendation that I get a 48 pro brief sizing. For my birthday I’m going to get the Metal Pro deadlifter, I really liked that the last time I used it. Even though I think some of the carryover I got out of it could’ve just been a psychological result of the amount of pain it inflicts in your crotch, I experienced the same thing haha.

8

let me ask you this… I own 2 squat suits- an old Titan Super Centurion ( which is loose by gear standards- I can literally get it on in 1 min) and Metal Ace Squatter. I also own a set of Pro briefs… The Pro briefs are sort of ‘stretchy’, compared to the ACE and are very easy to use. I have to put them on cold or I won’t be able to get them on. Little to no “bite marks” afterwards.

They seems to be the most supportive if I stand very wide. In terms of support, I’d actually say they rank just a little better than the Titan suit with the straps down.But the Titan suit leave me looking like I’ve been in a fight with a cougar. The titan stuff will stop you in the hole and it it’s up to you to get the weight up. If you are a good box squatter this may be a very good choice.

The ACE stuff will stop you dead in your tracks also. It is very supportive and the groove is still easy and forgiving. This suit tends to pull my knees in a little bit so I have to push out a little more than usual. The key is to simply keep sitting back into the suit and it will take care of you. Throw the straps on and you get WICKED rebound. For me to hit parallel I have to leave about a hands space in the straps or it’s too tight.

The Centurion Boxer briefs are $95

METAL gear is on sale now…but you prolly knew that.

Metal Pro Briefs are $125 -** I’d get these… you won’t regret it*** Buy them now, while they are on sale!!
Metal Viking Briefs - $175
Metal Ace - $185

I’ve used the Viking briefs. They are similar to the Pro briefs but stop like the Ace. Kind of a hybrid of the two. for just $10 I’d just get the ACE…

9

[quote]StrengthDawg wrote:
let me ask you this… I own 2 squat suits- an old Titan Super Centurion ( which is loose by gear standards- I can literally get it on in 1 min) and Metal Ace Squatter. I also own a set of Pro briefs… The Pro briefs are sort of ‘stretchy’, compared to the ACE and are very easy to use. I have to put them on cold or I won’t be able to get them on. Little to no “bite marks” afterwards.

They seems to be the most supportive if I stand very wide. In terms of support, I’d actually say they rank just a little better than the Titan suit with the straps down.But the Titan suit leave me looking like I’ve been in a fight with a cougar. The titan stuff will stop you in the hole and it it’s up to you to get the weight up. If you are a good box squatter this may be a very good choice.

The ACE stuff will stop you dead in your tracks also. It is very supportive and the groove is still easy and forgiving. This suit tends to pull my knees in a little bit so I have to push out a little more than usual. The key is to simply keep sitting back into the suit and it will take care of you. Throw the straps on and you get WICKED rebound. For me to hit parallel I have to leave about a hands space in the straps or it’s too tight.

The Centurion Boxer briefs are $95

METAL gear is on sale now…but you prolly knew that.

Metal Pro Briefs are $125 -** I’d get these… you won’t regret it*** Buy them now, while they are on sale!!
Metal Viking Briefs - $175
Metal Ace - $185

I’ve used the Viking briefs. They are similar to the Pro briefs but stop like the Ace. Kind of a hybrid of the two. for just $10 I’d just get the ACE…[/quote]

Strengthdawg, to follow up what you were saying. There are also the jack briefs, they give the support of the ace, but are easier to hit depth and have a ton of pop. I think all the guys on my old team are using them now and love them. If I remember, they’re a little thinner than the Ace material, so if space is an issue, it may help to get a tight suit up over the briefs. The other thing I’ve been told about the jacks is they don’t cut off your circulation like a tight pair of Aces have a tendency to do. The viking briefs at this point are just outdated, the briefs are cut low (hard to get into and keep a belt over when lifting to maintain support) and the material isn’t that good when you’re looking for briefs that give more support than the pros. In all honesty I would say get a pair of Pro briefs, its a good brief to learn geared squat form in and you can get a ton out of the brief once you do. When the time comes, if you decide to go for a bigger/badder brief then I would look at the Jack briefs.

10

[quote]StrengthDawg wrote:
let me ask you this… I own 2 squat suits- an old Titan Super Centurion ( which is loose by gear standards- I can literally get it on in 1 min) and Metal Ace Squatter. I also own a set of Pro briefs… The Pro briefs are sort of ‘stretchy’, compared to the ACE and are very easy to use. I have to put them on cold or I won’t be able to get them on. Little to no “bite marks” afterwards.

They seems to be the most supportive if I stand very wide. In terms of support, I’d actually say they rank just a little better than the Titan suit with the straps down.But the Titan suit leave me looking like I’ve been in a fight with a cougar. The titan stuff will stop you in the hole and it it’s up to you to get the weight up. If you are a good box squatter this may be a very good choice.

The ACE stuff will stop you dead in your tracks also. It is very supportive and the groove is still easy and forgiving. This suit tends to pull my knees in a little bit so I have to push out a little more than usual. The key is to simply keep sitting back into the suit and it will take care of you. Throw the straps on and you get WICKED rebound. For me to hit parallel I have to leave about a hands space in the straps or it’s too tight.

The Centurion Boxer briefs are $95

METAL gear is on sale now…but you prolly knew that.

Metal Pro Briefs are $125 -** I’d get these… you won’t regret it*** Buy them now, while they are on sale!!
Metal Viking Briefs - $175
Metal Ace - $185

I’ve used the Viking briefs. They are similar to the Pro briefs but stop like the Ace. Kind of a hybrid of the two. for just $10 I’d just get the ACE…[/quote]

I’m (IMO) a very good box squatter, in comparison to my free weight squat. One of the main things I was hoping to get out of briefs/suit combo was a lot of stopping power. Now I stll think I’m going to go Pro briefs/Pro squatter, it’s been a while since I’ve been in gear. Okay, I’m good… Thanks for that post though that really helped me out for the future

11

[quote]UAphenix wrote:

[quote]StrengthDawg wrote:
let me ask you this… I own 2 squat suits- an old Titan Super Centurion ( which is loose by gear standards- I can literally get it on in 1 min) and Metal Ace Squatter. I also own a set of Pro briefs… The Pro briefs are sort of ‘stretchy’, compared to the ACE and are very easy to use. I have to put them on cold or I won’t be able to get them on. Little to no “bite marks” afterwards.

They seems to be the most supportive if I stand very wide. In terms of support, I’d actually say they rank just a little better than the Titan suit with the straps down.But the Titan suit leave me looking like I’ve been in a fight with a cougar. The titan stuff will stop you in the hole and it it’s up to you to get the weight up. If you are a good box squatter this may be a very good choice.

The ACE stuff will stop you dead in your tracks also. It is very supportive and the groove is still easy and forgiving. This suit tends to pull my knees in a little bit so I have to push out a little more than usual. The key is to simply keep sitting back into the suit and it will take care of you. Throw the straps on and you get WICKED rebound. For me to hit parallel I have to leave about a hands space in the straps or it’s too tight.

The Centurion Boxer briefs are $95

METAL gear is on sale now…but you prolly knew that.

Metal Pro Briefs are $125 -** I’d get these… you won’t regret it*** Buy them now, while they are on sale!!
Metal Viking Briefs - $175
Metal Ace - $185

I’ve used the Viking briefs. They are similar to the Pro briefs but stop like the Ace. Kind of a hybrid of the two. for just $10 I’d just get the ACE…[/quote]

Strengthdawg, to follow up what you were saying. There are also the jack briefs, they give the support of the ace, but are easier to hit depth and have a ton of pop. I think all the guys on my old team are using them now and love them. If I remember, they’re a little thinner than the Ace material, so if space is an issue, it may help to get a tight suit up over the briefs. The other thing I’ve been told about the jacks is they don’t cut off your circulation like a tight pair of Aces have a tendency to do. The viking briefs at this point are just outdated, the briefs are cut low (hard to get into and keep a belt over when lifting to maintain support) and the material isn’t that good when you’re looking for briefs that give more support than the pros. In all honesty I would say get a pair of Pro briefs, its a good brief to learn geared squat form in and you can get a ton out of the brief once you do. When the time comes, if you decide to go for a bigger/badder brief then I would look at the Jack briefs. [/quote]

This is what I’ve decided to do. Thank you

12

[quote]Thomasm122 wrote:

[quote]StrengthDawg wrote:
let me ask you this… I own 2 squat suits- an old Titan Super Centurion ( which is loose by gear standards- I can literally get it on in 1 min) and Metal Ace Squatter. I also own a set of Pro briefs… The Pro briefs are sort of ‘stretchy’, compared to the ACE and are very easy to use. I have to put them on cold or I won’t be able to get them on. Little to no “bite marks” afterwards.

They seems to be the most supportive if I stand very wide. In terms of support, I’d actually say they rank just a little better than the Titan suit with the straps down.But the Titan suit leave me looking like I’ve been in a fight with a cougar. The titan stuff will stop you in the hole and it it’s up to you to get the weight up. If you are a good box squatter this may be a very good choice.

The ACE stuff will stop you dead in your tracks also. It is very supportive and the groove is still easy and forgiving. This suit tends to pull my knees in a little bit so I have to push out a little more than usual. The key is to simply keep sitting back into the suit and it will take care of you. Throw the straps on and you get WICKED rebound. For me to hit parallel I have to leave about a hands space in the straps or it’s too tight.

The Centurion Boxer briefs are $95

METAL gear is on sale now…but you prolly knew that.

Metal Pro Briefs are $125 -** I’d get these… you won’t regret it*** Buy them now, while they are on sale!!
Metal Viking Briefs - $175
Metal Ace - $185

I’ve used the Viking briefs. They are similar to the Pro briefs but stop like the Ace. Kind of a hybrid of the two. for just $10 I’d just get the ACE…[/quote]

I’m (IMO) a very good box squatter, in comparison to my free weight squat. One of the main things I was hoping to get out of briefs/suit combo was a lot of stopping power. Now I stll think I’m going to go Pro briefs/Pro squatter, it’s been a while since I’ve been in gear. Okay, I’m good… Thanks for that post though that really helped me out for the future[/quote]

Just to keep going on, if you’re a very good box squatter, you might look down the road at a canvas suit like the leviathan. The pro suit will give you more pop than stopping power. It’s not a bad combo to start out with, but other setups may benefit you more. I really sit back a ton and stay upright in the hold. I get a ton of carryover from my box squat to my geared squat using the leviathan b/c it’s feels like a box squat (it’s why westside loves the leviathan). The canvas is all about stopping power and with the pro brief combo you get pop out of the hole, you just need the speed to lock the weight out. I would say i’m not the strong compared to a lot of others out there, but I really dialed in my form and speed to blast through my weak spots.

13

[quote]Thomasm122 wrote:

[quote]UAphenix wrote:

[quote]frankjl wrote:

[quote]Thomasm122 wrote:

[quote]frankjl wrote:
Metal gear is easy to learn and use and has a very forgiving groove. Not to mention it’s very easy to get your hands on it. I have used Metal briefs and suits before and liked them both, I got around 150 pounds out of the briefs the first time I used them (you and I are the same size).

As far as Metal bench shirts go, they are a pain in the ass to touch with. I have long arms for my height (and I’m 6’4") so touching is extremely difficult. I have a denim shirt too, but it beats me up too much – like I literally have cuts on my arms and chest after using it. If I were to buy a shirt now it would be a Phenom or SDP, just because it seems to be one of the easiest shirts to touch with.[/quote]

Thanks for your help. I’m definitely going to get the Metal pro briefs and squatter. Could you tell me how you sized the briefs? That is a ridiculous carryover.

After reading around a little bit more some people have said that the phenom and SDP are also very very comfortable shirts to wear. Probably going to get a Phenom. Thanks again frankjl

Any other opinions though? [/quote]

I bought the size 50 Metal Pro Briefs. When I first got them, it took quite a while to get them on. The poly material in general seems to stretch quite a bit, so I ended up having the hips and legs taken in 1/2 inch after 4-5 months of use. You and I weigh about the same too, so I’d imagine these would fit you well.[/quote]

Depending on how tight you like your gear, I would say go a size smaller and get 48, I’ve had a pair of Metal Pro Briefs for a couple years and the poly material will loosen up over time, so I think it’s worth it to really be tight as hell the first couple times (took me 30+ minutes to get on and seated properly with help), that way they will be a competition fit. When you first try to get the briefs on it will seem like an impossible feat, but you can work them up, trust me. I like a tight pair of briefs and a little looser suit and when I was going pro/pro brief/suit combo it was nice to not feel like I was being crushed by the suit and actually be able to breath. To give you an idea on how much the material can stretch, I used the same briefs for 181 (a little loose), 198 (dialed in) and a light 220 (tight as hell and took much help to get into and out of). At 220, if I wore them too long my legs turned bluish but I got a PR squat. So the poly material will stretch out.

I really like metal squat and deadlift gear. The squat gear feels like a “hug” compared to the way the other company briefs tear and lock into your leg, so if you’re in them for an extended period, it’s nice not to be miserable the entire time. I’ve used my metal pros with a centurion (pr at 181-440), then metal pro squatter( pr at 198-500) and finally (my favorite) the leviathan (pr at 198 600 and 220 608) and they’ve been very good to me. I’ve tried a couple other briefs; predator and metal aces. The predators were the most painful briefs (hips ached and just painful to get on and off) worked with and my carryover sucked with them. The aces would have been nice if I had got more work in them, but were tossing me around like a rag doll. I always kept going back to my pros and they’ve never failed me.

The metal deadlift suit is the most painful motherf-er I’ve ever used, it literally feel like your junk is getting ripped off and jammed up into your throat. But I pull better and faster with it on and just tell myself lifting heavy shit wasn’t meant to feel good (even if this is a contradiction to my previous statement about how comfortable the briefs are).

For shirt, I like the katana, but it takes some time to get used to the groove. The problem I’ve seen with the phenom is it loosens up very quickly b/c it’s so stretchy, some guys say it looses pop even after a 3-4 workouts. Frank is right on the metal shirts, they’re notoriously hard to touch in… A good rule, unless you have alligator arms, metal shirts get you down to about a 1 board, then you just hover. I’ve heard good things about the new jack shirt (but I’m not sure if that’s legal in the IPA) about being more forgiving to touch in and having good pop. Hope that helps.[/quote]

It does! Thanks for all the advice. I’m gonna do some more research overall on the bench shirt, I’m also going to take your recommendation that I get a 48 pro brief sizing. For my birthday I’m going to get the Metal Pro deadlifter, I really liked that the last time I used it. Even though I think some of the carryover I got out of it could’ve just been a psychological result of the amount of pain it inflicts in your crotch, I experienced the same thing haha. [/quote]

Forgot to add, when I was trying to size up for briefs, I emailed Jo Jordan (he’s staff at elite) and ended up talking to him on the phone about sizing. If you measure yourself, and send them to him and let him know if you want the brief loose, for training or competition fit (generally a size down for each), he will give you good info to get the best fit, so you’re not guessing b/c the sizing chart can be a bit confusing if you’re numbers don’t match up perfectly.

Also, I missed you’re comment about the deadliest suit, and agree 100%, one of my problem is I wait around in the hole to long setting up and that suit definitely expedites the set up b/c I just want to get through the lift and get the f-ing suit off. If I even get 10lbs out of a conventional DL suit I’m happy, you’re not gonna get a ton out of them.

14

^^ A lot of peeps simply pull in their Squat suits… I do sometimes… you’ll certainly do as good as a deadlift suit I would imagine and you can use the money you would have spent on a DL suit and just buy a fuckin bangin Squat suit… consider that.