Surely there’s a lot to be said for that? Like a 120% walkout with squats?
I don’t know about a bench shirt, but I find that slingshot bench works for me. I tend to get stuck a few inches from lockout so top end strength is where I need the most work. I never really got anything out of board presses, bands might actually work better than the slingshot but are hard on the joints. Last time I spent a few weeks benching against bands I got some serious tricep tendinitis.
That’s why you need to go heavy and/or push close to failure. When you are straining to lock out a weight over your raw max you can’t say your triceps aren’t working.
It’s the only assistance exercise that Malanichev uses for bench. There are plenty of others too, Dennis Cornelius posts videos with a slingshot now and then. Josh Bryant has a lot of his clients use it too. It’s a tool, and some people stand to benefit more from it that others.
That’s the other thing, just getting used to stabilizing such heavy weights can have a benefit. The bar used to feel kind of unstable in my hands with around 90% or more until I started using the slingshot regularly. Again, some people benefit more from overloading than others so it’s not like everyone needs to be doing that, but it has the potential to help.
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Go figure. I stand corrected.
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Good discussion here’s gents. I really enjoy benching with the SlingShot (who doesn’t love loading up the bench over your max and repping it?) but haven’t done it consistently enough to say whether it helps my bench or not.
I can say that benching against bands didn’t do anything for me. I Should do a cycle with board presses and see what happens.
A couple notes sort of off topic:
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I haven’t worked out in a few days (5?) but my hip seems to be jacked up at the moment.
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We did FINALLY move into our house on the weekend, so I must have irritated it doing that. Still lots to unpack and some finishing touches (eavestrough installation this week, internet hookup, etc.) but it is so nice to finally be in it and enjoying it.
My new job is very busy, but I’m enjoying it. Every day is a new challenge. Our little guy is awesome and he is on the move! Just over 10months old now and wouldn’t be surprised if he starts walking soon. Takes a few steps in between my wife and I, but mainly crawls as his mode of transportation.
Hope everyone else is doing well!
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So best used say for a few weeks in lieu of heavy bench? To overload triceps and lockout
Which it doesn’t do according to EMG results.
It overloads the whole movement and I suspect the neurological adaption from overloading the movement through the full range of motion is what makes your bench go up (if it goes up).
I wouldn’t do it in place of regular benching, either on a separate day or if you only bench once a week then after your heaviest work set on bench.
When I just used it a bit here and there I never really found I got much out of it (or just couldn’t tell) and at one time I did a lot of close grip benching with the slingshot which seemed to hit my triceps hard but had minimal carryover to my bench. Nowadays I use the slingshot pretty much every week for 2-3 set and I use my regular competition grip an everything, before if I got stuck close to lockout (where I always stick) I had no chance of grinding it out but now its a different story. Also nothing that I can bench raw feels heavy in my hands.
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That was a single study, they weren’t using advanced or elite powerlifters, and while the slingshot is pretty simple to use there is still going to be some learning curve. If you load 10-20% over your max on the bar, stall halfway up, and have to grind like never before to finish the lift then you don’t need EMG to tell you whether your triceps are working.
Does a bench shirt decrease the amount of work done by the triceps? I have never heard anyone claim such a thing, and guys who lift in gear typically focus a lot more on building up their triceps than pecs or shoulders. Shirts and slingshots are essentially the same thing.
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When I moved last time my left hip was all messed up for a while, I figured it was from running up and down stairs all day for three days and not doing any stretching or mobility work. I would try and sort that out sooner than later because it can get worse. In my case I think it was mostly the adductor that tightened up.
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I’ve done a bit of dynamic stretching and some banded pull throughs and it seems to have helped a bit, but it is still noticeably tight. I should do a few short yoga sessions to see if I can shake it.
5/19/2020
5th Set Deadlift
135 x 5
225 x 5
315 x 3
365 x 1
405 x 1
455 x 1
505 x 2 - uh oh, that felt heavy. Light headed after this double.
505 x 2 - not feeling it, nearly called it a day here
505 x 2 - this set was done because I’m stubborn
505 x 2 - why is lifting so hard??
505 x 4 - so my sheet told me I needed to reset all my lifts if I didn’t hit more than 3 reps, so we made it to 4. GG.
Band pullthroughs
15, 15, 15
Pullups
10, 8
Hammer Curls
35 x 15, 15
Bleh, I was due for one of these crappy workouts where the motivation isn’t there and the weights feel heavy.
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5/20/2020
Bonus Workout at home
Got the little man to bed and was still a little frustrated with my effort last night, so loaded up the farmers walk handles just to get some work in.
115lbs per hand x 200’ x 10 trips
Not horrible, but not pleasant. At some point during these 10trips I felt about 20 different muscles communicating that they were getting tired, from my calves to my traps. I do like farmers carry for this reason. Hoping to rotate it into my schedule once every few weeks.
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First of congrats on moving into your new house, that must be a great feeling.
Seeing the little ones getting on their feet is really something, all of the sudden there’s nothing stopping them (remember they can reach and grab everything even on tables and the likes).
Well I wish I could be angry about only getting 4 reps with 505… But I get you. Just remember you’re busy with all other sort of stuff, so going in getting some shit done is fine.
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Congrats mate when is the virtual house warming, I’ll have a vodka or two for you from down here 
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Do you have any idea which muscle/muscles are causing the problem in the first place? I remember my hip just had this vague tightness and I was struggling to hit depth on squats, including light weight without wraps which is not normally a problem. I just figured it would go away but it didn’t and eventually I figured that the left adductors were the problem.
Stretching would help to some degree, but if you can find what it tight or hurts to put pressure on then try rolling it with a lacrosse ball or some sort of myofascial release stuff like that.
This site might help:
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Congrats on the house man @littlesleeper! Exciting times
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@mortdk - It really is great being in our own place and slowly settling in.
@simo74 - Cheers Simo! 
@chris_ottawa - Thanks for the link, Chris. I did manage to get on a foam roller for a few minutes on the weekend and there were a lot of tender spots that I worked on. Already feels much better after a very minor amount of rolling. I say this about a lot of things, but I should try to do this a bit more often!
@johnimperial - Thanks John!
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5th Set Bench
Well, my buddies were doing bench when I got to the gym, so I just did my delt work first.
Side Raises
35 x 12
35 x 12
35 x 12
Rear Delt Raises
15 x 15
15 x 15
15 x 15
Then when buddies were finishing up we started chatting about the bench, and they talked me into maxing out (I’m not a tough sell).
Bench
135 x 10
225 x 3
275 x 1
315 x 1
Debated on what jump to take next and decided to just jump to right to a lifetime PR…probably not the best decision.
380 x 0 - quick to the sticking point and then nothing.
365 x 1 - nice smooth rep, gained confidence that another 15lbs was there.
380 x 0 - A little closer. Hit the sticking point, got it to move another 1/2" and then it froze again.
225 x 2 - ah, elbow a little cranky, not going to push it…it was going to be a rep out but decided against it.
One month from now we are having a little bench max session with a few friends, so I’ll start working some board press into the mix and see if it helps. 3 of us are all around the same bench #'s so it should be a good competition.
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2 Half reps make 1 PR Rep so CONGRATS!!! Also very awesome about the house!! 
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5th Set Squat
135 x 5
225 x 5
315 x 2
365 x 1
405 x 3
405 x 3
405 x 3
405 x 3
405 x 3
Good reps at 405.
Barbell Row
225 x 12, 12, 12
DB Row
100 x 12, 12, 12
BB Shrug
245 x 25, 25
Long workout. Buddy I haven’t seen in a few months was getting a workout in, and we had some catching up to do. Hot day today, over 30 degrees C. May has brought snow, and over 30 degrees temperatures. Canada, eh?
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