New Raw Bench Record

Training Powerlifting
41

[quote]ConorM wrote:
No I didn’t.
[/quote]

I didn’t say you did. Other readers did.

There are plenty of raw competitions available. The great thing and horrible thing about powerlifting is that we have choices of how and where we lift. So we get to vote with our presence at meets. So far, we mostly keep voting for gear.

Most guys view shirted benching as more interesting, if that’s any help.

But you did say that it was half as impressive as Mendy’s 715, but then Mendy can’t bench 1000 in a shirt. They are separate things, so I think direct comparisons like you made are invalid.

Strength is specific to the activity. If you say you can bench press 400lbs and then I can say I can lift 500lbs, you’ll ask, “Lift?” Then I say that I meant I can leg press 500lbs and you will ignore me, because they are separate measures of strength. This is the same thing with shirted benching and raw benching. If Mendy can get more off his chest than Rychlak, but can’t 3 board more than him, then I don’t know who is “stronger”. That is an indivudal choice.

And that’s fine, but a majority of powerlifters have different opinions.

To be honest, I actually agree with you. I’d rather see severely limited shirts (for those that have legitimate health issues) or raw lifting be the standard, but I will say that shirted benching is a lot of fun.

That is not why you got “flamed”. I responded to the manner in which you expressed yourself (hyperbole to make shrited benching look like a joke). It’s not because you’re some kind of rebel bringing up questions that EVERY POWERLIFTER HASN’T ALREADY ASKED THEIRSELF.

You ask for that after your inital inflammatory post? Okay, sure.

I have no respect for those that don’t bring respect to the table, which you didn’t.

42

With that, I’m done with this topic. If you have grave concerns over the path of powerlifting, go to a PL gym, go to a meet, and get involved. Go talk to people first hand instead of pissing and moaning about things on the internet. Before you whine about something, make sure you actually give a damn about it and are well-versed on the topic.

43

As I have said, the shirt is like an artificial rotator cuff. With that being said, is it beneficial to learn to become dependent on the shirt instead of training your rotator cuff strength to bear the load?

I compete equipped. Yet, I have questions as to the validity of geared lifting.

beef

44

Oh my god rick, what did I just tell you. STOP QUOTING THE SAME THING MULTIPLE TIMES. Again, I’m not reading that. You’re too stupid to quote single peices of text. Good job!!! Yay for public schooling!!!

45

Here’s the real problem with shirts. I’ve seen many guys come to a meet and hit a 350-365 bench with a shirt. Only a few would admit what their ‘real’ bench was. These few guys told me they could only bench 265-285 without a shirt. That is a joke. Shirts aren’t for safety. You want safety take up Golf. Shirts and suits and wraps are for ego, bragging rights, so the guy can go to the office on Monday and say he benched 350. It’s a shame this attitude has carried over to the highest levels of the ‘sport’.

When the Olympics were in Atlanta I read something in PLUSA about how someone was trying to get PLifting in the Olympics and the Olympic officials said “What is all this gear the lifters are wearing?”. Compare Olympic lifters, guys don’t even wear belts. Yea Louie said his bottle of test never lifted anything but it damn sure helped him lift alot. Squat suits are an equal joke. I could squat 455 with only a belt, no wraps, no suit. At a meet I hit 525 with a suit and wraps. Same meet I hit 325 on a bench with only a tshirt.

At the highest levels of Powerlifting the strongest guys now would still be the strongest guys if all equipment was done away with, where the sport would change is in the small meets where guys like me would have to take hundreds of pounds off thier bragging rights.

Barry

46

I actually suspect that shirt benching will lose popularity in the long run. It has got a boost now since they’ve broken record after record all the way to over one grand. But for most lifters, they can’t relate to how heavy a grand really is.

Most guys, some time in their life, even the most fattest and laziest, attempts a bench press. So they lifted 140lbs, and thought, shit that was heavy. A year later they turn on the TV, and watch a guy do the same lift, but with 715lbs. They’ll be completly in awe. Almost unreal strength. However when watching some other guy do something that seem similar, except a very reduced ROM and weird shirt that is said to help alot, they have no idea how much it is. I have no idea how much it is. 800lbs? Sounds great. 1015? Superb! 2250? Umm… awesome! 4000? Sure, that’s a lot of weight man.

47

[quote]GriffinC wrote:
Oh my god rick, what did I just tell you. STOP QUOTING THE SAME THING MULTIPLE TIMES. Again, I’m not reading that. You’re too stupid to quote single peices of text. Good job!!! Yay for public schooling!!![/quote]

You are so stupid.

48

[quote]mozhne wrote:
Here’s the real problem with shirts. I’ve seen many guys come to a meet and hit a 350-365 bench with a shirt. Only a few would admit what their ‘real’ bench was. These few guys told me they could only bench 265-285 without a shirt. That is a joke. Shirts aren’t for safety. You want safety take up Golf. Shirts and suits and wraps are for ego, bragging rights, so the guy can go to the office on Monday and say he benched 350. It’s a shame this attitude has carried over to the highest levels of the ‘sport’.

When the Olympics were in Atlanta I read something in PLUSA about how someone was trying to get PLifting in the Olympics and the Olympic officials said “What is all this gear the lifters are wearing?”. Compare Olympic lifters, guys don’t even wear belts. Yea Louie said his bottle of test never lifted anything but it damn sure helped him lift alot. Squat suits are an equal joke. I could squat 455 with only a belt, no wraps, no suit. At a meet I hit 525 with a suit and wraps. Same meet I hit 325 on a bench with only a tshirt.

At the highest levels of Powerlifting the strongest guys now would still be the strongest guys if all equipment was done away with, where the sport would change is in the small meets where guys like me would have to take hundreds of pounds off thier bragging rights.

Barry[/quote]

I don’t claim to have ever used gear, and I have all the respect in the world for guys squatting or benching a grand no matter what they’re wearing, but this is a great point.

49

[quote]wijc wrote:
GriffinC wrote:
Oh my god rick, what did I just tell you. STOP QUOTING THE SAME THING MULTIPLE TIMES. Again, I’m not reading that. You’re too stupid to quote single peices of text. Good job!!! Yay for public schooling!!!

You are so stupid.
[/quote]

Second

50

[quote]wijc wrote:
GriffinC wrote:
Oh my god rick, what did I just tell you. STOP QUOTING THE SAME THING MULTIPLE TIMES. Again, I’m not reading that. You’re too stupid to quote single peices of text. Good job!!! Yay for public schooling!!!

You are so stupid.
[/quote]

Uh oh, someone else wants to look tough over the internet!!! Oh noes!! What ever will I do!!! His e-penis is so much larger than mine, but I must argue!! I MUST!!! Without arguing over the internet, I’d surely be labeled as a “non-loser”. Oh well…

51

It does seem that within the powerlifting community there has been a bit of a backlash or a “cooling” recently regarding the use of the shirts, what with Louis Simmons himself coming out and saying that guys are getting carried away with the shirts and not focusing enough on getting stronger.

Equipment controversies are not new to powerlifting… they’ve always been around.

The bottom line is that non-powerlifters have no need for bench shirts. Powerlifters should choose the federation they fill most comfortable with based on the rules and regs. regarding equipment, drugs, etc.

52

[quote]GriffinC wrote:
Oh my god rick, what did I just tell you. STOP QUOTING THE SAME THING MULTIPLE TIMES. Again, I’m not reading that. You’re too stupid to quote single peices of text. Good job!!! Yay for public schooling!!![/quote]

Dude, I don’t understand what’s so confusing about his use of quotes. He’s breaking apart your paragraphs into points and addressing each one individually. I do it all the time and its actually much easier to understand.

53

Bench Shirts What is next? Are they going to attach a Spring to your ASS to aid with Squats? Or put bands on each end of the bar attached to the ceiling for Dead Lifts? Lift the damn weight without any gear. It means much more to your psyche.

Sure, both records are impressive but come on guys. Nothing against any of you that bench with gear, but to me it just means more to do it without any aids.

Now if it is for competition and everybody is using them, I understand to keep up you have to, but for you people just going for a PR, do it on your own. You will definately feel better about yourself.

54

[quote]turbo43 wrote:
Bench Shirts What is next? Are they going to attach a Spring to your ASS to aid with Squats? Or put bands on each end of the bar attached to the ceiling for Dead Lifts? Lift the damn weight without any gear. It means much more to your psyche.

Sure, both records are impressive but come on guys. Nothing against any of you that bench with gear, but to me it just means more to do it without any aids.

Now if it is for competition and everybody is using them, I understand to keep up you have to, but for you people just going for a PR, do it on your own. You will definately feel better about yourself. [/quote]

Obviously you do not compete. The aformentioned bench record is that of a man who does in fact comepete in gear. Although he does have the raw bench record he does not have the geared bench record and thus proves the fact that putting on a bench shirt does not guarantee you another 100lbs+.

Ideally the stronger your raw lifts are the stronger your geared lifts will be. However, that is not always the case as “things” can happen everytime you gear up.

What I do not understand about this thread and the THOUSANDS of others EXACTLY like it, is why those of you who do not compete have such a hard on for powerlifters and our gear.

It’s ok to be small and weak. You too have your place in the world.

55

[quote]SWR-1222D wrote:

My personal problem area has always been my lock-out, where my best friend (who’s also competitive) has the most trouble off his chest. The shirt is going to help both of us because I’m going to get more monentum in the beggining which will help me fully lock out.

I know that I need more work on my tris and that I need to practice with a shirt.[/quote]

Just make sure you do a lot of board pressing to get your tricep strength up before putting on a bench shirt.
The idea of wearing the shirt to increase tricep strength is a bit flawed since you said it yourself… you can use the momentum to carry you to lockout.
Try board pressing with a dead stop at the bottom. Let the bar sink into the board then press from a dead stop. this will build some serious tricep strength.

56

[quote]Ericka wrote:

Ideally the stronger your raw lifts are the stronger your geared lifts will be. However, that is not always the case as “things” can happen everytime you gear up.
[/quote]

I prefer raw lifting and used to be anti-gear but threads like this have educated me about gear. I realize that the elite lifters in powerlifting that use gear are still strong as hell whether they wear gear or not, and that is the bottom line.

Raw or gear or both, it is simply an issue of personal preference.

Does someone have to compete in football to watch it or to have an opinion? No, of course not. The same goes for powerlifting.

As long as someone states their opinion without personally attacking individuals, it should all be good.

Debate and different opinions are a good thing. It would be boring if everyone on this site were “yes men” and “yes women” and never disagreed.

57

[quote]Ericka wrote:
turbo43 wrote:
Bench Shirts What is next? Are they going to attach a Spring to your ASS to aid with Squats? Or put bands on each end of the bar attached to the ceiling for Dead Lifts? Lift the damn weight without any gear. It means much more to your psyche.

Sure, both records are impressive but come on guys. Nothing against any of you that bench with gear, but to me it just means more to do it without any aids.

Now if it is for competition and everybody is using them, I understand to keep up you have to, but for you people just going for a PR, do it on your own. You will definately feel better about yourself.

Obviously you do not compete. The aformentioned bench record is that of a man who does in fact comepete in gear. Although he does have the raw bench record he does not have the geared bench record and thus proves the fact that putting on a bench shirt does not guarantee you another 100lbs+.

Ideally the stronger your raw lifts are the stronger your geared lifts will be. However, that is not always the case as “things” can happen everytime you gear up.

What I do not understand about this thread and the THOUSANDS of others EXACTLY like it, is why those of you who do not compete have such a hard on for powerlifters and our gear.

It’s ok to be small and weak. You too have your place in the world.

[/quote]

Umm… I get a hard on over just about anything… I hope this answers your question.

V

58

Why do people justify gear because of safety? I have seen so many accidents occur because of gear. Gear gives support in some areas but not all. When bench shirts tear, the consequences are disastrous. I guarantee when I get my knees wrapped at contest, the pressure from my knee wraps ramming my knee caps into my femur is NOT heathy/safe.

Gear:Powerlifters = Pads:Football players. That is an incorrect analogy. If there was shoe that augmented running speed 20+%, then that would be equivalent to gear.

What is powerlifting? Is it a measure of an individual’s strength? If I were doing a scientific study to gage squat, bench press, and deadlift strength, I would not include. Practicing powerlifting does not necessitate the use of gear. In other sports, bicycling, rowing, pole vault, inherent in their name, mastering the use of equipment is a must.

Beef

59

[quote]Ericka wrote:
he does not have the geared bench record and thus proves the fact that putting on a bench shirt does not guarantee you another 100lbs+.

[/quote]

So, I’ve already argued in raw vs. gear threads and they go nowhere so i dont care that much, and im sure you already knew what im going to point out, but he has benched 875 in competition in a shirt, and by my calculations, thats 160 lbs by throwing on the shirt. Mendelson is a beast.

60

[quote]beefcakemdphd wrote:
Gear:Powerlifters = Pads:Football players. That is an incorrect analogy. If there was shoe that augmented running speed 20+%, then that would be equivalent to gear.
[/quote]

I know I could hit harder and perform the sport of football better when I was wearing pads. Running speed is also improved with the shoes they wear.

Try playing a football game with no pads and no shoes, then see how hard you can hit and how fast you can run.

It’s part of the sport, so if you want to excell in that sport, you should use everything the sport allows to improve your end result. Sprinters use the best shoes for their sport that are allowed.

You don’t see any of them wearing boots and crying because the other sprinters are using lighter, more flexible sneakers, that are designed for sprinting (and add no level of protection by the way).

You can’t complain when athletes are following the rules of their sport.