Ok so I got a semi messed up shoulder. When doing a 1 board press or higher my shoulder doesn’t give me much trouble but off the chest and it aches for a day or two. I “need” surgery (torn Labrum) but I’m just living with it for now. I was watching a bunch of you tube videos of sling shot and such and wondered if it would help prolong my shoulders “life” so to speak. I did an X band press with a light band on Sunday messing around and everything felt good. I was wondering if anyone has actually used the slingshot or Ram and what you guys thought of it. I mean it’s only $50-65 so it may be just worth it regardless. I’m wondering if I may be better off just benching with chains? IDK… thoughts?
Use both red/black slingshots (single/double ply) and I’ve used the Ram. I’d say the more you arch and tuck your elbows the more likely you’d want the slingshot, whereas if you don’t arch much and don’t tuck much then a RAM has better shoulder position and lays a bit more flat across the chest and less angled. As far as saving the shoulders - it definitely does. We use them to help overload the top portion and use them in conjunction with boards, chains, and bands. Another thing that may help is to minimize full range and save going down to full range and or 1 board as you get closer to a meet. 2 Board for me has a good bit of carryover and other than a down set after my ME work I tend to stick with 2 board + which relieves my shoulder stress a good bit.
Awesome Thanks LM for the feedback!.
Think I’ll roll with the Titan. I don’t have a huge “cat takin a shit” arch lol & Since I blew out my shoulder I’ve noticed that I have to leave my elbows out around 45 deg ish or the front delt area starts to bug me. I’m benching raw so I really don’t need extremem tuck anyway and CGBP sucks for me now for anything less than a 2 board.
Hey StrengthDawg, when did you get the injury? I’m similarly pushing around a labral tear, from a couple of years ago. It’d be great to hear how you go with it. Best of luck
I bench raw and use slingshot more than the RAM and tuck less than 45 degree so when I say tuck I’m not talking bench shirt tuck really. Can’t go wrong with either and the differences aren’t huge. If CGBP sucks then this will help big time since you’ll be able to overload the top end. I’ve seen my CGBP go up about 50 lbs or so since using it for the last 4-5 months.
[quote]MegaDavo891 wrote:
Hey StrengthDawg, when did you get the injury? I’m similarly pushing around a labral tear, from a couple of years ago. It’d be great to hear how you go with it. Best of luck [/quote]
I got it a few years ago. My bro in law was shooting the shit with some dude about how swole Victor Martinez was If I remember correctly and I was doing DB presses with an 80# DB ( the biggest in that gym) I had a light band behind my back to make it heavier. I was eking out a last rep or two when he suddenly paid attention to me, grabbed my wrist and pushed my elbow inwards which made my arm straighten out and POW all that energy went right into my little Labrum. HA. It hurt like hell for a few weeks. I just thought I’d strained something but I knew deep down something wasn’t right. I just started doing a shit load of shoulder stuff. Light weights but lots of reps. I was GTG for the most part. I’d get wicked Biceps tendonitus from squatting with a straight bar from time to time. A few months ago I was “working out” with my crossfitting buddy trying to convert him to PL and we did a circuit. Against my better judgement I did dips and I reinjured my shoulder. This time I got an MRI and doc dsays that I have a torn Labrum and need surgury. Well it worked for me the first time and it’s working so far. I’ve been doing some chaos benching with a fiberglass pole (homemade bandbell bar) I’ve had 200# on it for a test, which is more than enough weight for what I need it to do. Basically the doc says that my shoulder muscles are what’s holding my shoulder bone in place. I’ve just been trying to make those supporting muscles as strong as possible. Performance wise I’m doing pretty good. I typically bench now using a Yoga block or 1/2 of one stuck in my shirt to take that lkast little bit of range of motion out of the equasion. This has helped me tremendously. I’ve also bought a EFS Spider bar, and I have a Yoke bar to squat with so that my shoulders don’t have to get all hosed up holding a TPB.
[quote]LiquidMercury wrote:
I bench raw and use slingshot more than the RAM and tuck less than 45 degree so when I say tuck I’m not talking bench shirt tuck really. Can’t go wrong with either and the differences aren’t huge. If CGBP sucks then this will help big time since you’ll be able to overload the top end. I’ve seen my CGBP go up about 50 lbs or so since using it for the last 4-5 months.[/quote]
Cool man… When I say “sucks” I guess I should have said it makes my shoulder feel like it’s gonna pop out the front of my socket lol. So I just do heavy board presses instead.
Thinking about getting one to help my raw bench instead of my 2 or 3 bd work. Probably gonna get slingshot single ply since i’m an arched bencher
What is the slingshot for? What does it do?
Maurader Meat in the +35 forum is using the ram. I think he has a competition this weekend, where he is wearing it. I think I’d go get his input.
A competition that allows a titan ram? uhhh
[quote]McDouche wrote:
Thinking about getting one to help my raw bench instead of my 2 or 3 bd work. Probably gonna get slingshot single ply since i’m an arched bencher[/quote]
I use my multiply more than my single ply (have both) and I use them in conjunction with boards as well to really over load my lockout and just to build confidence with heavier weights. As I get closer to a meet I’ll start dropping boards down and eventually drop the slingshot and get in my competition bench setup and start pausing. This has really kept my shoulders healthy when previously I had a lot of issues. I’m also a raw bencher.
[quote]greystoke wrote:
Maurader Meat in the +35 forum is using the ram. I think he has a competition this weekend, where he is wearing it. I think I’d go get his input.[/quote]
Last I checked Meat hadn’t used the slingshot. I’m just lucky that the crew I train with ranges in age from 25-62 and have every tool imaginable - we’ve got slingshots in every size, every ply, and same with the RAM. I don’t really think the advice will change much and most of the guys I bench with are 500-600+ benchers (me being by far the weakest) and most of them tend to use the slingshot more than the ram though it varies week to week.
We’ve modified a few of the ram’s sleeves to allow for a slightly different angle which seems to alleviate stress more. All and all I like the chest plate of the ram best and the arm angles on the slingshots best. The new super ram is also great fun to hop into.
Personally I think they should start doing more meets with these. When it takes you 2 (or more) guys and a set of ratchets just to get you into a shirt something is just off. These are easy, and safe to use - more so than a bench shirt in my opinion and I’d love to see something official come around with it.
I will definitely have to look into one of these when I have the money.