Is that fake

[exter]

He has zero mass , zero bodyfat , zero definition , how can he bench 195KG ?

[hamburgerfan]

He's wearing a bench shirt.

[51M0n]

Not fake, but he's wearing a bench shirt.

[Les Hahn]

Yeah, even single ply bench shirts can add a lot if used right. The kid that just started training with us (20 years old, 150lbs) competes in the USAPL single ply. He benches around 150 raw, and he has done 250 with a loose shirt that wasn't even his in competition. So he gets 100 out of a loose shirt. I sort of found the same thing when I borrowed someone's shirt. I was getting 100 pretty fast, and it was loose in the arms.

[exter]

I see.
How can a a shirt add 100 to your bench ?

[51M0n]

Some of the heavier double ply shirts add upwards of 300. But it's not normally the case that you chuck on a shirt and your bench goes up massively. Benching with a shirt is highly technical. The Japanese guys in the IPF are particularly good at eking out every lb from their shirts.

[GOMAD]

What is the point of these shirts ? Why would anyone care enough about a lift that's highly dependent on an aid like this for there to be a competition around it? I suppose it's like steroids but on the 'outside'.

[Les Hahn]

I see.
How can a a shirt add 100 to your bench ?

Some of the heavier double ply shirts add upwards of 300. But it's not normally the case that you chuck on a shirt and your bench goes up massively. Benching with a shirt is highly technical. The Japanese guys in the IPF are particularly good at eking out every lb from their shirts.

Yep, that is pretty much it. I would say that the first time I put the shirt on, I probably could of added 50lbs to my bench. The problem is that 50lbs over your max probably is nowhere near enough to get the weight down to your chest. You might need 100+ (I think I needed 100 with the looser shirt). This would be all well and good, but you probably can't lockout that much weight. The top range of the bench shirt is pretty much all you, so it makes it tricky when you first start training. The same thing would happen with the beefy multi ply shirts, only it gets more compounded. Throwing 300lbs over your max the first time would get you crushed! :-)

Basically you have to train for benching in the shirt. Your form is a little different, but you also have to change up your assistance exercises. Having really good lockout strength is important too. This is why you can't just throw one on and get a huge boost out of it. You will instantly notice that you feel really tight and stable on the bottom of the lift. The shirt gives you a great platform to start your bench, and it feels lighter on the bottom. As you press it up, you transition to having to finish the lockout phase by yourself.

I personally like just going raw, but I do think bench shirts can keep the older guys benching heavy much longer. Your shoulders are much more protected when using the shirt, and there is less of a chance of blowing anything out. Of course some of this safety is negated if you go multi ply and attempt to bench 800+. :-) But for older guys, having a loose Inzer blast shirt is probably going to add 10-20lbs to your bench, and it will help keep them benching.

[Les Hahn]

What is the point of these shirts ? Why would anyone care enough about a lift that's highly dependent on an aid like this for there to be a competition around it? I suppose it's like steroids but on the 'outside'.

See my response for safety in the looser shirts.

But for guys that are using tight katanas or heavy multi ply stuff, it is just a different flavor of strength. In reality, the all raw type lifting is the new thing right now. The IPF has been lifting in gear for a LONG time. They actually had their first raw world competition this year, and they have been having meets since 1972.

[Immortal_k]

Even if that shirt did add 100lb to his bench all on it's own (it doesn't), that's still ~319lb. Impressive for someone that small and thin.

GOMAD! =p