Thoughts on his experience and advice on getting used to his shirt:So I ordered a Titan F6 44' when my chest is only 40' since it is my first time using a bench shirt and I didn't want it to be too tight. I got it on easily over my chest but there was no way in hell I could pull my arms back like I was doing a bench press manouver (and it was tight as hell around my biceps which are about 15' flexed). I put on 3 plates (315) which is like my raw max and tried to lift it, and it only went to like 3 inches above my chest but it felt like it was really pinching the bottom-back part of my shoulder behind my armpit. Yeah it felt easier than lifting the weight raw, but it felt really awkward and there was no way I could get it down to my chest. When I took off the shirt I had torn the skin off where it had been pinching and on the front part of my chest beside my armpit. Is this a normal experience for the first time you use a shirt? I've read in some forums that some people gain 35 lb when they use a shirt for the first time. Am I putting on the shirt right? Since I got the shirt 4 inches bigger than my chest, shouldn't I be able to touch the weight with my max? Also, is there any point training with a shirt if you can't even touch without going way above what you can lift (i.e. should I stick with the shirt)? Finally, is there anyone here that is from Connecticut (because I'm a really inexperienced lifter and the guy who helped me put it on is my roomate who can barely curl a pencil)? The shirt just wasn't what I was expecting for the first try. It was really easy to get on but constrained my elbows so much that I couldn't even do a regular pushup due to the tightness around my armpits. But I guess I'll stick with it for a few weeks and if it still continues leaving bruises/torn skin I think I'll just stick to RAW benching!
keep working with it and you will learn to love it... about the arms, ull get use to it (my arms are a measily 15ish and i get a 40 on in like 2 seconds) and touching takes time, in my 42 rage x which is like 2-3 sizes to big it took me like 5-6 weeks to touch something i could actually press..
you should get more that 35 pounds out of your shirt the first time you have it on i had a kinda tight titan one years ago for my first shirt and got 90 pounds out of it right their which was really good then but now i get a lot more out of my shirt now that i have more experience so just take your time and get to know your shirt it be the best thing ever trust me
try searching some more because there is an infinite amount of info on tips and tricks for getting on a shirt and getting the most out of a shirt. Not sure but it sounds like you just put the shirt on and tried to go bench something. There needs to be a more caculated approach than that. Try taking it down to some boards first and make sure you are warmed up before you put the shirt on. Learn the groove of the shirt and placement before you let your mind wander to other conclusions. For your first time in a shirt ever you experience is pretty common so stick with it get your money out of the thing.
It sounds like the shirt is perfect for a first shirt. The wounds under your arm are "badges of honor". Welcome to shirt benching. Get some side spotters and try to touch the weight a little lower down your chest than usual. It would really help if you had some experienced shirt lifters to help. If not try to hit one of the MM seminars. Well worth the $.
give your shirt more time and warm up with boards. I started out with a rage X single and the first time I used it only got maybe 25-30 pounds. After a few months training in it and learning the groove i get over 100 out of it and have moved up to a 2 ply and get 200 out of this shirt. Take the time to learn the groove and hammer your tri's. And the bruising and bleeding are just beauty marks!
Be sure to do this to make sure your arms are seated all the way in. After you and your partner have pulled it on as for as possible put about your raw max on the bar and bring it down to about 2 boards or around 3 inches from touching. Then repull the shirt. It will seat in a little farther after that pre-stretch. Then add weight as you can handle it each workout until you finally get a clean touch with a weight you can ram back up. Be patient and the shirt should work for you. Another little trick to get it seated is to pull down just under the arm pit as you push your arm and fist straight up a few times.
I don't know about everybody else but all of my shirts leave cuts and bruises.If it aint hurtin,it aint workin.Thereare several lifters here from CT.You need to get with some of them for help.Don't puss out yet.Give it some time and it will come.
make sure you have your elbows exposed, fold the sleeves up if you have to. and also make sure you tuck your elbows in toward your sides as you bring the bar down, for good instructions for putting on you titan try liftinglarge.com click on the link that says "getting the most out fo your bench shirt"
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Jon, You, I, and a few
Doc, Why don't you just
Hey Doc...,if you don't mind
i appreciate your post doc
Some well articulated
Hank, good luck with your
Gentlemen, I've never in my
Ummm...so then you pull the
They make young lifters feel
I logged in to read about
Hey Hank..., a little
I wanted to ask the
I've got 3 competitions
Might a better way to look
Doc deserves to be respected
maybe it just needs to be
I don't care for the
Equipped lifter compete
I know its friendy. That's
shirted belly lifting isn't
Hank, best of luck training
you guys on here are playing
Hopefully, we're not
Jon, Don't feel I am ready
Hank, nice numbers and
Looks like things are going
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Hey! I read your post and
Hopefully, we're not
Eighth squats and on the
I don't remember the names
"again no flaming
Yep, let's move on unless