Reactive Training Systems

Nick Morneau · Senior Member

What is wrong with my bench and how do I fix it?

Mike Tuchscherer · Guru

I just got a quick minute here, but you've GOT to work in the shirt weekly. Then it should start to improve like your other lifts that you train consistently. Especially if your shirt is super tight (no real danger of the shirt getting too loose). You've got to work in it a lot and get better at it.

Beyond that, I'm no gear expert, so I can't get you a 300 pound carryover or anything, but if you still have crappy carryover after training it weekly, I'll find somebody to help you out.

Nick Morneau · Senior Member

Should I be altering my exercises or just keep them?

As for training in the shirt, how would i go about that if I cant even come close to touching?

Do I still mark the sets worked and try to go about it the same way as another exercise or not even bother and just get the work in. Would working with boards be a good idea in my shirt?

thanks for the help

Mike Tuchscherer · Guru

Alter some of them, but keep others. For example, work in the shirt weekly -- that's one to keep constant. Others may rotate.

As far as what to do about not touching... you have 2 choices. What I do is just go as far as I can and mark the sets from there. The advantage of doing this is that it's quick and if you can get closer than a 2board, then you have the opportunity. Another advantage is it's less variables to measure. The disadvantage is that it's easy to fall into a habit of not touching (and not trying all that hard to touch). Then you end up close to the meet and trying to figure out what it takes to touch, etc.

The other option is to work on boards. The advantage here is that you will work on getting closer and closer to touching (provided you keep the boards at a challenging height). The disadvantage is that it becomes difficult to manage and plan that kind of training.

So pick your poision. Sorry I couldn't be more helpful. The one sure thing is that you need to work in the shirt a lot.

Nick Morneau · Senior Member

Ok thanks for the help.

I am about to go pick up another looser shirt today. I am getting a 52 fury. My tight shirt is a 52 super katana. I think this should help me get into shirt mode and make things a little easier for me. I still have 6 months till my next contest so I have time to work the other shirt in as well.

I think im going to go with just not giving a crap if If I touch or not and just mark the sets regardless. I dont always have a training partner and I am about to start training at home so training with a shirt and boards just complicates things. I might just make it a random thing in my training if the circumstances permit.

thanks again

Dano · Veteran Member

How long have you had the shirt, Nick? I took me well over a month of doing 2 board work and basically heavy negatives to be able to consistently touch in my Katanna(its an old model, not the Super model). Like Mike said, you just have to work the **** out of the shirt. It really, really sucks in the beginning but pays off in the end. The Katannas really, really suck to break in...I can't emphasize that enough, LOL!

Nick Morneau · Senior Member

Dano wrote:

How long have you had the shirt, Nick? I took me well over a month of doing 2 board work and basically heavy negatives to be able to consistently touch in my Katanna(its an old model, not the Super model). Like Mike said, you just have to work the **** out of the shirt. It really, really sucks in the beginning but pays off in the end. The Katannas really, really suck to break in...I can't emphasize that enough, LOL!

Ive had it for a while prob 5 months I think. I am not sure. I already did a contest in it which I went 3 for 3 on bench finishing with a very easy 405.

I was touching for a while before and right now I am to the point of being basically worst then when I first got the shirt.

I just picked up a fury to train in so that I can get used to training in a shirt and handling some heavier weights. I will not quit with the super katana just prob only put it on every month or so then when I get closer to the contest I will put it on more often.

Mike Tuchscherer · Guru

Yeah, if you were touching and now it's a struggle, it's almost certainly an issue of being comfortable in the shirt. It still doesn't address much about carryover, but at least that's one issue you can address.

Nick Morneau · Senior Member

Mike Tuchscherer wrote:

Yeah, if you were touching and now it's a struggle, it's almost certainly an issue of being comfortable in the shirt. It still doesn't address much about carryover, but at least that's one issue you can address.

The shirt got alot tighter from just 1 month ago. I used to be able to put it on by myself then get help to adjust it and crank it down but now I cant even put in by myself and even with another person helping me it doesnt budge at all.

Here is what I was thinking of doing. I was thinking of using my new shirt that I just got yesterday, the fury, and doing more shirt work with chains to really work on speed at the top to teach me how to accelerate better and get used to handling more weight then every ones in a while using my super katana to do some regular shirt work.

I dont think it helps that I have some of the longest arms out there so my bench range is huge.

There is one thing that is bothering me. Should I have a different grip from raw to shirted? I use a ring finger on the ring when going raw and its how I get alot more power but when I shirt bench I use an index finger on the ring making it a slightly wider grip, ie less range of motion but I lose some power for sure.

When I go raw my ring finger on the ring prob has like 20-30lbs heavier than I can go with my index finger on the ring so should I keep the ring finger on the ring for shirted work as well?

Date: Feb 15, 2009

Nick Morneau wrote:

There is one thing that is bothering me. Should I have a different grip from raw to shirted?

I don't.

Also, that sounds like a good plan regarding the shirt work.

Mike Tuchscherer

Dano · Veteran Member

Anonymous wrote:

Nick Morneau wrote:

There is one thing that is bothering me. Should I have a different grip from raw to shirted?
I don't.

Also, that sounds like a good plan regarding the shirt work.

Mike Tuchscherer

Yeah, I second the hand placement. Train like you compete. I used to do what you are doing and move my hands in for raw work because I felt stronger, but once I started training with the same had placement all the time(index finger on the rings), I got stronger raw and in the shirt.

Nick Morneau · Senior Member

Should I change my competition grip (INDEX FINGER ON RING) to my raw training grip(I made a mistake its middle finger on ring)?

Its not a huge difference in terms of hand placement but the comfort level is far better with my middle finger on the ring.

MichaelG · Senior Member

I think a lot of guys go closer for raw work to save their shoulders, but if you're more comfortable/stronger with middle on the ring then do that. The difference in ROM seems minimal shifting one finger width either way.

Mark Robinson · Senior Member

Is it a good idea to go wider when you get a shirt on then? I'm going to be starting soon. Currently have pinky on the ring when working raw...

Nick Morneau · Senior Member

Mark Robinson wrote:

Is it a good idea to go wider when you get a shirt on then? I'm going to be starting soon. Currently have pinky on the ring when working raw...

Thats what they say.