Bench Shirts

I've seen a couple people use them before. The guys had big bellys and looked rather silly. It took about five minutes to get the shirt on one of the guys.

I don't know enough about them to provide an educated opinion about them...however they seem like cheating to me.
 
LambdaCalc said:
I don't know enough about them to provide an educated opinion about them...however they seem like cheating to me.
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I believe they are used for support, just like weight belts and wrist straps.
 
American Gene Rychlak that did a little over 1,000lbs. on his bench press for the world record... I think he uses a bench shirt.
 
swolejah said:
American Gene Rychlak that did a little over 1,000lbs. on his bench press for the world record... I think he uses a bench shirt.
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o he definitly does use a shirt... i think the record without a shirt, which means using just your own body, is like 735 by mendelson. maybe some one can verify that.
 
It's not outright cheating, but it is kind of unfair. I don't use wristwraps or a belt. I just work on my grip, and keep my back strong. If you were in a benchpress contest, and some guy beat out everyone else wearing a bench shirt, the other guys would most likely say he was cheating. If your joints can't take the strain, that should tell you something.
 
AlreadyPackin' said:
It's not outright cheating, but it is kind of unfair. I don't use wristwraps or a belt. I just work on my grip, and keep my back strong. If you were in a benchpress contest, and some guy beat out everyone else wearing a bench shirt, the other guys would most likely say he was cheating. If your joints can't take the strain, that should tell you something.
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How is it cheating?

A bench shirt is just part of the equipment that you use if you compete in the sport of powerlifting. If you want to lift in a raw meet, do so, but if you compete in a standard PL meet, prepare to lose if you don't use a shirt. It's kind of like saying that runners can't use shoes because you showed up to a track meet barefoot.

That said, I don't use a shirt and only use a belt if I'm maxing on squats or deads. If I ever decide to compete in powerlifting, I'll get a shirt, squat suit, etc. And if I decide to compete in running, I'd go buy some good running shoes.
 
Well, it's definitely not cheating if it is allowed and considered standard equipment. But what are the benefits of your average weight trainer using a bench shirt; someone that is not lifting ridonculous amounts of weight?
 
I have a problem with the bench shirt for a couple reasons:
1.) it is not essential. It was first made for protection, but now its getting crazy, there is bascially a 300lb difference between the shirt and raw records.
People try to compare it to other sports equipment. Like sprinters shoes for instance, but a spritners shoes arent going to changer their mile from 6 minutest to 4 minutes

2.) It seems purely and utterly just for show, just to say yea i can bench 1,005lbs.

I really dont understand why we cant just keep it all raw, like in the golden days :(
 
LambdaCalc said:
Well, it's definitely not cheating if it is allowed and considered standard equipment. But what are the benefits of your average weight trainer using a bench shirt; someone that is not lifting ridonculous amounts of weight?
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There's really no benefit unless you're having shoulder problems or are susceptible to them. But for a PLer, it's just standard.

People try to compare it to other sports equipment. Like sprinters shoes for instance, but a spritners shoes arent going to changer their mile from 6 minutest to 4 minutes
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It may. Have you ever tried running a mile barefoot? Or a 400m sprint? Try it sometime and get back to me on how much shoes help.

2.) It seems purely and utterly just for show, just to say yea i can bench 1,005lbs.

I really dont understand why we cant just keep it all raw, like in the golden days :(
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That may be. A 1,000 lb bench is cool as crap in my book. Sure, you have to take the shirt into account, but it's still impressive as hell.

Also, there are raw feds and there are feds that have raw divisions. Just like there are BB competitions that are natural. And I'm sure there are barefoot races out there too. Just like the old days. Before footwear. :D
 
I don't agree with bench shirts but i don't oppose them either... If i ever did a PL contest then i would wear them only so that i'm competing on a level playing field. Outside of competition, i think there's little use for them.
 
I said it wasn't outright cheating. I said it was kind of unfair. As pointed out, they are NOT essential. Unlike in the old days, how many people go around without shoes all the time? Unless they're rednecks or beatnicks, there aren't many. If I told someone I could do 500 pull-ups, then whipped out a bungee-cord to hook to my belt, they would think something was up. "How much can you do without it?" "Oh, it's just my standard equipment." It may not be cheating, but it is a crutch.
 
I never said anything about shirts being essential (shoes aren't either, however). But, like sikdogg pointed out, it IS essential if you want to compete on a level playing field. Why do male gymnasts use grips on high bar and rings? They aren't essential. They make it easier to hold on. Is it cheating? Hell no. It's standard equipment. If you want to short yourself, don't use the grips at a meet. But tell a gymnast that he shouldn't use grips because it isn't fair to those that don't use them and he'll laugh at you. Why is a bench shirt different in a PL meet?
 
I'm just saying that I think we should just have kept it raw, w/o no shirt...How are shoes not essential for running? (they ran w/o shoes during the greek and roman eras). You Take away the shirt and the guy who benched 1005 now benches around 600. I thought powerlifting was about strenght.
 
You can't run/walk without shoes without eventually get wounded. So shoes are more than just a piece of equipment.

You CAN bench without shirt... With no chances to get wounded, except if you are stupid.

I guess there is more merit to a guy that lifts 700 lbs w/o any equipment, than the other one that uses everything he can to help him lift more.
 
im2manly said:
Dude shoes are essential in running, bench shirt isn't.
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Zola budd used to run and win bare footed.

For those saying a bench shirt is cheating/unfair advantage then the answer is simple compete in a federation that doesn't allow bench shirts.
 
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