Squat Suits and Bench Shirts

[Big_Ben]

Hey All

After sifting through all the posts and serching for a good half hour could not find a related topic discussing when and how to use the gear.

Im 6 2" and sitting around 100kg. Have made a considerable effort to intensify training over the past 6 months, and im gettin goodd gains, also conserntrating on form. dont want to cheat, only workout working against me in future anyway, current lifts are

Bench=110kg

DL= 200kg

Squat=150 (on a good day)

Also rows and the usual legpress blah blah, just trying to smash the weight.

Anyway, i feel ive got a good base to work with over the next year or 2 to maybe get into competive powerlfiting. I want to get used to using the gear and seing if it will help my training as up2 now has been completly raw other than a belt.

Looking at opinions/advice from the PL bros to see weather itd be a good way to go or not whatever?? Any thoughts ?? Oh also im 18 if that counts for anything...

Thanks for your time

Ben

[BarBrother]

Have u tried using knee wraps or anything else yet,

One of my regrets was never doing a raw competition, i would say train for that then build up ur networks of other PL to get some loose gear to try and get used to the different grooves, it will all be very new to you so u want to get the right advice from people that have been there, are u on PH forum? be good to have a look on there too mate.

[tinytraps]

Bro you dont happen to train at genetics do you?

I would say Ive jumped into the pl gear a bit early, I dont really want to get into a squat suit until im hittin 2xbw squat and deadlift, personally I think a bench shirt is a lot easier to learn and you can get into it lot quicker. As barbrother said hook up with some powerlifting boys and try and get some loose gear. If you struggle with this get a hold of Tonka and hell hook you up. Compete raw for a bit then jump into it.

Stay strong and SFW!

[Tonka]

Hey Ben,

you are most definitely on the right track and lifting RAW is the ideal way to build your strength base. I would encourage you to stay with this, especially being so young you have many years ahead of you to get into gear. Too many lifters get into suits/shirts way to early sacrificing big kgs on their lifts because they they become reliant on them. I would maybe look at buying knee wraps/wrist wraps to go with your belt and thats it for now.

Make sure your form is right, if you are unsure find out where some PL'ers train (close to you) and get some advice off them. Either that or go to a local PL comp or check the net on ideal form and then video yourself for comparisons or hook up on Old Bulls site (Powerhouse gym) and you'll get excellent feedback there as Barbrother mentioned.

Keep at it mate and hopefully see you on the platform sometime.

Stay strong

[Big_Ben]

Cheers lads sound advice wll grab some knee wraps and keep it raw for a few more years ahah, cheers fellas

[Sportsgirl]

Hey Ben,

you are most definitely on the right track and lifting RAW is the ideal way to build your strength base. I would encourage you to stay with this, especially being so young you have many years ahead of you to get into gear. Too many lifters get into suits/shirts way to early sacrificing big kgs on their lifts because they they become reliant on them. I would maybe look at buying knee wraps/wrist wraps to go with your belt and thats it for now.

Make sure your form is right, if you are unsure find out where some PL'ers train (close to you) and get some advice off them. Either that or go to a local PL comp or check the net on ideal form and then video yourself for comparisons or hook up on Old Bulls site (Powerhouse gym) and you'll get excellent feedback there as Barbrother mentioned.

Keep at it mate and hopefully see you on the platform sometime.

Stay strong

Once you get into the powerlifting competition scene there is actually a bit of pressure to start lifting in gear. People start asking you WHY you're not using a shirt or suit etc.

So you do have to stand your ground and stick to the plan really!!

[TonganTerror]

Cheers lads sound advice wll grab some knee wraps and keep it raw for a few more years ahah, cheers fellas

only thing I find is that the knee wraps come into their own at around 180kgs I tend not to wrap before then as I feel the weight isnt enough when trying to squat instead of the wraps helping they seem to hinder??

Get some wrist wraps for your bench though they have helped me wonders!!

[TonganTerror]

Interesting thought comes out of this topic are there certain parameters for using squat,bench suits and knee wraps?

I remember a guy at the waikato bench champs telling me that his mate that had a suit on would really come into his own with it as his bench got bigger than the 140kg he was currently pressing??

Same applies to me for my knee wraps the more weight on my back the better the wraps work!