WTF is "raw"?

[thatwaslight]

^sweet question answered

[Phedder]

Raw and untested

Kind of ironic :wink:

[thatwaslight]

Raw and untested

Kind of ironic :wink:

Lol sorry i forgot all powerlifters are natural :grin:

[Dr Squat]

Raw and untested

Kind of ironic :wink:

I don't think NZ needs another federation. We need one strong federation. As long as SPARC funding is provided it will be tested. Doesn't mean all powerlifters are natural. It means that some test negative, some test positive and some who aren't natural don't get tested. Like all other sports in the testing programme. :nod:

[Best Bench]

Does training shirted increase your raw bench faster than training raw? If so then I cede that the shirt only assists the lifter in adding 40kg+, not adds the all the 40kg+

Yes the numbers are big, I'm not disputing that and I understand how the shirts work, I'm just saying

All good bro. Raw and shirted are chalk and cheese. If anything, training in a shirt detracts from your raw bench (IMO). Alf may have a different view. I haven't worn one for years and don't expect I will again.

As you say they are chalk and cheese, you can definitely increase both at the same time. But to compare with Bodybuilding it would be like trying to add muscle and drop fat at the same time. Best to focus on one thing.

However, to get the most out of a shirt you need to first have a good raw bench. I was training/benching for over 10 years before I ever used a shirt.

[Dr Squat]

As you say they are chalk and cheese, you can definitely increase both at the same time. But to compare with Bodybuilding it would be like trying to add muscle and drop fat at the same time. Best to focus on one thing.

However, to get the most out of a shirt you need to first have a good raw bench. I was training/benching for over 10 years before I ever used a shirt.

If you only benched in a shirt for say 6-8 weeks (other than warm ups), wouldn't your raw 1RM drop way?

[Phedder]

Raw and untested

Kind of ironic :wink:

I don't think NZ needs another federation. We need one strong federation. As long as SPARC funding is provided it will be tested. Doesn't mean all powerlifters are natural. It means that some test negative, some test positive and some who aren't natural don't get tested. Like all other sports in the testing programme. :nod:

I wasn't actually referring to the lifters all being clean or otherwise. My view is that lifting equipment provides assistance to the lifter, as does gear. So a raw competition (not allowing one form of assistance) being untested (allowing a different form of assistance) to me would be ironic.

[Dr Squat]

Kind of ironic :wink:

I don't think NZ needs another federation. We need one strong federation. As long as SPARC funding is provided it will be tested. Doesn't mean all powerlifters are natural. It means that some test negative, some test positive and some who aren't natural don't get tested. Like all other sports in the testing programme. :nod:

I wasn't actually referring to the lifters all being clean or otherwise. My view is that lifting equipment provides assistance to the lifter, as does gear. So a raw competition (not allowing one form of assistance) being untested (allowing a different form of assistance) to me would be ironic.

I can see the irony.

I cringed when I saw this thread today but it is actually been a good one IMO.

[thatwaslight]

Thats what i ment lol i was just saying im sure there are more than a few juiced up shirted up powerlifters taking home titles. Imo gear is the lesser evil anyway even on a heavy cycle its going to take a lifter a significant amont of time to add 50kg to there bench when they can hop in a shirt ( i understand it still requires training) but is going to be much more of a shortcut to a bigger bench

[Dr Squat]

Thats what i ment lol i was just saying im sure there are more than a few juiced up shirted up powerlifters taking home titles. Imo gear is the lesser evil anyway even on a heavy cycle its going to take a lifter a significant amont of time to add 50kg to there bench when they can hop in a shirt ( i understand it still requires training) but is going to be much more of a shortcut to a bigger bench

Bench shirts are farken hard to use. It's not just a matter of putting one and training and watching your bench go up. If it were then I would wear one. My bench actually went down when I first started using one. They hurt like hell and require very long sessions to dial in. The best shirted benchers are also the smartest.

Comparing gear and shirts is probably not an ideal place to go.

[tomsammce]

i can bench 180 raw..... probably 320 in a shirt..

just sayn guys.. dont hate.

[train hard]

i can bench 180 raw..... probably 320 in a shirt..

just sayn guys.. dont hate.

is that with a superman suit on?

[tomsammce]

i can bench 180 raw..... probably 320 in a shirt..

just sayn guys.. dont hate.

is that with a superman suit on?

no dinner party suit from frank casey.... pin stripe bro.

[Dr Squat]

i can bench 180 raw..... probably 320 in a shirt..

just sayn guys.. dont hate.

is that with a superman suit on?

no dinner party suit from frank casey.... pin stripe bro.

That tight golds gym t-shirt you had on new years in Queens St cuz?

[tomsammce]

is that with a superman suit on?

no dinner party suit from frank casey.... pin stripe bro.

That tight golds gym t-shirt you had on new years in Queens St cuz?

lol ohhh brother... deano lol

[tomsammce]

moving on...

whats the cost of a shirt? do u have custom made shirts?

[thatwaslight]

Like i said before i have huge respect for the equipped discipline and its obviously not as simple as slipping into a blast shirt and instantly pressing 40% more; each to their own i guess! :wink:

[Rookie]

Does training shirted increase your raw bench faster than training raw? If so then I cede that the shirt only assists the lifter in adding 40kg+, not adds the all the 40kg+

Yes the numbers are big, I'm not disputing that and I understand how the shirts work, I'm just saying

All good bro. Raw and shirted are chalk and cheese. If anything, training in a shirt detracts from your raw bench (IMO). Alf may have a different view. I haven't worn one for years and don't expect I will again.

As you say they are chalk and cheese, you can definitely increase both at the same time. But to compare with Bodybuilding it would be like trying to add muscle and drop fat at the same time. Best to focus on one thing.

However, to get the most out of a shirt you need to first have a good raw bench. I was training/benching for over 10 years before I ever used a shirt.

Well said Alf, its becoming quite common, people using suits very early on before they have a decent raw bench. You showed at the Best of South that your raw bench is decent, and makes it easier to understand as to why you`ll need a suit to break records in PLing comps :nod:

[tinytraps]

moving on...

whats the cost of a shirt? do u have custom made shirts?

I paid 150 for mine. Yes you can get custom shirts, you can change the size of the sleeves chest plate, back. Can alter the shirts yourself too, the japanese are very skilled at modifying their shirts , MIdote has his own tailor in his gym!

[PeterDolan]

Does training shirted increase your raw bench faster than training raw? If so then I cede that the shirt only assists the lifter in adding 40kg+, not adds the all the 40kg+

Yes the numbers are big, I'm not disputing that and I understand how the shirts work, I'm just saying

All good bro. Raw and shirted are chalk and cheese. If anything, training in a shirt detracts from your raw bench (IMO). Alf may have a different view. I haven't worn one for years and don't expect I will again.

Why would it make your raw weaker?

[Dr Squat]

Does training shirted increase your raw bench faster than training raw? If so then I cede that the shirt only assists the lifter in adding 40kg+, not adds the all the 40kg+

Yes the numbers are big, I'm not disputing that and I understand how the shirts work, I'm just saying

All good bro. Raw and shirted are chalk and cheese. If anything, training in a shirt detracts from your raw bench (IMO). Alf may have a different view. I haven't worn one for years and don't expect I will again.

Why would it make your raw weaker?

Because you aren't training raw. The lines of lifting are very different. I'm not really sure if it would or wouldn't.

[HarryB]

You are right there Dr.. it's a different pressing line so if you train exclusively with the shirt and adopt that lifting line it's often not the best line for regular benching. Most lifters bench raw up to a point in training then put the shirt on, kind of like how when squatting you would only use knee wraps for the heaviest sets. I mean no one's putting knee wraps on to warm up are they? Damn I hope not!!!

[Cameron_R]

i can bench 180 raw..... probably 320 in a shirt..

just sayn guys.. dont hate.

you can be a funny bastard sometimes. That was a solid morning chuckle for me

[PeterDolan]

All good bro. Raw and shirted are chalk and cheese. If anything, training in a shirt detracts from your raw bench (IMO). Alf may have a different view. I haven't worn one for years and don't expect I will again.

Why would it make your raw weaker?

Because you aren't training raw. The lines of lifting are very different. I'm not really sure if it would or wouldn't.

Yeah I get the lines are different but to get a decrease just seems strange to me. I'd expect a plateau at most cause the muscle would still be getting trained and I'd imagine (I don't know cause I've never trained like a PLer) but you'd still be doing board presses etc

[nate225]

Why would it make your raw weaker?

Because you aren't training raw. The lines of lifting are very different. I'm not really sure if it would or wouldn't.

Yeah I get the lines are different but to get a decrease just seems strange to me. I'd expect a plateau at most cause the muscle would still be getting trained and I'd imagine (I don't know cause I've never trained like a PLer) but you'd still be doing board presses etc

When your focus is equipped benching your raw often drops vs when your focus is on raw benching.

Reason as I see it is that with shirted benching you focus on triceps / lockout more because the shirt loads up off the chest. When changing back to raw your strength off the chest has decreased (if you haven't worked this as a priority).

Also the grooves tend to be different for a raw vs shirted bench. I find I can tuck the elbows a lot more when shirted.

My 10 cents.