Rage X Questions for Anyone

[Boris]

I have a Rage X that I've tried about 4 or 5 times in training and in one meet. So far, I've been unable to make any weight touch.

Other than wetting the seams and chest plate, are their any other tips you can give me (for ex, tips about sleeves, powder, neck, etc..)?

When working with this shirt, do most people PULL the weight to their chests?

Thanks for any input you can give!

[deepsquatter]

A response I got from Deepsquatter:

Boris,
I learned this the hard way. If you want to get the lighter weights to touch don't pull the shirt down in front and don't wear a belt.

The shirt will probably feel like its going to choke you out but it won't... at least mine hasnt yet. LOL

Seriously the lower you pull down the front of the shirt the harder it is to get weights to touch and the higher up it it the easier it is to touch.

You know how you get that fold around the logo in the front? Just leave it there for the lighter weights.

And yes, you do have to pull down . That is for two reasons - 1 to keep the proper bar path and stay in control instead of letting the shirt throw you out of your groove. 2 - you want to lower the bar with assistance from your back muscles; that takes some of the stress off the triceps so you can use them to press up. Think of it like rowing the bar to your chest. A good movement to help learn how to to that is reverse band rows - put a bench in the cage and hang bands from above. Put a bar between the bands and thne lie on the bench and row the bar to your chest as though you were benching. Hold at the chest for a 5 count.

Do 5 sets of 5. Ok... I have heard of people doing more reps and less of a pause OR fewer reps and more of a pause. Just do some sets and some reps to get used to it.
Hope that helps.

Jason
_________________
Jason Burnell

[Strength Discussion Forum]

A response I got from Kerry at S.D.F:

A great way to get your bar to touch is make sure you are benching with your elbows tucked in... and with a shirt, you really have to exagerate the tucking of the elbows. The bar will drop lower, and you will get good torque from the shirt that you will feel really well off your chest. Essentially, your elbow area (inner bicep) should be rubbing against your lats. Also try and bench with a wide grip... either maximum legal or what is comfortable for your build. (If you are an elbows out bencher a la bodybuilding style, this tip is worthless...)

Also, make sure when you put the shirt on, that the seams on the sleeves are running directly under your tricep...usually you have to put the shirt on with your palms facing up to get this right.

Its tough to diagnosis the problem without actually seeing it, and I am no way claiming to be an expert, but the tucking in of the elbows has helped me get alot out of my shirt. This is of course as long as your shirt is not too tight.

Hope this helps and good luck.

[APF Outlaw Forum]

A response I got from Dan Petrillo at APF Outlaw:

your shirt may be a little too much for you, but the problem could also lie in how you set up, what grove you are bring the bar down in. In my shirt (as taught by crawford and burns) i can touch weights i can bench raw, easily. It's all in the way you set up and lower the bar. I never have to pull the bar to my chest, just cut my elbows a little harder and push my belly up.

petrillo