Im Using a Single ply Titan F6 currently, and I am not doing any USAPL meets, Im switching to APF. Will I get more out of the shirt if I cut the back open?
I cut down a good 6-8 inches on my single ply metal shirt and like it better that way. Easier to get into and much easier to jack. I benched in it once before we cut it up so I can’t really comment on how much more I get out of it that way, but I would have grown out of it long ago if I hadn’t cut it, and could have never gotten it as low as I wear it without it being a “semi open back”.
Thanks for the input. Thay may help me get the shirt jacked down a bit more then. Im having some troubles getting it [shirt scoop] down at all.
Before you jack the shirt, have your handler pull the back of the shirt up and hold it there (basically at the base of your skull), while you turn around** then grab the collar (still one hand holding the shirt up in the back) and have your handler pull the collar towards him (away from your chest). At this point, your handler can let go of the back of the shirt, just keep tension on the collar. Then put your hands on your handlers shoulders and have him/her pull the shit out of the shirt down while you push off his/her shoulders. (At this point, when you push off, use your back to stand up straight.)
**when you turn around, turn and bend forward at the hips. Because of this, your handler will probably need to bend forward, too, or get on one knee.
At this point, you want your arms to the side to keep tension on the collar so it doesn’t slide back up. (Think band pull aparts, but with your arms downward). Next, you want your handler to keep one hand on the collar of the shirt and take the other hand to grab the slack of the shirt on your stomach and pull it down tight. Next just tighten up your belt and you’re set.
Some people like the sides of the shirt pulled down, too. To do this, just grab the slack of the shirt (below the belt) on the hips with one hand, and pull it down.
All of that said, the most important thing is to keep your arms pulled apart and down to keep the shirts collar tight so it doesn’t slide back up. Because of this, you’ll need to wrap your wrists before you begin to jack the shirt. I also grab some powdered chalk and keep it in my fists through the whole thing, too.
I would try all of this before you cut the back of the shirt. OR, just cut a few inches across the top so that the back of the shirt looks like a moon shape, so you’re able to pull it up in the back higher. Do you have a supercut F6 or a regular cut? I’m pretty sure the supercut titan shirts are scooped in the back as well so it’s easier to pull it up.
Sorry if that’s confusing hah. If it is, let me know and I’ll try to explain it better.
[quote]rrjc5488 wrote:
Before you jack the shirt, have your handler pull the back of the shirt up and hold it there (basically at the base of your skull), while you turn around** then grab the collar (still one hand holding the shirt up in the back) and have your handler pull the collar towards him (away from your chest). At this point, your handler can let go of the back of the shirt, just keep tension on the collar. Then put your hands on your handlers shoulders and have him/her pull the shit out of the shirt down while you push off his/her shoulders. (At this point, when you push off, use your back to stand up straight.)
**when you turn around, turn and bend forward at the hips. Because of this, your handler will probably need to bend forward, too, or get on one knee.
At this point, you want your arms to the side to keep tension on the collar so it doesn’t slide back up. (Think band pull aparts, but with your arms downward). Next, you want your handler to keep one hand on the collar of the shirt and take the other hand to grab the slack of the shirt on your stomach and pull it down tight. Next just tighten up your belt and you’re set.
Some people like the sides of the shirt pulled down, too. To do this, just grab the slack of the shirt (below the belt) on the hips with one hand, and pull it down.
All of that said, the most important thing is to keep your arms pulled apart and down to keep the shirts collar tight so it doesn’t slide back up. Because of this, you’ll need to wrap your wrists before you begin to jack the shirt. I also grab some powdered chalk and keep it in my fists through the whole thing, too.
I would try all of this before you cut the back of the shirt. OR, just cut a few inches across the top so that the back of the shirt looks like a moon shape, so you’re able to pull it up in the back higher. Do you have a supercut F6 or a regular cut? I’m pretty sure the supercut titan shirts are scooped in the back as well so it’s easier to pull it up.
Sorry if that’s confusing hah. If it is, let me know and I’ll try to explain it better.[/quote]
Forgive me if I’m wrong, but i think this is the technique you’re referring to?
Probably won’t make the shirt poppier. The new generation polys (unlike the denim shirts for which the open back allowance chnaged everything) tend not to perform particularly better if you jack down real, real low. Most of the support is in the chest on these shirt versus in the the neck. But cutting the back will make it easier to get into and out of. Kind of helpful if you are spotting and loading for your training partners
[quote]chrisarmes wrote:
Forgive me if I’m wrong, but i think this is the technique you’re referring to?
[/quote]
Hahaha, yeah… Shit, I didn’t know they made a video like that. Would’ve been easier to just link that.
The only thing with the video is that they’ve got two people getting it on. If you only have one, just do the lift the back and spin technique. If you’ve got two, then you’re set.
[quote]Pinto wrote:
The new generation polys (unlike the denim shirts for which the open back allowance chnaged everything) tend not to perform particularly better if you jack down real, real low. [/quote]
Uhhh, I disagree.
[quote]rrjc5488 wrote:
chrisarmes wrote:
Forgive me if I’m wrong, but i think this is the technique you’re referring to?
Hahaha, yeah… Shit, I didn’t know they made a video like that. Would’ve been easier to just link that.
The only thing with the video is that they’ve got two people getting it on. If you only have one, just do the lift the back and spin technique. If you’ve got two, then you’re set.[/quote]
Yeah i just found it on there a couple days back. Its a clip from “Never Enough: Bench”
And yeah, with one person as long as you keep the tension and spin, you can get the same effect. we’ve done it a couple times with one of the guys at our gym
[quote]rrjc5488 wrote:
Pinto wrote:
The new generation polys (unlike the denim shirts for which the open back allowance chnaged everything) tend not to perform particularly better if you jack down real, real low.
Uhhh, I disagree.[/quote]
Are you seeing something different on these?
I just know that when me and training partners have taken a tight Katana or RAge X, or Fury, Apex and jacked the collar way way (like more than halfway down the pec) or gotten the collar scooped out couple inches, the results have not been impressive. The carryover is about the same and the extra low groove lends itself to getting handcuffed. I think that is especially so on the Rage X’s where you have to touch so low as it is. On my super phenoms, the optimum neckline is still only about mid-pec and that’s even with a 2 1/2 inch scoop. That said, on shirts that are simply too big to give a lifter anything, I have had good results from jacking them down pretty far. I have an old single Rage X that is perfect for a thick 198er or a 220. But I can make it work on a skinny 190-200 lb lifter by pulling the collar down to just about the nipple line and folding over the material on the back of the sleeves. The very low touch point and the handcuff effect is pretty pronounced and made for a touch full range bench, but we have made this work for a guy who didn’t have the $$$ for well-fitted shirt.
[quote]Pinto wrote:
rrjc5488 wrote:
Pinto wrote:
The new generation polys (unlike the denim shirts for which the open back allowance chnaged everything) tend not to perform particularly better if you jack down real, real low.
Uhhh, I disagree.
Are you seeing something different on these?
I just know that when me and training partners have taken a tight Katana or RAge X, or Fury, Apex and jacked the collar way way (like more than halfway down the pec) or gotten the collar scooped out couple inches, the results have not been impressive. The carryover is about the same and the extra low groove lends itself to getting handcuffed. I think that is especially so on the Rage X’s where you have to touch so low as it is. On my super phenoms, the optimum neckline is still only about mid-pec and that’s even with a 2 1/2 inch scoop. That said, on shirts that are simply too big to give a lifter anything, I have had good results from jacking them down pretty far. I have an old single Rage X that is perfect for a thick 198er or a 220. But I can make it work on a skinny 190-200 lb lifter by pulling the collar down to just about the nipple line and folding over the material on the back of the sleeves. The very low touch point and the handcuff effect is pretty pronounced and made for a touch full range bench, but we have made this work for a guy who didn’t have the $$$ for well-fitted shirt. [/quote]
Apparently. hah
While I’ve never used a rage X or phenom, I’ve used a single ply F6, a single ply katana and a double ply bash. Every set I (and my teammates at Supertraining gym) do in a katana, and most other shirts for that matter, we jack the shit out of the shirts.
Watch that video to see how low we pull it down. (Granted, Mark’s a freak, but it’s an example of how much we jack shirts.)
If it’s working for you guys, great.
I noticed that jacking my shirt did much more for me than it did for my training partner. The difference is that I bench with a larger arch and therefor touch much lower than he did.
[quote]rrjc5488 wrote:
Pinto wrote:
rrjc5488 wrote:
Pinto wrote:
The new generation polys (unlike the denim shirts for which the open back allowance chnaged everything) tend not to perform particularly better if you jack down real, real low.
Uhhh, I disagree.
Are you seeing something different on these?
I just know that when me and training partners have taken a tight Katana or RAge X, or Fury, Apex and jacked the collar way way (like more than halfway down the pec) or gotten the collar scooped out couple inches, the results have not been impressive. The carryover is about the same and the extra low groove lends itself to getting handcuffed. I think that is especially so on the Rage X’s where you have to touch so low as it is. On my super phenoms, the optimum neckline is still only about mid-pec and that’s even with a 2 1/2 inch scoop. That said, on shirts that are simply too big to give a lifter anything, I have had good results from jacking them down pretty far. I have an old single Rage X that is perfect for a thick 198er or a 220. But I can make it work on a skinny 190-200 lb lifter by pulling the collar down to just about the nipple line and folding over the material on the back of the sleeves. The very low touch point and the handcuff effect is pretty pronounced and made for a touch full range bench, but we have made this work for a guy who didn’t have the $$$ for well-fitted shirt.
Apparently. hah
While I’ve never used a rage X or phenom, I’ve used a single ply F6, a single ply katana and a double ply bash. Every set I (and my teammates at Supertraining gym) do in a katana, and most other shirts for that matter, we jack the shit out of the shirts.
Watch that video to see how low we pull it down. (Granted, Mark’s a freak, but it’s an example of how much we jack shirts.)
If it’s working for you guys, great. [/quote]
Actually, that shirt doesnt look like it’s pulled down all that far. The groove is pretty high as well- hell, Mark probably touched high enough to make that bench USPF legal. That’s really just looks like a well-set shirt to me. What I meant by low, was how we used to wear denim- pulled down so low that shirt wasn’t even on the shoulders we used the singlet straps to cover our armpits. With that a shirt that low, touching anywhere other than on the high point of you belly was pretty tough.
[quote]Pinto wrote:
Actually, that shirt doesnt look like it’s pulled down all that far.
[/quote]
It was lower than it looked in the video. I was giving hand offs that day (from the side) as well as jacking his shirt. Either way, eh. haha
Well, that depends on if you’re from Rhode Island or not… 
[quote]
That’s really just looks like a well-set shirt to me. What I meant by low, was how we used to wear denim- pulled down so low that shirt wasn’t even on the shoulders we used the singlet straps to cover our armpits. With that a shirt that low, touching anywhere other than on the high point of you belly was pretty tough. [/quote]
Damn, that’s low. I’ve never used denim before, so I don’t know anything about it.
No worries, I think we just had different definitions of ‘low.’ I just know that when we jack shirts, it’s pulled down as hard and as low as we possibly can.
[quote]rrjc5488 wrote:
Well, that depends on if you’re from Rhode Island or not…
[/quote]
Now that’s funny. Actually, one of my training partners- normally an APF cheat lifter like myself- got a wild hair up his ass and decided to make this year’s Sr Nats his first USPF meet. Those RI boys bombed him like an Afghan cave hideout- for touching too low on bench as I recall. He should have bought one of those custom jobs where they move logo down the shirt to about your belly button.
You guys must have some expertise up there with those Katana shirts. It’s mind-blowing some of the numbers Mark Bell has been hitting in a single ply shirt. He must have reallytapped into the zen of that shirt. I’ve tried a couple of them. But both times I came away with about the same impression I have of the Rage X- it’s a shirt that if properly fitted, I could use to bench 700 off 3 or 4 board, but only hit 545 full range. Where as my super phenom is good for about 625 full range but not much more off of any board.
BTW- that’s a cool bench y’all have. I love our Forzas- but I have watched (and caught) enough near decapitations to think that those side bars are a real good idea.
[quote]Pinto wrote:
You guys must have some expertise up there with those Katana shirts. It’s mind-blowing some of the numbers Mark Bell has been hitting in a single ply shirt. He must have reallytapped into the zen of that shirt. I’ve tried a couple of them. But both times I came away with about the same impression I have of the Rage X- it’s a shirt that if properly fitted, I could use to bench 700 off 3 or 4 board, but only hit 545 full range. Where as my super phenom is good for about 625 full range but not much more off of any board.
[/quote]
Mark worked with Ken Anderson to design the super katana. (super katana… supertraining…) lol. But yeah, he hits obscene benches all the time.
Yeah, I definitely agree about the katana being a big board shirt. That’s why I don’t think it’s worth going to a 3 board or higher. I stick with mostly two boards, and one boards some of the time.
[quote]rrjc5488 wrote:
Pinto wrote:
You guys must have some expertise up there with those Katana shirts. It’s mind-blowing some of the numbers Mark Bell has been hitting in a single ply shirt. He must have reallytapped into the zen of that shirt. I’ve tried a couple of them. But both times I came away with about the same impression I have of the Rage X- it’s a shirt that if properly fitted, I could use to bench 700 off 3 or 4 board, but only hit 545 full range. Where as my super phenom is good for about 625 full range but not much more off of any board.
Mark worked with Ken Anderson to design the super katana. (super katana… supertraining…) lol. But yeah, he hits obscene benches all the time.
Yeah, I definitely agree about the katana being a big board shirt. That’s why I don’t think it’s worth going to a 3 board or higher. I stick with mostly two boards, and one boards some of the time.[/quote]
Detty learned this the hard way leading into his last meet.