Bench and squat suits questions ??

Q80_MuscleHed · 12-27-2005, 05:38 AM

why powerlifters use them ? and how do they work ? .. i've seen ronnie wears it ( In COR ) before he did his heavy of squat and it seems very tight .. could anyone explain to me ?

Rocky · 12-27-2005, 06:44 AM

If my understanding is correct, basically a squat suit is an all over body wrap.
They come in single, double and triple ply and the support is increased each time. It's the equivalent of knee wraps and a lifting belt in one for your whole body. The reason powerflifters wear them is because they can add literally lbs and lbs to their lifts due to the ideal combination of "rebound and non-stretch" properties. It supports all the relevant muscles used in the squat or deadlift hence the far iomproved lifting than if you were to use without.
I guess it's a double edged sword. In using one you will be able to lift more weight so this is ideal for powerlifters where that is the whole objective. For bodybuilders I would suggest this approach more as a way of breaking through a sticking point or as a shock technique from time to time.
You can also get bench shirts which work in a similar way for bench pressing.

Nothin' but a peanut!! · 12-27-2005, 08:25 AM

yeah like rocky said ive read a little about them only not much
s if its like a pressurised suit like a tight suit just eeps the body "tight " whiel in a lift.
those bench shirts are good for powerlifting i read about records, and the record is held by englands scot mendelson who holds the bench press record of 713 pounds. this is a shirtless or "raw" bench. as bench shirts are thought to ad at least 200 pounds to a lift which brings all the 800, 900, and now 1,000 pound benches into dispute.
so guess it just helps by keeping everyhting tight and focusig purely on lifting that weight
also about ordering them if anybody gets them, make sure u order it as ur measurements otherwise it wont be tight enough and then is a waste of money for not giving u the support that it was designed to do.
read on a powerlifting site about that, also how some guy had to be CARRIED out to the bar for his squat attempt becuase the suit was THAT tight he couldnt walk
LOL

jornT · 12-27-2005, 08:35 AM

About those suits and belts...are they good for bodybuilding purposes? I mean, When doing heavy ass compound movements, and you need to work with your whole body, than your body reacts and creates elevated levels of test and GH?

Nothin' but a peanut!! · 12-27-2005, 08:42 AM

they are good inventions but for bodybuilding i wouldnt think so just good for trying to handel absolute maximum poundages hence why ronnie used it for his sets that were only 4 and 2 reps, otherwise i think it'd be best no suit, buti may b wrong

Uriel · 12-27-2005, 09:08 AM

They hold the muscles tight and stabilize them (so your CNS doesn't need to worry about this as much) and also tend to lock the ROM (somewhat the same concept as using a machine). A good bench shirt is so effective at this that you can't move much in other directions - all you can do with a shirt on is pretty much bench press, the shirt locks your shoulders into a position where they can only move up and down (bench press with elbows in) and some even hyperextend your back (to minimize ROM). IMHO, shirts are nothing but legal cheats in PL. So freeweight squats are great because you have to stabilize blablabla...and then you put on a suit that does the stabilizing for you? What exacly is wrong with this picture?

Q80_MuscleHed · 12-27-2005, 09:26 AM

like this one .. the shirt is tighten in his arms .. so he's hardly move his shoulder

jornT · 12-27-2005, 09:41 AM

Hey, that is the gut who attempted a bench record during the Olympia right? What is his name, don't know any powerlifters at all.

Nothin' but a peanut!! · 12-27-2005, 09:45 AM

yeah i think that is him his hname is gene rychalak or smth right?
is he a powerlifter or just a bencher? cause i only ever hear about him benching nothing else

Q80_MuscleHed · 12-27-2005, 10:13 AM

his name is gene rychlek .. he hold the recoed of bench press till now .. i think he benched over 1000 pounds

Q80_MuscleHed · 12-27-2005, 10:19 AM

he is a big bencher and also squated over 1000 pounds .. and he is super heavy wieght champion in arnold classic 2004

Amped · 12-27-2005, 12:40 PM

The suits are very good for powerlifters so they dont rupture tendons in the shoulders and vice versa. I used one for benching B4. I didnt like it at all. You cant move nothing. If the suit is too tight you cant bring the bar all the way down to the chest.

Rocky · 12-27-2005, 03:14 PM

I still say that if you're gonna use one. Only use it to break through plateaus or as a shock techinque on rare occasions. As has been stated, it's nothing more really than an "aid", and only of real benefit to powerlifters who lets face it aren't into the look that we as bodybuilders are trying to attain.

Diesel · 12-27-2005, 03:41 PM

they are, for the most part, used for safety. yea, you can do a lot more weight when wearing them but thats not the main reason for using them. when these guys max out in bench, they have to perform a paused rep. if you are maxing out for a paused rep w/o a suit, you run a very good chance of tearing a pec. it also helps to keep everything aligned properly (joints).

pretty much the same thing with squat. the suit will "help" you stop the momentum when you are at the bottom. this way, you dont pin yourself to the ground. the suit also provides support for your hips and your core region. and once again keeps everything aligned properly.

obviously they help keep everything tight which will help prevent injuries. like i said, they are for safety more than anything else. unless you have guys that wear 2-3 suits when they bench, then they are using it more for weight reasons than anything else.

EDIT: i agree with rocky that you shoudl only use them to shock your body. I would definately say NOT to use them when doing bench unless you are doing low reps with paused reps. same with squat, only use it when you are doing low reps.