how long would it take to get used to a shirt/suit?

[mochi]

i was considering going shirted and suited for the next push/pull i do (next year), how long do you think is the minimum amount of time needed to get used to the stuff? would 3 months out be enough?

any suggestions for a first shirt? probably going with the max dl for my pull.

[StrongInChrist]

I dont think it takes too long. Three months of shirt work would be plenty IMO. As far as which to wear would depend on the fed its in. I bench shirted in IPA so I prefer my open back inzer phenom. Deadlift suits dont really give much extra weight. They offer back support more than anything else. When I compete equipped I just use a belt for deads. If you arent planning on lifting equipped too often I wouldnt bother spending the extra 150 on a dead suit Some people get 30 pounds out of em but I get 000

[mochi]

I dont think it takes too long. Three months of shirt work would be plenty IMO. As far as which to wear would depend on the fed its in. I bench shirted in IPA so I prefer my open back inzer phenom. Deadlift suits dont really give much extra weight. They offer back support more than anything else. When I compete equipped I just use a belt for deads. If you arent planning on lifting equipped too often I wouldnt bother spending the extra 150 on a dead suit Some people get 30 pounds out of em but I get 000

thanks, i may just spend a few sessions feeling the shirt out, then try to do my peaking routine with shirt work incorporated, i've got awhile to figure it out. and the fed is wabdl so i think it's the same as ipf rules.

[powerlifter70]

If it were me...I would run a 12 week training cycle to learn the shirt. It does not take that long to learn but you want to get as much training time in it as possible.

[mochi]

If it were me...I would run a 12 week training cycle to learn the shirt. It does not take that long to learn but you want to get as much training time in it as possible.

thanks, sounds good, would you suggest any specific training method, set/rep setup?

[StrongInChrist]

I would also like to hear how you train shirted PLer70. I usually do all my warmups raw and a final raw triple with something I can do 4 or 5 reps with then I do three more sets shirted progressing to a max single double or triple.

My last cycle was:

135 x 10
185 x 5
225 x 3
275 x 3 all raw

315 x 4
335 x 1
365 x 1 all shirted

Or I would work up to a max double or triple. I only train shirted from like 6 weeks out though so I just do two cycles of a max 3, 2, and then 1 and repeat.

Edit: I bench off of 1 or 2 boards for all my shirted training until near the meet. I usually can get whatever I get off of 1 or 2 boards cause the shirt handles the bottom for me.

[powerlifter70]

I am a high volume/low rep trainer...here is what a normal session would look like for me:

Just do a few sets raw to warm up.
shirt up and hit 3 and 4 board presses 15 sets of triples, doubles and singles(just go by feel)(I have worked up to 30 sets before but cut way back)

Floor presses, skull crushers and tricep pushdowns. Usually do 4 sets each for 4 to 6 reps on the floor and skulls...then finish up with 3 sets of 20 on pushdowns.

[StrongInChrist]

Sounds good PLer70. Thanks. I train this way raw and dont know why I havent done it shirted now that I look at it Ill give it a try once I do shirt work again.

[UHCougar05]

This article came in a bit handy when I was determining what kind of training I should do in my shirt. http://www.elitefts.com/documents/art_of_triples.htm

I normally work up with triples and then work up to a single and treat it as I would in a meet. Seems to work ok for me, but YMMV.

[mochi]

This article came in a bit handy when I was determining what kind of training I should do in my shirt. http://www.elitefts.com/documents/art_of_triples.htm

I normally work up with triples and then work up to a single and treat it as I would in a meet. Seems to work ok for me, but YMMV.

thanks, reps