Ordering from Titan... F6/Fury

[Big o Boy]

Anyone had any experience ordering from directly from Titan? I've looked up a few threads that mentioned power lifting gear online was a good place to order Titan products.

I'm looking to order the Titan Fury (instead of the F6, I don't arch crazily) pretty soon. I want to make sure it will get to my house in the next week or so (back in the states, as I am coming home for leave soon).

Also, for those of you who use the F6... how crazy is your arch? I know it's hard to describe in text. I use a good arch, but I don't know if it's extreme enough for the F6 so I'm looking at the Fury as of now. Will I be better off just going with the F6?

Bear in mind, this will be my first shirt.

[waynedang]

If you want it soon don't order from Titan they are slow. Call Ken Anderson 972-250-4433 and you should have it quick. Pl gear online is also a good place to order. You don't have to have a crazy arch to use the F6 you should be fine.

[Sensei]

I've heard nothing but horrible stories about ordering directly from Titan. Literally dozens of stories of months of waiting for their orders to come in... They may have improved, but you'd probably be a lot better off ordering from distributors like Priscilla Ribic et. al.

[smokinHawk]

I ordered a custom one from titan, only took about a week or two.
other places have them instook if you have a standard size.
if you can see the arch i havein my avatar, that is my archand i use a F6
also if its your first shirt get the loose fit as your triceps prbably wont be ready for a tight one, also furry will probably be fine for you

[Big o Boy]

Thanks for the quick replies, guys. I'm glad I asked about this.

Wayne I don't have access to a phone too well, but I will be taking the pl gear online route. SH, your arch looks very similar to mine, so I think I'll go with the F6. I was thinking you have to have the ability to dislocate your spine to use the F6 effectively.

I will be going for a simi-loose fit for my first shirt.

[waynedang]

Thanks for the quick replies, guys. I'm glad I asked about this.

Wayne I don't have access to a phone too well, but I will be taking the pl gear online route. SH, your arch looks very similar to mine, so I think I'll go with the F6. I was thinking you have to have the ability to dislocate your spine to use the F6 effectively.

I will be going for a simi-loose fit for my first shirt.

If that is your arch you will be fine. If you can't call then PL gear online would be best. Ken and computers are not best friends.

[Sidior]

I just ordered an f6 a week ago from pricilla and had nothing but great service. It is my first shirt as well.

http://www.plgearonline.com/?

[jtteg_x]

I just ordered an f6 a week ago from pricilla and had nothing but great service. It is my first shirt as well.

http://www.plgearonline.com/?

i second that. i emailed her my measurements and everything, got an email within 24hrs, placed an order and it was shipped within 24hrs. i use the f6 and my arch isnt extreme, more like 3" off the bench. Priscilla even suggested the F6 over the fury when i told her my arch wasnt too big. just make sure you use a belt to keep yourself and the shirt tight.

[Big o Boy]

thanks guys... I just ordered the f6. Priscilla is awesome. She e-mailed me back on my question within 10 minutes!!! My chest size is 46" and she recommended me a size 48 to start with. On the size and measurements page it says size 50, but she said I'd be swimming around a bit and not get much of a carryover. I sent her all of my upper body measurements and she said I'd be good even if I wanted to order a competition shirt from the regular sizes. Very helpful.

Can't wait to get it! I'm psyched!

[smokinHawk]

hmm with this being your first shirt (you a 46" chest fitting in a 48) its going to take you a long time to learn the shirt and make use of it.
its not relly the problem with fitting in it or how comfortable it is.
the problem is your not trained on a shirt. its going to take alot of weight to get your shirt to touch, and im guessing your specific muscles arnt up to the challege yet, till you do specific training for them.
going raw to shirted isnt as easy as just throwing on a shirt and pushing it up, it takes allot of weight to get it to touch.

im just telling you of the problem I have in order to help you so you dont make the same mistake as me.
I am around a 360lb raw bencher. I ordered the meet fit F6 as well not knowing.
getting it on is no problems and im getting the groove now with a few attepts but i have loaded over 405lbs and still havent gotten it to touch, im thinking its going to take about 430-450lbs to get it to touch. Now the problem with that is that its about a hundred more pounds more then what i'm am used to lifting, bascially my triceps are not strong enough yet. so its going to take some time to get them strong enough, mean while i grow and the shirt stretches out/wears out while i am practicing in it to be able to use it. Shirt doesnt work as well and now i have to get another.
so it would have been better to start out in one that isnt more shirt then i could use.

now i guess you could have really strong tri's where you can just jump in one and put up some big numbers (as me i have a very strong chest so my tri's are equal to my chest, so i need to boost my tris above my chest) but for a first shirt i would recomend a loose fit.

and here is a better pic of my arch

[Guido]

^I agree with a lot of what Hawk said, but it really depends on the person. If you have strong tri's already, and since you going to be using a fairly loose shirt, you shouldn't have too much trouble figuring it out. You should be able to get a minimum of 50 lbs over your raw max in the F-6, and up to 80-100 lbs. I would start at the 50 lbs number and see if you can touch with it. The main thing will be setting the shirt up right (having people to help you get it on, make sure sleeves are on all the way and creases are out of it), keeping your elbows in during the movement, and touching lower on your chest than you would raw. Master those things and you'll be golden.

[Big o Boy]

Thanks for the replies SH and Guido. I'm sure I'll have some trouble getting used to it, but if no one ordered a bench shirt because they were going to have some trouble at first, they'd never use a shirt. I didn't realize the a loose F6 would add that much.

I believe (not injured) my raw max is around 335-345. As far as my chest/tricep strength ratio, I am a lot like you SH. I have a strong chest and slightly lagging triceps (I believe). I've been targetting my triceps very heavily ever since I started a Westside routine in preparation for shirted competition. I have brought them up quite a bit, but they are still far from where I want them to be (like every other aspiring powerlifter).

We'll see how it goes... if it doesn't go well, I'll just order another shirt to train in until I'm ready to use the F6 again. I'm also looking at it like I will grow into the shirt eventually because I want to move up to the 198 weight class.

Thanks for the advice and comments again, they are very helpful.

[jtteg_x]

big o boy, check out this article on putting on a bench shirt: http://www.liftinglarge.com/getting_the_most_o.htm

my chest was 44" and i bought the 48. first time was damn tight but after that, slips on easily (with a partner of course).

[Big o Boy]

Thanks jtteg. I've seen that article before in another thread and have checked it out before. Good stuff.

Looks like I'm going to have to work pretty hard the first few times with my new shirt. I'll wear underarmor at first to break it in... probably not a good idea long term, though, as it will probably swim around a bit on top of underarmor (and I'm not even sure it's legal to wear anything under).

[waynedang]

A 48 will be huge on you. I don't think you will have much trouble touching in it. Is there anyone near you that shirt benches? It would be worth your time to drive somewhere to learn. You will want a 44 in no time!

SmokinHawk don't buy a new shirt just get that one tightened up. I think Titan charges $25 to do it. Have them put it back to a stock chest plate and you would be good.


Also pay attention to where the arm sleeves are you can change the amout of weight to touch or not touch by twisting the sleeves and having the collar up or down. You should get a min of 100lbs out of a single F6 most the guys I train with get 200+ Sebastion Burns told me I could consider myself a good shirt bencher when I get 300+ out of one. I doubt I will ever be good!

[Big o Boy]

Wayne, I do know one individual who powerlifts every now and then who has experience using a shirt. I will definitely be asking him for pointers in the near future. I'm glad the 48 won't be too small. Priscilla recommended it, so that's what I got.

Thanks for giving me a number to shoot for.

[smokinHawk]

A 48 will be huge on you. I don't think you will have much trouble touching in it. Is there anyone near you that shirt benches? It would be worth your time to drive somewhere to learn. You will want a 44 in no time!

SmokinHawk don't buy a new shirt just get that one tightened up. I think Titan charges $25 to do it. Have them put it back to a stock chest plate and you would be good.


Also pay attention to where the arm sleeves are you can change the amout of weight to touch or not touch by twisting the sleeves and having the collar up or down. You should get a min of 100lbs out of a single F6 most the guys I train with get 200+ Sebastion Burns told me I could consider myself a good shirt bencher when I get 300+ out of one. I doubt I will ever be good!

i dont think it will be huge. sounds like he got the meet fit (one size larger then his chest size) thats what i got, and the thing fits me good, but its just the fact that my strength areas for shirt benching is not ready, and I was suggesting to him unless he has overly strong tri's (which he said he didnt) he wont make good use of it till he boost that strength area. Once he does though the shirt will work great.

how long can these shirts last then, if you can keep tightening it up? how long will the material hold up to then?

[waynedang]

I use them until they blow or get so many runners they look like a screen door.

When I said it was huge I mean it will be. After you spend some time in gear you learn to like tight gear. I have close to a 49" chest and use a 44 Katana.

[Big o Boy]

Hey Wayne, about how many sessions in a new shirt do you think it takes to have one broken in (using your your workload for an example).

[Guido]

Wayne's right you will want a smaller size pretty quickly. I use a size 42 even though my chest is 44".

Wayne, I'd love to learn how to torque the sleeves like you guys do to get more pop out of it. Is there an instructional tutorial somewhere that tells you how to do it?

[smokinHawk]

i have no idea how you get into a size smaller then you i have a hard enough time getting into a size up

[waynedang]

i have no idea how you get into a size smaller then you i have a hard enough time getting into a size up

I am about 5"7"-8" and about 229 right now so a 44 is tight! It also takes some weight to touch.It takes time to get on for sure. I have the hardest time with the sleeves. I have an inch or so taken off the sleeve before I ever put it on. The newer poly shirts have a tapered sleeve so this makes the opening bigger. I also stretch the sleeve with a volleyball that I inflate in the sleeve. I use suit slippers to help get it on. When the shirt is new I can't really get a grip on the bar. I start working it to a 4 board with a close grip and pull it over my head between sets to help the blood flow. By the end of the night I should be almost to comp grip when setting up. I have been breaking this 44 in for a couple of months but thats because I git fatter everyweek. If I did not have a kick ass crew spotting yelling and helping I would still be in a 48.

Guido I don't know any videos on the pollys but you are more than welcome to drive down and train with us. It is about an hour and a half drive for you. Hell that goes for anyone that wants to train.

[smokinHawk]

sounds like to much pain for me. heck im the same height as you and weigh 165-170 and i think a 44 is tight enough for me (42-43" chest with 17.5" arms)

i guess if you can fit in it and your trained in it, your bench numbers shows it works.
how soon till you get 600

[waynedang]

I would have thought 600 would be in the bag long ago ( and at 198 not 220 ). I have had some elbow issues for the last 2 1/2 years that kicked my ass. I think I finally learned to train around them now. My goal is to hit a PR and go from there this next meet ( april 7). I will most likely take a long break between meets as my wife is pregnant and due in July. So after this I will start working lots of raw stuff.