Slingshot (and other variants)

[Manveer]

Perhaps a dumb question, but I thought I'd ask anyway. Have any of you changed from using a Slingshot which offers a lower level of assistance to the stronger ones as you got stronger? Did it make the Slingshot work more effective?

The advice I've received is to use 10-15% of one's 1RM as an overload. I get about 30 lbs out of the red Slingshot, I think. Would it help to move up to the yellow version? Most I've benched is 375. Also, not at all trying to rationalize buying more equipment...I would never do that. /s

[OCG]

Nah. Also, 115% is waaaay too much. Even 105% should be hard as balls if you're doing it right. As a rule of thumb, based on nothing at all, you should be able to do your 1RM for a hard triple. The way I use it is as overload work. I like triples and doubles, done heaver than normal so around 90-95% for reps and maybe even up to 100% or a little over coming up to a comp. I like to utilise long pauses, to get used to staying real tight under a heavy weight. I like to have the thing adjusted to give me just enough assistance to make heavy 1RMish weights doable. I see some people have it pulled up to their armpits to get max assistance and I'm not sure I see the point.

I like the slingshot a lot, it's very useful in the same vein as something like rack pulls. Real good at getting you used to heavy weights without wrecking you too too much.

[Cody]

I've only ever used the red, 400 bench. If you send me the yellow, I'll test it and let you know the results!

[Manveer]

Nah. Also, 115% is waaaay too much. Even 105% should be hard as balls if you're doing it right. As a rule of thumb, based on nothing at all, you should be able to do your 1RM for a hard triple.

Based on nothing at all? OK.

I've used chain weight to get a 10-15% overload. Worked well, I think.

The 375 I did was paused, might've had 5-8 lbs in the tank. A few weeks later I did 375x4 TnG with the red slingshot.

[Idlehands]

Perhaps a dumb question, but I thought I'd ask anyway. Have any of you changed from using a Slingshot which offers a lower level of assistance to the stronger ones as you got stronger? Did it make the Slingshot work more effective?

The advice I've received is to use 10-15% of one's 1RM as an overload. I get about 30 lbs out of the red Slingshot, I think. Would it help to move up to the yellow version? Most I've benched is 375. Also, not at all trying to rationalize buying more equipment...I would never do that. /s

I've got the yellow. I've never actually used it, however i thought the other thing with the yellow was it had different angles so it actually fit better than the original red?

Buddy used my yellow a few times and then bought his own. His max is 315 or so fwiw.

[KDW]

Here's all I can add Manveer...
I tried the slingshot once a couple years ago. I didn't like how it squeezed my arms or pulled my elbows in excessively. The slingshot made it really difficult to keep my elbows under the bar. So I just did reverse band that day.
Now, I'm 100 percent straight weight, 100 percent comp lift. My variation comes from intensity and volume only.

[Hamburgerfan]

I've always used 10% or less as a rule of thumb for overload variations. If you're getting less than that then I'd just spend more time slingshot benching and maybe getting better at it. I think that would help your bench and lockout more than getting a stronger one. But I don't bench a lot so do whatever, man.

[mgil]

It’s been a while since I used mine in earnest, but I got at least 10-15% out of the red. At a point in time where I couldn’t single at 315, I hit 335 or so for 3 or more. But my shoulders are beat to hell and I have very little power at the bottom of the ROM.

[Les]

Here's all I can add Manveer...
I tried the slingshot once a couple years ago. I didn't like how it squeezed my arms or pulled my elbows in excessively. The slingshot made it really difficult to keep my elbows under the bar. So I just did reverse band that day.
Now, I'm 100 percent straight weight, 100 percent comp lift. My variation comes from intensity and volume only.

At one time I didn't mind the bold statement, but now I found that benching with more flare (max legal grip) and touching higher on my chest is a lot better for my shoulders. Tucking too much always seems to give me a shoulder injury. And I agree that the slingshot kind of makes you tuck automatically, which is why I am staying away from it right now. I've just been doing straight bench and floor pressing, and knock on wood, my shoulders are feeling great.