found this post by shawn on one of the PLing forums i read. very nice
Name: Shawn Lattimer
Subject: Gene's 1005
Wed, Nov 24 2004 at 8:45 am
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Message:
I'm gonna cross post this message a bunch of places, so if you see it here don't bother reading it elsewhere.
I want to give major props and my congrats to Big Gene. He has done something amazing, that nobody else at this point can do.
I mean, a little over a year ago, I beat his 804 at a WPO meet with an 810 bench. He has 200 pounds on that now. Its just flat out insane.
I keep seeing people all over the internet debating and bitching over this or that deatil, Gene's shirt, etc.
Let me tell you, I have seen his shirt, it is a heavy duty custom shirt, but its not all that the critics want it to be. Gene has learned to get big support from that shirt, and he has learned how to bench with that much support.
I can get a double denim or poly shirt from any company, do some simple modifications, and get as much or more support than Gene's shirt provides. I have done this with a Karin's double denim. I can tell you right now, that kind of shirt support will seriously blow your eyeballs out. I have basically passed out on the bench from the extreme pressure. That kind of huge support makes a shirt nearly impossible to use. If you haven't tried it, you don't know.
I say this, because the reason Gene can bench more than anyone else is not the shirt, its not steroids, its not even the haircut. It because he has learned the technique and built the strength to do it.
Why can't I bench a grand? Because I haven't figured out how. Same thing with 900. The difficulty level as you increase weights is almost exponential. The difference in difficulty between 800 and 900 is like the difference between 500 and 800. Its huge. I have never held 1000. I'm not anywhere near ready to even try that. I've had 900 on the bar 3 times in comp, and a few times in training. Its freakin' heavy.
So to all you haters out there, think about this: Gene is my #1 opponent right now in benching. His best contest lift is now 146 pounds higher than mine. So I'm not a real big threat at this time, but Gene will still hand off to me in training, and he is always a nice guy when I see him. There is no big rivalry among us. Right now, Gene is the man. I'll stand up and say that anytime. And I know he would do the same if our roles were reversed.
So leave the guy alone, say your proud of him for his hard work and amazing accomplishment, and drop the trash talk.
Shawn Lattimer
slattimer@yahoo.com
Name: Shawn Lattimer
Subject: Gene's 1005
Wed, Nov 24 2004 at 8:45 am
[ Email Msg | Invite ]
Message:
I'm gonna cross post this message a bunch of places, so if you see it here don't bother reading it elsewhere.
I want to give major props and my congrats to Big Gene. He has done something amazing, that nobody else at this point can do.
I mean, a little over a year ago, I beat his 804 at a WPO meet with an 810 bench. He has 200 pounds on that now. Its just flat out insane.
I keep seeing people all over the internet debating and bitching over this or that deatil, Gene's shirt, etc.
Let me tell you, I have seen his shirt, it is a heavy duty custom shirt, but its not all that the critics want it to be. Gene has learned to get big support from that shirt, and he has learned how to bench with that much support.
I can get a double denim or poly shirt from any company, do some simple modifications, and get as much or more support than Gene's shirt provides. I have done this with a Karin's double denim. I can tell you right now, that kind of shirt support will seriously blow your eyeballs out. I have basically passed out on the bench from the extreme pressure. That kind of huge support makes a shirt nearly impossible to use. If you haven't tried it, you don't know.
I say this, because the reason Gene can bench more than anyone else is not the shirt, its not steroids, its not even the haircut. It because he has learned the technique and built the strength to do it.
Why can't I bench a grand? Because I haven't figured out how. Same thing with 900. The difficulty level as you increase weights is almost exponential. The difference in difficulty between 800 and 900 is like the difference between 500 and 800. Its huge. I have never held 1000. I'm not anywhere near ready to even try that. I've had 900 on the bar 3 times in comp, and a few times in training. Its freakin' heavy.
So to all you haters out there, think about this: Gene is my #1 opponent right now in benching. His best contest lift is now 146 pounds higher than mine. So I'm not a real big threat at this time, but Gene will still hand off to me in training, and he is always a nice guy when I see him. There is no big rivalry among us. Right now, Gene is the man. I'll stand up and say that anytime. And I know he would do the same if our roles were reversed.
So leave the guy alone, say your proud of him for his hard work and amazing accomplishment, and drop the trash talk.
Shawn Lattimer
slattimer@yahoo.com
