Bench Shirt Vs. Slingshot

Bench Shirt vs. Slingshot: What’s the Difference and Which Should You Use? 

If you’ve spent any time around serious bench press training, you’ve probably heard of both the bench shirt and the slingshot. While they might seem similar at a glance, they serve very different purposes and are used by lifters at different stages of training. 

What Is a Bench Shirt?
A bench shirt is a highly specialized piece of supportive gear used primarily in powerlifting competitions. Made from very stiff material, it’s designed to store elastic energy as you lower the bar, then release that energy to help you press it back up. This can significantly increase the amount of weight you can lift—sometimes by hundreds of pounds.

However, bench shirts come with a steep learning curve. They require precise technique, careful setup, and often assistance just to get into. They’re typically used by advanced or competitive lifters rather than beginners.

What Is a Slingshot?
A slingshot is a more accessible and user-friendly tool. It’s an elastic band device worn over your arms that helps support the bottom portion of the bench press. Unlike a bench shirt, it doesn’t drastically alter your movement pattern and is much easier to use.

The slingshot is great for overload training, protecting your shoulders, and building confidence with heavier weights. It’s commonly used in regular training by lifters of all levels.

Key Differences 

• • Purpose: Bench shirts are competition gear; slingshots are training tools.

• • Difficulty: Bench shirts are complex and technical; slingshots are simple and easy to use.

• • Carryover: Slingshots help build raw strength; bench shirts enhance equipped lifting performance.

• • Accessibility: Slingshots are beginner-friendly; bench shirts are not.

Which One Should You Choose?
If you’re a competitive powerlifter in equipped divisions, a bench shirt is essential. But if you’re training for strength, muscle growth, or raw powerlifting, a slingshot is the better—and far more practical—option.

For most lifters, the slingshot offers the benefits of overload training without the complexity, making it a valuable addition to any bench press routine.

Here at Raw Strength Apparel We Offer Our Infiniti Figure 8 Bench Band that is very versatile. Our Figure 8 Bench Band can be used just as the band itself or it can be used in our Savage Bench Shirt for more explosive rebound to your bench press.