A Slingshot is an elastic upper-body training device worn around the arms and across the chest that assists the bench press by providing rebound force at the bottom of the movement. Created by powerlifter Mark Bell, it stretches as you lower the barbell and then snaps back to help drive the weight up through the hardest part of the lift. Most lifters use it to handle heavier loads than they could press on their own, with the goal of building strength that carries over to their raw (unassisted) bench press.
How the Slingshot Works
The device is essentially a thick band of reinforced elastic material shaped like a sleeve. You slide each arm through a loop so the band sits across your chest, covering your elbows and the front of your torso. When you lower the bar during a bench press, the material stretches and stores elastic energy. As you begin pressing the bar back up, that stored energy releases and helps accelerate the barbell, especially in the first few inches off your chest where most lifters are weakest.
This bottom portion of the bench press is often called the “sticking point,” the spot where the bar decelerates and you’re most likely to fail a rep. Research published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research found that the Slingshot significantly increases barbell velocity through this sticking point, giving the bar enough momentum to clear the hardest range of motion. One reason for this is that the band pulls your elbows into a more mechanically favorable pressing position, keeping them tucked rather than flared, which lets your chest and triceps work from a stronger angle.
What It’s Used For
The primary use is supramaximal overload, meaning you load the bar with more weight than your true one-rep max and press it with assistance from the band. This lets your muscles, joints, and nervous system experience heavier loads without the same injury risk as attempting a true max effort unassisted. Over time, handling heavier weight can build confidence under the bar and help your body adapt to loads it hasn’t managed before.
Lifters also use the Slingshot for extra volume. Instead of loading above their max, they’ll use their normal working weight but squeeze out more reps per set. The elastic assistance reduces strain at the bottom of each rep, which can be easier on the shoulders and elbows while still training the pressing pattern. This makes it a popular tool for lifters working around minor joint irritation or managing training load during a high-volume phase.
How Much Extra Weight Can You Press
The amount of assistance depends on the model you choose. The Slingshot comes in several stiffness levels, each designed for a different strength level and purpose:
- Reactive (blue): The lightest option, allowing roughly 5 to 10% more than your raw max. Best for beginners or lifters who want minimal assistance and the closest feel to a raw press.
- Original (red): The most popular model, providing about 10 to 15% more than your raw max. This is the standard recommendation for most intermediate and advanced lifters.
- Full Boar (yellow): Stiffer than the Original, intended for heavier lifters or those who want more overload.
- Maddog (black): Roughly twice as stiff as the Original and Full Boar. Designed for very advanced powerlifters handling extreme loads.
In practical terms, if your raw bench max is 300 pounds, the Original Slingshot would let you handle somewhere around 330 to 345 pounds. User reports commonly cite a 10 to 20% increase, with some lifters reporting that regular Slingshot training helped add around 25 pounds to their raw bench over a training cycle.
How It Affects Muscle Activation
Because the Slingshot provides the most help at the bottom of the press, it reduces the demand on your chest muscles during that stretched position. Research on upper-body muscle activity found that triceps activation can actually be lower during Slingshot reps compared to raw pressing, likely because the elastic recoil does some of the work that your triceps would normally handle through the sticking point. Your muscles still work hard through the top half of the lift, where the band’s tension drops off and you’re pressing more on your own.
This is worth understanding because it means the Slingshot isn’t a perfect substitute for raw bench pressing. It changes the loading curve. The bottom of the lift gets easier, and the lockout stays roughly the same. If your weakness is off the chest, the Slingshot handles that for you rather than forcing your muscles to get stronger there. That’s why most coaches recommend using it as a supplement to raw pressing, not a replacement.
Sizing and Fit
Slingshot sizing is based on a combination of body weight and your one-rep max. For example, a 190-pound lifter with a 330-pound max would typically fit into an XL in the Original model. Each model has its own size chart since the stiffness of the material changes how it fits and performs. Getting the right size matters: too loose and you won’t get meaningful assistance, too tight and you’ll struggle to get it on or it will alter your pressing groove in unhelpful ways.
The device slides on like a tight sleeve over both arms. Most lifters put it on just before their Slingshot sets and take it off immediately after, since wearing it between sets can be uncomfortable and restrict blood flow. It takes a session or two to get used to the feel of pressing with elastic tension across your chest, so starting with lighter weights the first time is a good idea before loading up.
Where It Fits in a Training Program
Most powerlifters program Slingshot work after their main raw bench sets, using it for one to three additional sets at a higher weight. A common approach is to hit your programmed raw sets first, then throw on the Slingshot for a few heavy singles or triples at 5 to 15% above your raw numbers. This adds overload volume without the fatigue and joint stress of grinding through heavy raw reps.
Some lifters dedicate an entire training day to Slingshot pressing, especially during peaking phases when they want to handle near-competition loads without the recovery cost of maxing out raw. Others rotate it in every two to three weeks as a variation to keep their bench training from going stale. There’s no single correct way to use it, but the common thread is that it works best as a tool layered on top of consistent raw pressing rather than as the foundation of your bench work.