As you become more serious about lifting, and your goals get higher and higher, you might want to get some things to enhance your performance. Things that can help you lift more or stabilize your joints when lifting heavier. There is an entire world out there with gadgets that improve performance. Here is what I carry in my bag for when I need them.

Wrist Wraps:

What are they?

Wrist wraps are durable and supportive pieces of fabric that wrap around the wrist to provide support in heavy pressing movements, such as benching or overhead press. They are commonly used by those that lift heavy or have weak/ injured wrists.

Why wear them?

The main purpose of wrist wraps is to support the wrist, so the joint is not bent wrong or strained. This allows your energy to be focused on the target muscle, instead of wasting energy keeping your wrist from snapping. Since you do not have to worry about the wrist, this will allow you to lift more weight, because your muscles are not focused on stabilizing the wrist.

When to wear them?

Wrist wraps have been proven to increase the performance of pressing exercises. They should be worn when lifting more than 50% of your one rep max. Wear wrist wraps, if you have weak wrists or injured wrists, they will take the strain off of the wrist joint when lifting.

Example exercises wrist wraps might be used for

• Bench press (Flat, Incline, Decline) (Dumbbell Barbell
• Shoulder press (Dumbbell, Barbell)
• Dips
• Squats (Yes squats, there can be a tremendous stress on the wrists from holding the bar)

How to put them on:

1. Find the thumb loop
2. Line the thumb loop with the inside of your arm (thumb pointing out)
3. Put the thumb through the loop.
4. Wrap around the wrist to fit comfortably. It should not be cutting off circulation.
5. Secure wrapping with velcro

Pros:

• Support
• Increase performance
• Reduce injuries

Cons:

• Could be uncomfortable
• If too tight, it can cut off circulation to the hand

 

Click the picture to view them on Amazon (affiliate)

Wrist Straps:

What are they?

Wrist straps are way different than wrist wraps, but they both aid in lifting performance. A wrist strap almost looks like six inch flat ropes tied around a lifters wrist. Wrist straps are durable pieces of cloth that loop around the wrist and have a six-inch strip that can wrap around the bar. The strap basically attaches you to the bar, to make you one.

Why wear them?

The primary reason for straps is to lift more weight with ease. The straps take the focus off gripping the bar with your bare hands so you can focus more on the target muscle group. Being able to lift more weight leads to more strength gains and muscle mass. For example, when I use straps, it is usually for deadlifts, and with straps, I can lift 19% more weight. I usually can’t go above 405 lbs without losing my grip and dropping the bar, but with straps I can lift 500 lbs. Straps help you focus on your target muscle group and so that muscle group is first to fatigue. By this I mean you can lift to your potential rep range without losing your grip first.

Here are some example exercises you might use straps for:

• Rows (Dumbbell, barbell)
• Shrugs (Dumbbell, barbell)
• Deadlifts (Conventional, sumo, trap, romanian)
• Lat pulldowns (believe it or not this helped quite a bit, try it)

When to wear them?

There will come a time to wear wrist straps, but when? The need for straps is simple, you know you’re going to be lifting heavy weights, and you know you might lose your grip. Wear straps when you don’t want to worry about if the bar is going to slip or not. Wear them when you want to increase the amount of weight for a lift.

How to put them on:

After sliding your hand through the loop, it can be hard to wrap the strap around the bar, or at least the second strap. I will wrap the the straps so that it goes under the bar first, then wrap it to the preferred tightness. I do the same for the other hand, but it is just harder to wrap it around the bar, but I manage.

Pros:

• Cheap
• Different lengths
• Improves performance

Cons:

• Some straps may be uncomfortable
• Can be hard to wrap around the bar
• Can make it difficult to drop the weight

 

Click the picture to view Wrist Straps on Amazon (affiliate)

Lifting Belt:

What is it?

Another helpful lifting tool is the lifting belt. A lifting belt is a leather or another strong, thick fabric that wraps around the hip/waist area. The belt creates a wall for the abdomen to push off of allowing to lift more weight and reducing the risk of injury.

Why wear it?

There are many reasons to wear a lifting belt, for instance, the increased abdominal pressure of the lifting belt increases spine and core stability. The pressure of the abdomen pushing on the belt supports the spine from the inside, because of the decreased area. Also, the abdomen is pushing on the belt which also supplies support to the spine from the outside. Research also shows that lifting belts help with biomechanics when lifting something off the ground, the belt forces you to lift with your legs and not your back. Of course, belts also increase your lifting performance, in terms of power, research has shown that when performing a squat with a belt increased velocity.

When to wear it?

There are a few moments when you should wear a lifting belt, for instance, if you have injured your back in the past, it is important to wear a belt. This will reduce the chances of injury relapse, also it may be crucial to improve core strength if you have lower back pain. Another instance when you should wear a belt is when squatting or deadlifting extremely heavy weight. I personally always wear a belt when squatting and deadlifting.

How to wear it:

To put on a lifting belt, wrap it around your waist so it is level around your navel. A lifting belt should be tight, but not so tight that you can’t properly breathe through the motion.

Click the picture to view Lifting Belts on Amazon (affiliate)

Summary:

Wrist wraps, straps, and lifting belts are not necessary to improve strength, nor do you need them. They are simply a tool to help you meet goals, save you from injury, and support the joints. Consider getting them if you think you are ready for the next step or want to play it safe and not run the risk of injury.