[quote]fatInIC wrote:
Hmmmm. This got me thinking – what is the actual advantage of the wraps in terms of real weight? In other words, presumably you are supposed to be able to lift more weight with wraps (or perhaps decrease your risk of injury), as opposed to not wearing wraps. So how much more weight do wraps enable? Is there any data, or is the evidence anecdotal?
I’m sure there must be a big psychological boost, and there must be mechanical advantage (energy from the downward motion is presumably stored in the elasticity of the wrap and returned to the lifter during the upward motion). Presumably someone could measure how much weight the elasticity of a single wrap can lift before it is fully stretched (at which point the material has no more capacity to store energy and return it to the lifter). I’m just speculating here, 5 or 10 pounds? Now I’ll really go out on a limb, and speculate that the cumulative effect must be more, because there are multiple layers to the wrap, i.e., the wrap goes around the knee several times – but you would not get more than a linear increase – so (again, I’m just guessing), but 6 times around the knee would mean that your elasticity cannot store more than 6X whatever a single layer would provide. So that would be an upper bound of 30 to 60 pounds???
I’d be surprised if it was really that much because of a last factor – the pivot point. The wraps have absolutely no leverage – as they apply all of their force right at the pivot point – the knee. I’ll use an analogy. Let’s say my 3 year old daughter (40 pounds) is sitting on one side of a seesaw (aka teeter-totter). If I push down with 40 pounds of force at the other end, I’ll lift my daughter. Now, if I move 1/2 of the way towards the pivot point, I loose mechanical advantage and I have to apply 80 pounds of force to lift the same 40 pounds (I just don’t have to move it as far). This is how heavy and light kids play on a seesaw together (see attached image). I’d have to apply a huge amount of force right at the pivot point to move the seesaw. I just don’t see wraps really being able to store the amount of force needed to have much of an impact.
Wraps must help some (they sure are used by a lot of people) – I just don’t know how much.
I’m not in the sports and nutrition field and I don’t read the sports/nutrition literature regularly – so I’m far from an expert. I also can’t tell you the high-impact journals from the low impact journals. Lastly, I’ve never tried wraps. With that out of the way, I did a quick lit search, and did find the references below. I don’t have access to the full paper. Essentially I could not find any studies to support the idea that wraps are beneficial for lifting more weight. The first reference below essentially says that wraps have no effect on the position of the joint, or how the joint moves (they did not examine the question of strength assistance). Wraps may help prevent injury – but I didn’t see any literature on that either. The second reference (from a book and anyone can write a book) does say there is data to support the idea that wraps can actually cause injury – but I didn’t see much data on that either.
Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research:
doi: 10.1097/01.JSC.0000395642.78477.fc
Abstract: PDF Only
Kinematic and Kinetic Analysis of the Squat with and Without Knee Wraps
Eitner, J D; LeFavi, R G; Riemann, B L
Abstract
Powerlifters, bodybuilders, Olympic-style weightlifters and strength/power athletes often use knee wraps in the squat exercise in an attempt to maximize repetitions performed at a certain load or to increase 1RM. Little research has investigated the effects of knee wrap use on the biomechanics of the squat. PURPOSE: To determine if the use of knee wraps affects squat kinematics and kinetics in trained powerlifters. METHODS: In a counterbalanced design, ten trained powerlifters performed squats to a femur-parallel position both with (W) and without (NW) knee wraps. Each powerlifter performed a structured warm-up with rest periods ranging from four to six minutes between sets depending on load, followed by one set of six repetitions at the subject’s 12 RM for both W and NW conditions. Global squat characteristics (e.g., repetition time, percent cycle descent-ascent transition, center of mass, vertical displacement) were assessed by dependent t-test. Further, two 3 (joint position) x 2 (wrap condition) repeated measure ANOVAs with a Bonferroni correction were performed for (1) concentric and eccentric work, and (2) peak flexion. RESULTS: There were no significant differences (p<0.5) in global squat characteristics or in interactions between joint position and wrap condition. However, collectively a significant main effect (p<.05) was found for joint in peak flexion and in concentric and eccentric work (hip > knee > ankle). CONCLUSIONS: While the significant main effects suggest subjects performed a correct squatting technique, the use of knee wraps did not alter subjects’ biomechanics. In addition, the use of knee wraps did not influence work performed at relevant joints. Further research is warranted to elucidate the effects of knee wraps on a subject’s ability to perform maximal repetitions at submaximal loads and on a subject’s 1 RM. The present research project helps narrow the possible mechanisms involved in such an effect. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: This data does not support any practice whereby strength and conditioning specialists either promote the use of knee wraps or dissuade athletes from using them. Practically, as many athletes describe a feeling of enhanced confidence with the use of knee wraps during the squat, the strength and conditioning specialist has no reason to believe the use of knee wraps will negatively affect the transfer of strength/power from the squat to the target sport activity.
(C) 2011 National Strength and Conditioning Association
I also found this, from Sports Chiropractic By Robert D. Mootz, Kevin A. McCarth (I have not read the book – and the title of the book alone makes me question the veracity):
“Elastic knee wraps are frequently worn while performing squats and other heavy leg exercises with the intention of protecting the knew joing. Such wraps may increase the friction between the patella and the underlying cartilage, thus increasing the risk of knew injury. (2 refs)”
Sorry for the big post.
[quote]JoeGood wrote:
[quote]giterdone wrote:
Joe, are those side rails adjustable for height?
If they are adjustable you can move them up so that you don’t have to cut your squats high. If you get stuck in the hole just drop down and leave the bars on the rails. [/quote]
I think all of my squat issues are realted to me are a) thinking about the damn wraps all the time cause my form to go wonky and b) my waiting for the wraps to fail somehow.
I just need to get the fuck over it.[/quote]
[/quote]
Thats some interesting information, I know I have felt the “pop” once or twice in my single rep lifts.
