I was doing some below parallel (~3 inch) box-squats last night and I was wrapping up my knees after I got over, 455lbs, 90% of my max.
The gym owner, who does my programming, came over to me afterward and called me out for wrapping my knees. He explained that the goal was to get stronger and not simply move more weight. I have been wrapping consistently for this cycle of low box ME work and my numbers have gone up each week. I chose to wrap on heavy sets this cycle because of the box height; I have done cycles of high and parallel box squats without them entirely.
Also, I am getting conflicting advice. There is this older guy who holds a few world records who also trains in the gym who is telling me that training with more strain is always better.
I am grateful to train in a place where people are knowledgeable, experienced and have an interest in helping me. But, who is “more right?”
Wraps are just another tool, so it’s totally up to you. Would the owner also be against reverse band work because it’s not 100% raw? Or wearing a belt? If it still carries over to your raw squat (and you want to increase your raw squat) then who cares if it’s not 100% raw.
I have better technique when I wrap, so I always strive to imitate wrapped technique with my raw squat. Without the reference point, how would I know what good technique feels like?
[quote]McDouche wrote:
How do you compete?[/quote]
NASA is fairly big around here. So, knee wraps and wrist wraps are fine.
[quote]black_angus1 wrote:
Your training maxes are based upon your lifts with wraps on right?[/quote]
I keep individual (i.e., for each variation of the lift) records for everything. I’m basing my low box squat maxes based on my last cycle of low box squat.
I’ll work my lifts raw for awhile then I’ll wear everything I can. Training in gear will make your raw lifts go up. Just don’t get to a point that you are dependent on what you are wearing!
[quote]incog wrote:
I was doing some below parallel (~3 inch) box-squats last night and I was wrapping up my knees after I got over, 455lbs, 90% of my max.
The gym owner, who does my programming, came over to me afterward and called me out for wrapping my knees. He explained that the goal was to get stronger and not simply move more weight. I have been wrapping consistently for this cycle of low box ME work and my numbers have gone up each week. I chose to wrap on heavy sets this cycle because of the box height; I have done cycles of high and parallel box squats without them entirely.
Also, I am getting conflicting advice. There is this older guy who holds a few world records who also trains in the gym who is telling me that training with more strain is always better.
I am grateful train in a place where people are knowledgeable, experienced and have an interest in helping me. But, who is “more right?” [/quote]
Older guy is more right by far. How many people do you know do powerlifting meets with the squat without a belt? Not very many, and more than likely if they do, the weight is really light.
Yes knee wraps will give you a bit of a boost, but a belt does as well. I used to shun the idea of using equipment like knee wraps until i tried them and found that i had very little knee pain from heavy near max squat sessions. I still wait till i get close to my heaviest sets before i use them, but my knees feel alot better training with heavier weight than they did prior with less weight.
With all that said, the bottom line is what are your goals, and what does your federation allow.
You are training for the meet. If you can use them in the meet, use them. Plus, you clearly are getting stronger if you are wrapping each week and also adding weight to the bar…
[quote]greystoke wrote:
I’m old, so I wrap everything, elbows, wrist, knees, and the belt. I train in knee sleeves, but wrap for meets.
Thing about wrapping knees, there is tight, kinda tight, and my calves are turning purple tight. You can train in them without cranking them down.[/quote]
you make a very good point greystoke. IMO, knee wraps are safety equipment that will definitely keep you healthy in the long run. i don’t use them on accessory work such as leg presses but for squats i definitely use them. i typically throw them on once i get above 70% of my max but very loose. As the weight gets heavier they get tighter. i also have a couple different pairs that i use depending on what kind of squatting i’m doing.
I squatted for years with nothing and at 41 started feeling knee pain on squat day. Then I started using knee sleeves and the pain went away entirely. This year I started using wraps at 90% and will never look back. Guess I’m a knee gear whore now…a pain-free knee gear whore.
[quote]HARA wrote:
I squatted for years with nothing and at 41 started feeling knee pain on squat day. Then I started using knee sleeves and the pain went away entirely. This year I started using wraps at 90% and will never look back. Guess I’m a knee gear whore now…a pain-free knee gear whore.[/quote]
Its all opinion really. I would say if you are planning your cycle with knee wraps for this exercise you are fine. You do want to build a good raw base with minimal equipment but I see it this way…If you are in "off season (no meet planned for 16+ weeks) try to do most stuff with minimal equipment.
If you are actively training for a meet or peaking, practice how you play. Everyone has different opinions on gear from what I have read. Its like choosing between a girl with a nice ass or nice tits, everyone has an opinion but either way its a girl with nice tits or a nice ass.
I, like Greystoke, am old and I wrap. In '07 Tiny Meeker introduced me to a supplement called GLC Direct 2000 that has really helped my knees. I can warm up all the way to 500lbs w/o wraps pain free then the wraps go on from that point.
I don’t wrap for squats, but I do need to include more warm-up sets than on any other lift. If I don’t take that extra time to ramp up, then my knees hurt. Another thing that helps me is squatting with more frequency than other lifts.
I have done both. I think the best answer was it depends on your goals. The only warning I would give is how to wrap. I messed up my knees by doing very tight figure eights directly over the knee. Great at the bottom, really would boost me out but ended up damaging the back of the kneecap internally. I was told it caused condromalagia (not sure on spelling) which is basically a roughing up of the surface of the cartilage. This was due to the kneecap being unable to float out because of the wraps and the bones then pushing into them. Stopped me from squating any weight for 2 years and had to change stance to avoid continual flareups. Now do wrap knee but most of wrap is above knee.