Wraps, Sleeves, Everything Else: A PL Gear Guide

Training Powerlifting
81

So I did my 1st meeet today and it went well for the most part. I lost my arch on my 3rd squat attempt and fell back about 3/4 of the way throug the lift…fucking pissed. I was talking with one of the judges after the flight and thats when he told me I lost my arch and didnt have enough hip drive.

He gave me some pointers on how to fix it but he also said that getting some shoes just for squating would help as well. So I was looking for some advice on power shoes. I was looking at Inzers website(that they never update) and they have The Pillar shoes. Any other sugestions?

82

looking for some solid wrist straps for a big bench press any ideas for me? i owe some tko’s but they are wrist supports for boxing and gay shit like that

83

Looking for a review of the Inzer Forever 10 or 13mm belt.

84

[quote]dha5026 wrote:
looking for some solid wrist straps for a big bench press any ideas for me? i owe some tko’s but they are wrist supports for boxing and gay shit like that[/quote]

http://www.prowriststraps.com/weight_lifting_wrist_wraps_powerlifting_wrap

I’ve been really pleased with APT wraps. Sign up for their mailing list and you’ll get a lot of codes for 15% off.

85

Who here actually wears five fingers for 1RM? I’ve heard all the praise for them but want to hear someone say they lifted a PR while wearing them.

86

[quote]andrew_live wrote:
Who here actually wears five fingers for 1RM? I’ve heard all the praise for them but want to hear someone say they lifted a PR while wearing them.[/quote]

I have, now I just got back into the heavy weights last year after an injury 8-9 years ago. I lift in the garage and switched from the chuck taylors to the 5 fingers about 6 months ago. I have never felt that stable on my feet lifting before.

87

[quote]andrew_live wrote:
Who here actually wears five fingers for 1RM? I’ve heard all the praise for them but want to hear someone say they lifted a PR while wearing them.[/quote]

My best pulls have been in 5 fingers. I use them for just about everything cept squats.

88

Stats: 220 class
Best Lifts: N/A
Gear Experience: Cheap tapered bodybuilding belts, Safe USA Ultra Belt, Inzer Forever Lever Belt 13MM.

Equipment being reviewed: Spud Inc. Deadlift Belt 3 Ply

Pros: Rugged and durable. Relatively Cheap ($54), comfortable: advertised to not pinch your hips or stomach when squatting/deadlifting. Adjusts easily, could be used while benching to hold your shirt in place (although Spud sells a thinner version for just this purpose)

Cons: provides limited support and looks a tad bit strange. Edit–>not sure of the legality of this belt in sanctioned competitions. Almost definitely not IPF legal.

Comparison: It’s a rather unique piece of equipment, I have a tough time comparing it to a standard power belt. This belt is certainly more comfortable than a regular power belt. When training, it isn’t always necessary to go balls to the wall with a restrictive, tight belt and this piece comes in handy.

Thoughts: I just got back into the gym about 15 weeks ago after a long layoff. I was squatting 400 and I had my lever cranked down too tight. It popped under my ribcage, causing (more than) a little discomfort and to be honest it shocked the shit out of me, I flattened out–let all of the air out of my stomach and my ribs landed on the belt…cracked 2 ribs in the process. I picked up this belt because it was a little more pliable and I hoped it would allow me to keep training through my stupidity and injury, and it has served its’ purpose. I went with a Large and I could have gone with a medium and I’d be able to crank it down a little tighter. I avoid wearing a belt except when I’m getting to real heavy sets…and in some situations where I’d wear the belt just for some support, I found I was avoiding wearing the lever because it was too restrictive (bent over rows etc.) The Spud Inc. belt fills that void.

89

[quote]Give Er wrote:
Looking for a review of the Inzer Forever 10 or 13mm belt. [/quote]

I’d like to see this as well if anyone has used.

90

Stats: 220 class
Best Lifts: N/A
Gear Experience: Cheap tapered bodybuilding belts, (2) Safe USA Ultra Belts over 16 years, Spud Inc. Deadlift Belt 3 Ply

Equipment being reviewed: Inzer 13MM Lever / Forever Belt

Pros: Well constructed, clamps down tight over briefs and suit much easier than a prong belt. VERY sturdy and rigid. Does not seem to have ANY Y AXIS flex whatsoever. I’m not sure if this lack of flex is inherent to Inzer belts or just the lever.

Cons: Not easily adjustable, the metal on the lever belt has shown some corrosion over the 8 years that I’ve had it. Limited training use for me due to adjustability.

Comparison: Compared to a typical prong belt, the lever is much easier to get on and to get off. This comes at the cost of being a pain in the ass to adjust. Speaking to the rigidness, I’ve never paid too close attention but thinking on it, the lever seems more rigid than any other belt I’ve owned or used. It doesn’t seem to have any Y axis flex whatsoever.

Thoughts: For those unfamiliar with the lever belt, there is a lever that has two prongs that hooks into the opposite side of the belt to buckle down. The lever is forwards/backwards adjustable via the removal of two screws and a single plate of metal on the inside of the belt. If the belt is too tight once the lever has been buckled, the belt must be removed, the two screws must be removed and the lever unit must be moved forward…too loose and the lever must be moved back. It’s not a big ordeal to adjust the belt, but it’s far from the convenience of a prong.

I don’t know about anybody else but I don’t always want my belt the same tightness for everything. For example, I want my belt a different level of tightness when I’m squatting compared to when I’m deadlifting. If I’m doing a military press I might want another adjustment.

Due to the mild difficult and inconvenience in adjusting ANY lever belt, I have NEVER recommended a lever as a first belt for a lifter. Your first belt should ALWAYS be a single prong (in my opinion). If you are gaining weight, the lever is going to fit differently, if you are wearing different gear (i.e. briefs or a suit or both) the lever is going to fit differently. Sometimes I’ll be wearing a sweatshirt and I’ll pop the lever on and it’s tighter than I want it, but short of pulling out a screwdriver and adjusting the lever, I’m pretty much stuck with the fit.

It’s a good belt to have in the arsenal, but I don’t use it all that much. It seems to me that the damn thing is either too tight or too loose on me.

-u

91

Thanks a ton unstable. Might have to pick one up simply because I just always prefer my belt the same tightness for the most part. If anyone has a large that is too small for them now or knows where to find a used one feel free to let me know.

92

[quote]pwrlifter198 wrote:
Stats
I am 5’7", 216 pounds lifting in USAPL.
Best Lifts: 585 Squat; 450 Bench; 592 DL
Gear Experience: I have worked with Inzer and Titan single-ply.

Equipment being reviewed:
Titan Super Centurion - Narrow Stance
Pros:
Super easy to get on. Great support. Got my opener no problems.

Cons:
Made me nervous when I put it on yesterday b/c I am used to this taking 30 or more minutes. Felt a little loose in the shoulders. I used it for D/L and had a hard time getting down to the bar. I lift conventional.

Comparison:
Compared to first generation Centurion, it is much easier to put on, doesn’t hurt as bad and gives at least as good support. I have not put on an Inzer in a long time so I cannot compare here.

Thoughts: Get this one a size bigger than you’re used to as it doesn’t give as well as previous suits. You may have to tailer it to your shoulders, but that’s sort of expected. You may need a second suit for the deads.[/quote]

Interesting. My first super centurion was a 44, only took about 10 minutes to get into, and I didn’t bleed haha, so I sent it back for a smaller pair. In the 44, took about 400 to hit depth straps down.

I exchanged it for a 42, and that was the best decision I have made with gear. Takes me at least 15-20 to get into, with suit slippers, but sick carryover. Takes over 500 for depth straps down. Takes about 625-650 for depth straps up.

If you can stand it TIGHT ENOUGH you can get as much carryover as an ACE with the straps loose. I know I do.

93

Stats 6,2 330
Best Lifts: All RAW) Bench 500 squat 600 deadlift 600
Gear Experience:

Equipment being reviewed:
apt Blue mamba wrist wraps.
Pros: offer decent support

Cons: not stiff enough, not made for very heavy lifts.

Comparison:

Thoughts: I just ordered APT blood stripes gonna try those

94

Gear reviewed , inzer pr belt

30 experience, Lifting, judging, etc, various feds .

Don’t bother . It’s expensive and hard to use . It does offer slight adjustments but IMO it would be hard to use quickly under pressure . You must thread a strap through the center of the ratchet after you place one end of the belt in a bracket . It’s to difficult to do under stress IMO .

Get a single prong or lever belt . They’re a lot cheaper 50-110$ compared to 140.

95

Age 32
weight 242
16 years experience off/on in powerlifting
Best Lifts: N/A

Gear Experience: Frantz TP wraps, Titan Signature Red Devil wraps, Inzer IronZ Wraps, Inzer True Black Wraps.

Equipment being reviewed: Metal All Black Wrist Wraps

Pros: Pretty comfortable wrap with plenty of support if you need it.

Cons: Fairly expensive for a pair of these. I’ve been using them for a few months and the material seems like it’s starting to break down a little. I’m sure they have plenty of life in them

Comparison: Maybe it’s because I don’t jack my wraps down too tight, but I don’t see too much of a difference between this wrap and the IronZ’s except for it being a little thinner. Compared to the frantz wrap, which I’m not sure is even still available or if any of you young whipper-snappers ever used them–the frantz wrap was MUCH more aggressive, painful, uncomfortable. It was like wrapping your bodyparts in stretchy sandpaper. But they gave phenomenal support.

Thoughts: I don’t wear my wraps like most people do. I actually go up over the meat of my palm a little bit because I feel it provides more support than wrapping directly on the wrist (where the wrist capsule can still bend). I don’t go super tight and really I’d say I use the wrap more like a knee wrap is used. I like the Metal Wrap, I don’t think it’s super great given the price. It’s definitely more comfortable than Frantz wrap by far. I actually had hoped that it was a little more like the TP wraps (just in black) because sometimes you want a wrap that really kicks ass, but this wrap is not it.

96

Does anybody here wrap their own knees? I plan on getting some wraps fairly soon, but if wrapping on your own produces subpar results, I may change my plans and go with a knee sleeve or something. I’ve never used wraps before, and I lift almost exclusively on my own and I won’t have anybody to wrap my knees. I’ve found plenty of videos and how-to’s on how to wrap somebody else’s knees, but nothing on how to do it for yourself.

97

[quote]black_angus1 wrote:
Does anybody here wrap their own knees? I plan on getting some wraps fairly soon, but if wrapping on your own produces subpar results, I may change my plans and go with a knee sleeve or something. I’ve never used wraps before, and I lift almost exclusively on my own and I won’t have anybody to wrap my knees. I’ve found plenty of videos and how-to’s on how to wrap somebody else’s knees, but nothing on how to do it for yourself.[/quote]

I don’t use knee wraps anymore since 100% RAW doesn’t allow them, but I used to. Here’s a knee wrap video, the guy is wrapping his own knees so it should help you. It’s been a long time since I’ve wrapped my knees, but for what it’s worth I basically used the x type that’s in the video except I didn’t do the spiral part the same. That wrap made 90-95% noticably easier than 80% for me.

98

[quote]S.Fisher_47 wrote:

[quote]black_angus1 wrote:
Does anybody here wrap their own knees? I plan on getting some wraps fairly soon, but if wrapping on your own produces subpar results, I may change my plans and go with a knee sleeve or something. I’ve never used wraps before, and I lift almost exclusively on my own and I won’t have anybody to wrap my knees. I’ve found plenty of videos and how-to’s on how to wrap somebody else’s knees, but nothing on how to do it for yourself.[/quote]

I don’t use knee wraps anymore since 100% RAW doesn’t allow them, but I used to. Here’s a knee wrap video, the guy is wrapping his own knees so it should help you. It’s been a long time since I’ve wrapped my knees, but for what it’s worth I basically used the x type that’s in the video except I didn’t do the spiral part the same. That wrap made 90-95% noticably easier than 80% for me.

[/quote]

It works fine, but your best bet is to just practice wrapping, frequently. This is the video I used to learn from, too. I used an old pair of spent wraps to practice wrapping myself using the Nichols tread. If those wraps weren’t already dead, they would have been with all of the wrapping I did to get it right. As for effectiveness of wrapping yourself; I squatted a competition best of 350 back in February with somebody else wrapping my knees, I squatted 405 wrapping my own knees in the gym a couple of weeks ago. Both lifts were in a squat suit, I should mention. Hope this helps.

99

I will be competing in my first meet at the end of the year. What I wanted to get for the meet was a belt, knee wraps and wrist wraps in line with IPF regulations.
In South Africa the powerlifting community is very fragmented and isolated and really only comes together at a regional or national meet. So really groups train by themselves and in my province (state) its even less in terms of interactions among competitors. We follow the IPF federation.

What I wanted to do was order from Elitefts: Metal triple blackline knee wraps 2.0 and triple blackline wrist wraps 60cm and an elitefts economy 13mm single prong belt.

As a RAW newbie would these wraps and belt be efficient to compete with and be suitable until ‘intermediate’ stages? Basically I want to pertain to the saying “Buying Nice is better than buying twice”.

Stats:
Bench 140kg (315lbs)
Squat: 155kg (341lbs)
Deadlift: 200kg (440lbs)
Height: 5ft 8
Weight: 91kg (200lbs)

Any advice, guidance or tips would be really much appreciated

100

[quote]Diluted56 wrote:
I will be competing in my first meet at the end of the year. What I wanted to get for the meet was a belt, knee wraps and wrist wraps in line with IPF regulations.
In South Africa the powerlifting community is very fragmented and isolated and really only comes together at a regional or national meet. So really groups train by themselves and in my province (state) its even less in terms of interactions among competitors. We follow the IPF federation.

What I wanted to do was order from Elitefts: Metal triple blackline knee wraps 2.0 and triple blackline wrist wraps 60cm and an elitefts economy 13mm single prong belt.

As a RAW newbie would these wraps and belt be efficient to compete with and be suitable until ‘intermediate’ stages? Basically I want to pertain to the saying “Buying Nice is better than buying twice”.

Stats:
Bench 140kg (315lbs)
Squat: 155kg (341lbs)
Deadlift: 200kg (440lbs)
Height: 5ft 8
Weight: 91kg (200lbs)

Any advice, guidance or tips would be really much appreciated[/quote]

I would rather get wraps from Titan if I were you. They are cheaper (price wise, quality is still awesome) than metal wraps and you can get their high end wraps from them for less than the triple blacks. Titan’s THP wraps are a nice alternative to the triple blacks, they are stiffer and would last longer. This said, I have a pair of metal all blacks that I absolutely love. I don’t want to buy another type of wrap, ever. The problem is they are expensive and in order to use them best, I needed to learn how to squat in easier wraps first. The belt from EFS, I’ve heard good things about and you can’t go wrong with it, especially for the price.

This is just my opinion, I hope that it helps. I just started competing recently, too (just did my 3rd meet), so good luck and I hope you decide to do more meets!