I see more and more guys wearing wrist wraps. On just about every exercise they do. Am I wrong in thinking that just like relying on a belt in deads, someone should only wear those when absolutely needed? I understand the point of wrist wraps on heavy benching obviously but not when you are doing skull-crushers or db rows. Am I just not seeing the benefits here?
On elbow sleeves, I don’t see that many guys wearing those but the few that I do swear by them. The guys that wear them say that they don’t offer any support necessarily, although I know that you can get some that do, but they mainly just keep your elbows warm, or warmer, and ready for pressing or pulling. I don’t have any elbow problems to speak of. Wondered if any of you use them and would or would not recommend them.
I use wrist wraps (not straps) on DB rows for two reasons: grip and owies. If you make a fist and wrap a wrist wrap super tight, it locks the tendons down and helps you keep your grip closed. This helps me in high rep work.
Second, the dumbbells I use at my gym, even if I hold them with a super tight grip, rub against the skin of my wrist and rub holes in me. Ouch. The wrist wrap takes the rub out. I don’t know about using them for crushers, unless the angle makes your wrists hurt.
I don’t use elbow sleeves, but I’m of the opinion that if something makes lifting better and less painful for you, and that something is legal, or doesn’t negatively impact your goals (e.g., you shouldn’t wear a shirt all the time to protect your shoulders if you are trying to strengthen your pecs!), then go for it. As I get older, I’m always happy to find things that make me hurt less.
I wear wrist wraps when I bench and squat, if I don’t my wrists feel like hell afterward. I have ridiculously small wrists and casting them in the wrap makes sure they don’t get jacked up and keeps the hand in alignment with the arm to make sure the most power is being transferred to the bar.
I wear wrist wraps on my heavy bench days and squat days, mainly because I grip the bar right beside my shoulders on squat, which I do 3x a week, and bench 5x a week, so it’s more of a wear and tear thing.
I recently had an elbow injury and picked up some efs elbow sleeves. Work great. keeps the joint warm and helps with support.
I mainly use wrist wraps for heavy benching and JM presses. But if my wrists are bothering me I’ll use them for anything that puts pressure on my wrist. dips, squats, OH press, etc.
I use wrist wrap on overhed press when the BB gets to ~50kg (110lb), on Bench when te bar get to ~100kg (220lb) and on JM press when weight gets to ~50kg. Dont use them on anything else.
Straps: I only use them on BB row when bar gets to ~110kg (242lb), this is because I use a false grip (for elbow comfort) and holding over 110kg like this is difficult for me and takes away the lat focus. On the other hand I do DB row without straps, using a thick(ish) bar 47mm diameter (~1 7/8 inch), with ~50kg DB for 5sets of 10.
They are tools, use them wisely!
SRC moment: I saw a guy using straps on the lat pulldown but they weren’t tight. He’s the same guy that used straps on his 5kg lat raises!
I am one of those people that wear wrist wraps on lots of exercises. I feel that they keep my wrists “warmer,” just the same as elbow or knee sleeves accomplish. I only really tighten them up on heavy pressing or back squats though. It seems to keep my wrist, forearms, elbows and shoulders feeling better.
I use wrist wraps on all heavy pressing and curls after I had to have reconstruction on my right wrist and a non-supportive elbow sleeve to help keep it warm and mitigate some of the tendonitis.