Accumulating “stuff” is part of the fun of having a hobby. Car enthusiasts love souping up their rides. Guitar players love adding new pieces to their rig. And powerlifters love adding new gear to their wardrobe of stuff to wear while lifting.
I delved into what lifters wear and why in my article, the Novice Raw Lifter’s Guide to Supportive Gear. But today, I want to go deeper into a specific piece of equipment that can enhance your lifts and keep you healthy.
I’m talking about wrist wraps, one of the best equipment additions to improve your squat and bench press.
WHY WEAR WRIST WRAPS?
Wrist wraps provide several advantages in training and competition, and they’re legal in every reputable powerlifting federation under the sun. So whether you’re a competitive powerlifter or just want to train hard and heavy, wrist wraps are a valuable edition to your lifting garb.
Here’s a quick list of reasons to wear them:
- Improves wrist joint positioning by preventing hyperextension
- Provides proprioceptive feedback to the hand, which enhances tension applied to the bar
- Allows more comfortable (i.e. less uncomfortable) technique during the wide-grip bench press or low bar back squat
- Provides structural support to the relatively small and vulnerable wrist joint
Basically, wrist wraps improve performance and decrease wear-and-tear by keeping you in a better wrist position. It’s a win-win.
HOW TO WRAP YOUR WRISTS
This is where most people go wrong. There’s a bit of a strategy to wrapping your wrist. It’s not as simple as winding the wrap around your wrist and pulling tight. Watch this quick tutorial to learn the basics:
To reiterate, you want to use an ‘X’ shape to create more surface area, creating a “casting” effect and keep the support close to the wrist joint. Here’s a step-by-step guide to accompany the video:
- Loop your thumb through the loop with the wrap across the back of your wrist.
- Pull the wrap around to make one full circle across your wrist (for squats) or butt of your hand (for presses).
- Pull the wrap down and across diagonally (think Northeast to Southwest) across your forearm (palm to the ceiling).
- Pull the wrap up and across diagonally (think Southwest to Northeast) across your wrist (palm to the floor).
- Pull the rest of the length of the wrap across in a circle.
- Lock down the velcro.
That’s it. The ‘X’ technique will give you more support and a tighter fit than simply wrapping around in one continuous circle.
HOW TO CHOOSE YOUR WRIST WRAPS
There are a few factors to consider when picking a pair of wraps:
- Length
- Stiffness
- Thumb loop position
Wraps are usually sold in short (12-20 inches) or long (18-24 inches) lengths. The shorter lengths are best for assistance work or Olympic lifting where more wrist flexibility is desired. Longer lengths allow for more support for heavy lifting where you want virtually no motion at the wrist.
The stiffness of the wrap material will vary, from stretchy to stiff. Again, a stretchy wrap will be easier to manipulate and allow some wrist movement, while the stiff wrap asks like a cast and allows no flexion or extension.
Finally, thumb loop position will affect how you position the wrap while putting it on. Traditionally, the loop is sewn so it attaches at the corner, making it easy to remove after the wrap is set. Other wraps have the loop sewn lengthwise so both ends of the loop are attached to the wrap. This makes for a tighter fit, but it’s harder to remove the loop from your thumb. This can be crucial since many powerlifting federations make you remove the thumb loop before you lift.
THAT’S A WRAP
That should give you enough information to choose a wrap that’s best for your style of lifting. Next time, I’ll take about when and where to use wrist straps to improve your grip.