When and how to use weightlifting belts, straps, wraps, etc...
Like any other form of equipment in the gym, belts, straps, and other accessories in that realm should simply be looked at as tools meant to set you up for success... But unfortunately, there are a few common misconceptions around these tools.
The first one is that simply throwing on a weightlifting belt saves your lower back; unfortunately, for that to be the case, there still needs to be some user input. Typically you would want to pull the belt as tight as possible around your midsection and then set the pin one hole less than that. This gives your core a "wall" to brace against, and by setting it one hole loose, it also allows you to still breathe properly.
So how about lifting straps or hooks? For some reason, people will claim that using these are somehow cheating... That's just dumb, unless you're training for competition where these accessories are not allowed. But for any other scenario? I'm willing to bet everyone has at least one exercise where their grip would give out before the muscles we're actually targeting - and that's exactly where tools like these will really shine! Don't limit your deadlifts because you can't hold the weight. Build that dump truck booty and train your forearms separately if you feel they need to catch up.
Now for knee sleeves, knee/wrist/elbow wraps, or other tools like them... In their simplest forms, they're great for simply keeping the joints warm. As for the ones with a little extra compression, they're great for keeping the joints stable through movements, and also tend to offer a little help out of the bottom of a movement - but it's not nearly as much as some may claim. I like to look at them as a form of insurance when lifting heavy, which is why you'll see them used so heavily in powerlifting, where people are trying to simply lift as much weight as possible. Or, I (coach Jesse) must admit, I'll wear my wrist wraps on a ton of exercises simply because they've become comfortable for me.
All of this information begs one last question: when am I ready to integrate these into my training sessions? Personally, I will always do the majority of my warmup sets without these. Once the weight starts to get a little heavier, but not quite to my working weight, I want to put on my belt or knee sleeves and get used to moving with them before my working sets. For example: if I plan on squatting 405lbs on my working sets, I'm probably not putting on sleeves and a belt until I've worked my way up to 275-315lbs on the bar, and will have one or two warm up sets with them on before my working sets. But, like many things in the gym, that method can be tailored to any individual's needs!
When in doubt, the coaches here at Success are always ready to help out and make sure you're using ANY equipment in the gym properly. Stay strong, friends.
