Do you use wrist bands for your strength exercises? The human body is an incredible machine, and over time progressive loads become easier and easier as muscle growth occurs.
However, when you level up level and start to push your limits, it's a good idea to consider investing in some gear. Using quality wrist wraps can help stabilize your wrist joints for heavy lifts, high volume movements, and faster recovery from injury. And with the right preparation, you will succeed in all the bodybuilding challenges that come your way!
So what is a wrist wrap? Why use it in bodybuilding? When and how to wear them to enjoy all their benefits? This article tells you all there is to know about wrist wraps!
What is a wrist band in bodybuilding?
As the name suggests,wrist wraps in bodybuilding wrap around the wrist. Bands of elastic material, they wrap tightly around the joint to support it while lifting heavy loads or during exercises that put strong pressure on the wrists.
The strips are usually held in place by velcro. Most have a thumb loop so you can hold the wrap in place until you tighten them.
Once properly positioned, a hook-and-loop fastener keeps the band in place. Comfortable and thick, the wrist bands are durable weight training accessories.
Also read: Building your wrist muscles: The revolutionary weight training accessory
Why use a wrist band in bodybuilding?
Stabilizing the wrists for heavy lifts
The wrist joint is made up of many small muscles, tendons and bones. AND like any muscle, it will get stronger with practice. As you approach a 1 rep max or enter a competition, your movement should be on point.
However, under heavy loads, the body is most vulnerable to injury. In weight training, a wrist band allows to support and stabilize your joint during exercise.
This prevents hyperextension and promotes correct placement of the wrist under the bar. The weight of the dumbbells is stable and you do not transfer all the tension to your shoulders or your legs.
For maximum advice: Top 10 exercises to build forearm muscles
Supporting High Rep Volume Exercises
bodybuilding fans are used to maximum effort workouts. When body and mind get tired, movement is often sacrificed.
Some put a lot of pressure on the wrists, like push-ups or dip exercises. Even if your wrist gets stronger over time, a wrist band helps support your joint throughout the exercise, even with high repetition volumes.
If you feel your wrists starting to get tired, a wrist wrap provides additional support and stability to give you one point of pain less and don't let yourself be distracted during your effort
In order to get as much information as possible: Discover the benefits of massage on painful joints
Recover faster
Wrist sprains are a common injury in weight training and CrossFit. Fortunately, the wrist is also an elastic joint. After a suitable rest period and immobilization, it is only a matter of time before you can put loads back on your wrists.
The benefit of wrist bands is therefore to help the process of recovery. A good wrap will improve wrist stability and relieve the wrist joint.
As your injury deflates and the pressure goes away, keep wearing the band so your wrist continues to grow stronger.
For maximum advice: Active recovery in bodybuilding: optimize your training
When to wear a wrist band in bodybuilding?
Situations suitable for wearing wrist guards
For wrist wraps in bodybuilding to be effective, they must be well-tightened. Here are the situations for which it is useful to wear this accessory:
- If you recently suffered a wrist injury, you may need support.
- If you tend to hyper-extend your wrists while doing a bench press, for example. Otherwise, you might drop the bar.
- If you are an elderly person, have ever suffered a wrist injury or suffer from arthritis in your wrist, the wrist band can help relieve your articulation.
To get the most out of your workout: Top 5 Best Ankle Strengthening Exercises
Restrictions on wearing wrist guards
Warning: you don't need to wear wrist wraps all the time. You don't need wrist guards if you have healthy wrists.
Unfortunately, some athletes abuse this accessory. Instead of just wrapping the injured area or using it on an ad hoc basis, they wrap just about every joint (knee and wrist), every workout. This not only restricts their range of motion, but also makes the joints dependent on support bands.
Normally, as you increase the weight you use, your ligaments and tendons gain strength alongside your muscles. But if you wear too many bandages, your wrists won't feel the need to strengthen. This can cause a serious problem in the long run.
Also read: Wrist strap bands: how, why and when to use them?
How to properly use a wrist band in bodybuilding?
Warm up without bands and place them properly
You usually don't need wrist wraps for warming up in weight training. It's best to only wear them on training days when you're working at heavy loads or almost maximum.As we said before, becoming dependent on wrist wraps tends to limit the strength development of your joint
And when you put them on, don't tie your wrist bands too low. Remember that the purpose of a wrist wrap is to support your joint. If the wrap sits too low, you have effectively turned your wrist band into a simple forearm bracelet that provides no support.
Make sure you tie your band so that it covers enough the wrist joint to create real support and prevent over extension of the wrist.
Find out more: Warming up before bodybuilding: tips and exercises.
For strength movements only
Unless you're planning on competing in gymnastics and competing in events like pommel horse, you probably don't need to wear wrist wraps for the body weight exercises.
The only exception is if you have a wrist injury, where you need support no matter what movement you are doing. But otherwise, wrist bands in strength training are only really useful during movements with heavy loads, exerting high pressure on the joint. Another common mistake is to use it to hide mobility and flexibility issues.
Difficulty or discomfort during a movement often comes from a poor position rather than a real weakness in your wrist. For example, poor thoracic extension or lack of shoulder flexion can also play a role in the position of your wrist.
Wrist guards don't make your joints more flexible, so they won't be the solution.
Choosing the right type of wrist bandage
In bodybuilding, there are two main types of wrist wraps on the market: cotton wraps which are thinner and more flexible, and thicker wraps bound by Velcro that provide more wrist support.
If you're trying to optimize a movement like a bench press or shoulder press, we recommend using thicker wraps. If you're looking for more range of motion, thinner bands may do the trick.
And if you don't know how to choose between the two? The Super-Human Fitness™ Power Wrist Wraps™ are the most complete model on the market, as strong as they are comfortable. They offer optimal protection thanks to its robust and elastic fabric. In addition, you can tighten them well around your joint without cutting off your blood circulation.
They have been designed to fit all athletes and are very simple to put on, with a thumb loop for extra support. Waterproof and wicking, just put them in the washing machine to clean them.
In summary: wrist wraps in bodybuilding
The wrist bands for bodybuilding are therefore a more than practical accessory for supporting injured joints or those requiring external assistance to support a heavy load. They make it possible to stabilize the wrists, but also to accelerate their recovery after a sprain, for example.
Note and remember that wrist bands in bodybuilding are not to be used daily, but only when they are really necessary
Otherwise, you would risk weakening your wrists, which would stop strengthening, and would no longer be able to exercise without this support. Regarding the choice of wraps, we recommend the Super-Human Fitness™ Athletic Strength Wrist Wraps : flexible and comfortable, they offer unparalleled support for your wrists.
Don't hesitate any longer: if you need additional support for your joints, the wrist bands for strength training are the solution!
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