The 9 Best Lifting Wrist Wraps
Special Honors
C Wrist Wraps With these custom wraps, you can protect and strengthen your wrists and make a fashion statement at the same time. Tried and true designs — like an American flag or camouflage pattern — are always an option, but you can also get creative to craft them in your brand’s style as well. cwristwraps.com
Animal Pak Over the past several decades, Animal Pak has grown from a simple bodybuilding supplement brand to a trusted supplier of weightlifting gear. Emblazoned with the stylish Animal logo, these 12-inch wraps feature a strong Velcro fastener that helps them remain stable during intense lifting sessions. animalpak.com
Spud Choker Despite their rugged, heavy-duty construction, these are made with a soft nylon fabric that conforms to the wrist without irritating the skin. Using a smooth hook-and-loop system, they allow you to achieve an extremely tight wrap. They’re a tad stiff at first, but they break in quickly. spud-inc-straps.com
Editor's Notes
July 23, 2021:
We removed a duplicate of the Rx25 Premium, but otherwise the Wiki remains unchanged after a quick revisit. The Manimal Professional are an especially well-made pair developed by strength professionals, and the Grip Power Pads are a top choice because of their novel strain-reducing palm insert. If you're getting into your workout on the level that you need wrist straps, you'll also want to pick out a good lifting belt.
May 03, 2020:
Quality and safety concerns led to the removal of the Rip Toned MMA. They tend to wear down quickly when used with heavy weights, and some users find them quite uncomfortable. We also pulled the Versa Gripps Pros from the list for similar reasons.
We indicated that the Steel Sweat Supports are now available in two sizes (they previously only offered one). We gave the 321 Strong Fitness a minor upgrade, noting that it can be cleaned in the washing machine and comes with an instructional ebook. Reports suggest that the Bear Grips Superior are most suitable for heavy weightlifting; for less intense workouts, another option may work better. We note that the Grip Power Pads have integrated hooks for additional support.
One of our new additions — the Frost Giant Power — is a set that includes a pair of wraps, a pair of longer straps, and a mesh carrying bag, making it an exceptional value. We’ve noted that these wraps offer medium stiffness and elasticity, making them a little more comfortable than some of the super heavy-duty models.
In the Special Honors section, we’ve also included a listing that allows you to customize your wraps and order in bulk quantities — a nice potential choice for a commercial gym. They’ll provide free mockups before you even place an order, too.
October 15, 2018:
Removed one item due to availability issues. Noted that the 321 Strong Fitness can get itchy at times. Investigated the Manimal Professional, ranking them near the top of the list after learning that customers value their reliable performance, stability and long-lasting durability.
When To Use Lift Straps
You should only use lifting straps in exercises where the weight is naturally pulling away from your body due to gravity.
If you've spent any amount of time in the gym, then you've probably seen a few people with those long straps dangling from their arms. Those are lifting straps, and they are designed to help you continue to make size and strength gains in target muscles long past the point at which your forearm muscles would become fatigued. If used correctly, they can be extremely helpful tools, but if used incorrectly, they can eventually turn into a hindrance. Let's start by looking at when it is best to use lifting straps.
If you are at a point in your weight training where you are ready to move up into heavier weights, but are finding that your grip strength isn't up to snuff, lifting straps are probably what you need. They allow you to transfer some of the weight from your hands to your wrists. You should only use lifting straps in exercises where the weight is naturally pulling away from your body due to gravity. They should never be used in exercises where you are pushing the weight away yourself. Not only would they be ineffective in this scenario, but you will most certainly get some sniggers from experienced lifters if any are watching.
Some examples of exercises where the weight is pulling away from you include deadlifts, shrugs, rack pulls, and rows. Using lifting straps in these types of exercises allows you to increase muscle size in your target muscles, even if your grip strength isn't up to the task of holding onto such heavy weights. It is important to remember, though, that you should only incorporate lifting straps when you are at or approaching the weight at which your forearm muscles will fail. This means that you should start out your sets without lifting straps, and as you increase the weight, incorporate lifting straps. This helps to ensure that you continue to increase your forearm and grip strength. If you were to always use lifting straps, your grip strength would never improve. The idea is to use lifting straps only when needed, not as your everyday workout tool.
If you are a competition lifter, it may be best to avoid using lifting straps at all. Most powerlifting competitions don't allow them, although this is not a hard and fast rule. In fact, many strongman competitions do allow them. If you happen to be training for a very specific competition, check the rules first, before deciding to use or forego lifting straps.
How To Use Lifting Straps Correctly
Lifting straps are relatively simple to use, though they may look confusing at first. The first step is to put them on your wrists. With traditional lifting straps, this consists of sticking the straight end through the looped end of the strap to create a circle you can put your wrist though. Some newer straps make use of Velcro or other methods of securing them to your wrists. Make sure to take a moment to check the manufacturers instructions to ensure you securing your particular model to your wrists properly. When positioning them on your wrists, the remaining strap should fall down past the palm of your hand. Next pull the long strap until the loops are snug against your wrists.
Now, begin to wrap the dangling strap around the bar or dumbbell by starting at the back. Go under the bar in the back and come over the bar as you bring the strap from the front. Continue this process a couple of times until the strap is wrapped completely around the bar. After you have finished wrapping the strap, place your hands over the strap and close it. Before you start lifting, roll the bar slightly towards you. This will further tighten the straps so that everything is secure. Don't make them too tight, though, as you don't want to obstruct your circulation. Now you are ready to continue lifting as normal. When you are finished with your lifts, just release your hand from the bar and slowly pull them away. The straps should naturally slip off the bar as you do.
Simple Tips To Avoid Injury When Lifting Weights
Most of us hit the gym to get into better shape. The last thing we want to do is injure ourselves in some way that could potentially result in finding ourselves in worse shape. Experienced weight lifters know how to workout correctly to prevent injury, but newbies might not. To help ensure that your gym days are safe and effective, we've put together a few simple tips for you.
If you are unsure about the correct form for a particular exercise watch a few online tutorials or ask an experienced lifter for some pointers.
As a general rule of thumb, you should always keep your back straight. It doesn't matter whether you are deadlifting, squatting, doing bent rows, pushups, or any other form of exercise that puts pressure on your back. You lumbar spine isn't designed to be bend while there is pressure on it. When your spine is straight, or in what is called the neutral position, your back muscles are at their strongest and most stable. They are also better able to distribute weight so that you don't overload one particular muscle, causing an injury.
It is also important to understand the difference between soreness and pain. Delayed-onset muscle soreness, is good. It lets you know that you have challenged your muscles enough to create growth. Pain, on the other hand, is not good during or after a workout. Pain indicates that you either have an injury or are in the process of causing an injury that should be addressed so as to not further aggravate it. Pain often resides deep within the muscle and will be felt only during particular motions. Soreness is usually felt whenever the muscle is activated, no matter the motion. Understanding the different sensations between soreness and pain can help to keep you injury-free during your workouts.
Knowing and using proper form is a must, as well. Not only does proper form help prevent injury, but it also makes your workouts more efficient, as you will put all the strain directly on the muscles you are targeting. If you are unsure about the correct form for a particular exercise watch a few online tutorials or ask an experienced lifter for some pointers.