5 Types of Lifting Gear to Help you Get Your Gains

Staunch Nation
July 21, 2021
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Look, the gear doesn’t make the lifter, but if you’re going to the gym, some gear might be the extra support you're looking for to get those extra gains and break your plateau.

Here is a guide to 5 pieces of equipment to help you at the gym:

Weightlifting Belt

Hey we don’t want you to be pulling anything! If you’re a serious lifter at the gym and are doing squats or deadlifts you might want to consider a lifting belt. Weightlifting belts have 2 purposes: first to reduce stress on the spine and second to improve your lifts.

Reduced stress on the spine helps with injury prevention and improves your biomechanics so you can lift more with your legs and not your back. However, it’s important to note the belt isn’t supporting your spine, it’s actually supporting your abs by increasing your abdominal pressure. This works to better support the spine. So belt or not, remember to always brace your core to help prevent injury!

It’s also been found to help trained athletes to lift more weight after training and help you break plateaus by helping you mentally believe you can lift more! But don’t click too fast, you might limit your lifts if you begin using a belt before it’s the right time. Be patient and once you’re an intermediate to advanced lifter take a look at belts for some extra gains.

While these belts can benefit your lifts they don’t fix your bad form, so study up and practice!

Knee Sleeves

Knee pain or problems are all too common for athletes, so for functional support take a look at knee sleeves.

Your joints have a lot of stress and pressure put on them during your workouts so knee sleeves provide that much needed support and even help alleviate pain relief. This is done by the compression your knee sleeves provide. Compression helps to increase blood flow to reduce pain and swelling. It also helps to keep your knees warm between workouts/sets to regulate the blood flow and better prevent injury.

As mentioned, knee sleeves are meant for support so always remember to embrace quality technique and form first! Plus don’t forget to wash those knee sleeves after if you want to avoid the stink!

Wrist Wraps

Now that we have your core and lower body covered, let's take a look at wrist wraps to support your grip, wrist, and forearms. Wraps provide additional support to your wrists, keeping you properly aligned while you're lifting and preventing extra movement.

If you have previous injuries, wrist wraps can help to alleviate pain by offering wrist stability. Don’t underestimate the power of wrist stability, especially when it comes to something like your bench press. A tightly wrapped wrist can help to ensure your form stays true with your hand to elbow locked and your grip curled in a more natural position.

Wrist Straps

You heard this one right! Wrist straps are different from wrist wraps, but how? Well think of this, wrist wraps are wrapped around your wrist to support your joint, while wrist straps are also wrapped around the wrist with straps meant to wrap around the bar you're lifting. The purpose of a wrist strap is to support weak grips for heavy lifting.

The real benefit to wrist straps is they allow you to lift with the full potential of your target muscle without you worrying about your grip failing you first.

Booty Bands

Last on our list are booty bands, or resistance bands. These are 12” long latex mini bands that allow you to apply resistance to your workouts, normally to engage your glutes and give you that poppin’ booty! Whether you’re looking to invest in a glamourous butt or just create a harder home workout, booty bands help you activate more muscles for a full workout.

Not only are they cost effective, but they can be used for beginners to advanced users. Although called booty bands, they aren’t just used for lower body workouts and can also be used for an upper body exercise, adding variety to your workouts.

Conclusion

No matter what, always focus on your technique and form first to prevent injury and of course no workout is complete without headphones and a Juicy Playlist! Don’t forget your shaker or jug for hydration and enjoy your lifts!