Little Gems
- Lifting accessories can be considered an aid that will help you maximise performance, reduce injury risk and achieve your fitness goals more effectively
- There’s a reason professional powerlifters and athletes use lifting belts and knee wraps/knee sleeves - because they truly work
- Investing in quality accessories can make a world of difference in your training experience and progress
Let's Kick Things Off
Are you ready to take your workouts to the next level and optimise your performance in the gym? Then you must explore the world of gym accessories - from knee support to wrist straps, lifting belts, elbow sleeves and everything in between.
This blog will help you get confident in using them appropriately and break through any uncertain preconceptions you may have about incorporating them into your workout.
The Most Commonly Used:
Knee Wraps & Knee Sleeves
Knee wraps and/or knee sleeves provide support and stability to the knees during heavy lifts, reducing discomfort and the risk of injury. They can help alleviate strain on the joints and promote proper alignment, allowing you to squat deeper and use heavier weights with confidence. Wraps and sleeves offer a level of compression around the knees, keeping them warm during the workout and enhancing blood flow and oxygen delivery to the region.
Lifting Belts
Lifting belts provide support to the lower back, diaphragm and core muscles, helping to maintain proper spinal alignment and reduce the risk of injury during heavy lifts like squats and deadlifts. They can also increase intra-abdominal pressure, enhancing stability and power output during lifts. Simply put, there’s a reason professional powerlifters use lifting belts and knee wraps/knee sleeves - because they truly work.
Elbow Sleeves
Elbow sleeves provide compression, support and stability for the elbows, decreasing the chances of strain and inflammation during exercises that can aggravate the joint, like bench press, shoulder press and tricep extensions. They can ease discomfort from issues like tennis elbow and provide relief while lifting so you can get back to training at your best again.
Lifting Straps & Gym Chalk
Gym chalk and lifting straps are a must-have accessory for lifters who struggle with weak grip or sweaty hands during workouts. They significantly help to improve grip strength, allowing for better control, performance and isolation of the muscle during lifts.
Although you can train to improve grip strength to some degree, the results will be marginal. Whether it’s a heavy deadlift, pull-down, row or dumbbell lunges, it is unlikely your grip strength will be able to keep up with the amount of weight your legs and back can actually lift. Straps were a game changer in helping me break through plateaus personally and with my clients.
Wrist Straps
Essential for providing additional support and wrist stability during exercises like shoulder and chest press. Wrist straps can provide compression and warmth to the region, helping maintain performance throughout your session. The additional stiffness in the wrists provided by the straps can give you confidence to reach new personal bests.
Resistance Bands
Resistance bands are versatile accessories that can be useful for a variety of exercises, including stretching, mobility drills, recovery and resistance training. They add an extra challenge to traditional exercises and can help improve strength, flexibility and range of motion.
Foam Rollers
Foam rollers are useful for helping to release muscle tension, improve circulation and reduce soreness. Incorporating foam rolling into your routine can enhance recovery time and improve overall mobility and flexibility
Cheating, or High IQ?!
Lifting accessories can be considered an aid that will help you maximise performance, reduce injury risk and achieve your fitness goals more effectively.
If you are concerned that using lifting accessories is cheating, or will prevent you from improving your grip strength, core strength and “stabilisers”, then my advice is to only use them for 20-30% of the workout.
I encourage my clients to use lifting accessories in the heaviest sets (or working sets) of relevant exercises only. This allows the opportunity to still improve on fundamentals like grip strength, core strength and bracing intuitively without any aids during moderate sets, then we incorporate the lifting accessories strategically in their 1-2 working sets at max weight, which helps them lift closer to their full potential more comfortably and safely compared to not using aids.
The Wrap Up
Whether you’re a powerlifter, bodybuilder or casual gym-goer, investing in quality accessories can make a world of difference in your training experience and progress.
If you are ready to elevate your workouts with the right gear, head to lobocki.com.au/Nick to explore the vast selection of premium gym accessories.
Train smart, train hard and enjoy the gains!
