Straps, Wraps and Everything in Between

[Collabera]

Let's get some opinions on using straps and wraps or versa grips and hooks. Basically anything that provides assistance in a lift. Whether it be for DC or anything else. There's a lot of discussion going on in other threads about their use so we might as well make a thread for it.

When do you use them if ever?

How do you use them?

Why do you use them if you do?

Why don't you use them and are there any exceptions to that rule?

What benefits do you find using them for yourself?

(Starting to sound like a questionnaire for using condoms)

What lifts do you like to use them on?

I will chime in after some responses.

[Rampage]

I just use straps in deadlifts. Always in deadlifts.
Why?

My current back routine
Pullover machine
Pulldows
Barbell rows
Dumbell rows
Deadlift

At the lastest after dumbell rows my grip strenght is gone.
Whithout the straps, deadlift wouldn't be possible for me, and I need this exercise at the end to finish my back off.

[SAHD]

Only on deads, I previously used them on a number of pulling exercises but changed to sponges.

Incidentally my arms are a fair bit better since doing this.

[DC_catholic315]

Wrist wraps on chest shoulder tris (I have really small wrists)

Belt only on certain heavy exercises like heavy bent rows/d bell rows, deads/stiff legs, squat variation... I press overhead without one, and most all of my work with tires, barbell complexes ect that I do for "cardio" are done beltless, very heavy farmers walks I will wear one though)

Knee wraps are a must for me anyway really help my knee pain

Straps on back day for traps stiff legs work sets only and heavy farmers walks at home)

Chalk anytime I have an excuse to play with it lol

[trucelt]

Belt? about half the time I wear a 13"mm Inzer Forever belt for squats deads bench and overhead press

Straps? Honestly never. Once in a great while I'll strap up for shrugs at the end of a workout

Elbow sleeves? I have ones that provide little assistance but work great to keep my elbows warm, wear them 90% of the time. I started wearing them when I started squatting everyday...

Wrist wraps? On any heavy presses, squats and deads. Why on deads? Make a fist now wrap your wrist tight now try to open your fist....

Knee sleeves? On squats and deads depending on where I'm at in my training cycle.

Knee wraps? Rarely but are great for overload. I like them best on heavy-ass front squats to overload the quads.

A good portion of my training lately has been "super raw", no gear other than wrist wraps.and I feel like squatting, and pulling without any gear has made me stronger, especially ass-to-ankles oly squatting and front squatting.

[nexa]

I've used straps for stiff-legged deadlifts and I think for db lunges, like, once.

I use a belt for squats and deadlifts during my working sets.

I use wrist wraps if I'm low bar squatting and if I'm benching close to my max, neither of which I am doing at this time.

I used to wear knee sleeves but they don't fit so well anymore so I stopped. And I got tired of washing them and/or traveling with smelly knee sleeves.

[ChubChub]

I've just done some back. Performed the hang stretch with straps for 30 seconds. Finished and was angry with myself. I haven't been able to train for roughly 3 months, but was hanging off of bar for about a minute 2/3 times a week after work. I've put on half a stone with no training, and now can't hang for 20 seconds. I think I'm gonna build my hang time up again without the straps for the hang stretch after back. See how it goes.

Don't stop training.
Don't put half a stone on.

[Jen]

I used to use straps all the time. Used to always belt on dead and squat too. When I started with my PLing coach I was made to go clean. I had to do tons of grip work but now I almost never use straps. I'll only pull them out if I've pre fatigued my grip and still have pulls left.
Wrist wraps I might use a few times a month on heavy presses or under straps on pulls.
Belts only on super heavy sets of squats or dead.
I'd say my over all core and grip has improved since lessening my use but I also don't quite throw around the weight you guys do.
Personal preference for sure.
Great thread!

[Uncxrt]

Straps - use them pretty much on all my back work except DL's

Wraps - any pressing movement

Belt - bench over 405, squat over 365, DL over 495

Knee sleeves - all squatting exercises, and sometimes DL

[Collabera]

It sounds like the majority of us here have either never really used assistance equipment or have once used them a ton but have switched back to using them lesser or not at all.

For myself, my first time around with DC I used straps and versa grips religiously. But a few years later I've found that my back has decent size but I lack balance to my arms. Makes sense since we know barbel rows and other compound moves hit your biceps and forearms harder than any isolation movement.

I'm realistic though and know I can't always rely on my bare hands to make progress on DC. So what I have done is use them as little as possible until I struggle to beat my numbers. Or what I've done is use them on my last loop of 3 on a rest pause set and make a note of that in my log book.

I hear people say they can do a lot more weight with straps and such when working back and that's obviously true. They will say their biceps and grip give out way before their backs do. Also true. But what that tells me more than the obvious that back muscles are stronger than arm muscles is that you also have weak arms and you need to work them with big compound movements same way you would when emphasizing back and chest. Not curls and pushdowns. Yes back is your intention when doing rows but your arms and back work today in a chain to move the weight. I prefer to work the weak part of the chain and be balanced.

[doug1]

To confirm Collabera, to a point. Never used any kind of wraps, avoided that, If I have pain, which I have had in one knee and one elbow, then I need to reduce weight, and/or do something different. I use to wear a belt for heavy squats, or heavy leg press. Found that the couple times I "injured"(soreness for days, or even weeks, sometimes pretty intense pain) my back, I usually had a belt on.

Wrist straps for pretty much all back work, IDC about the weight, heavy or light, better mind muscle connection. No more weak links. That's to a point where I said in the first sentence of my post.

[trucelt]

Collebra-

I compete Raw....so straps are out as are knee wraps. Obviously belt, wrist wraps and knee sleeves are legal but I get more out of them as an aid if I dont use them all the time...

[NaturaLPumP]

My wrists are shit anymore, so I do rely on my wraps for heavy pressing/tri movements. I'll usually break out the belt for the last heavy set of deads and t-bar on back day.

[DC_catholic315]

I think the use of support gear is varried due to various goals
I have a very light bone structure and I don't have wrist problems
I did
I bought wrist wraps
Now I do not lol
I think to a point if there isn't anything preventing you from using the equippment
Like true celt
He doesn't use the aides he can't use
And he works the shit outta himself without the ones he can
I don't Intend to have some body judge me on whether I drop a bar or not
But I do intend to be wide as shit and FOR ME I feel my back better with straps
But I ONLY wrap them around the bar on work sets and in SOME cases heavy warmups
I won't lie and say I haven't give myself some knee issues with my ego or jus not warming up adequately and I rely on the knee wraps for heavy leg training
I'll wrap up on a balls out set of 20 on the hacks, especially for a plate loaded leg press and even SOME HEAVY warmups (it takes a minute to get up to the working wt for some and I see the importance of ending at 12 pps and starting to wrap at 7 or 8 pps) more likely than not because my knees simply give me less shit lol
I try to avoid them on "dealoads" though or much higher rep shit
But if it's heavy
There on

I dont wear a belt unless I HAVE or it's smart too not because i worry about my core lol
I jus fucking hate wearing that thing all the time

I understand the ability to stimulate more arms and brachialis and grip strength
I include that in my "cardio" with farmers walks circuits barbell complexes and things of that nature
To me for pure physique training use your aides on the heavy shit
Or to prevent/minimize pain

For power lifting and strongman and crossfit
Prolly better to develop those areas more if your limited in your equipment

What irks me about support gear and I see it all the time
guys in the gym wrapping knees up on 135 and it very obviously is not a work set, using straps for dumbbell flyes and crossovers preachers and basically everything from practically unloaded bar shit to max, and the debatable wearing a belt the entire workout even if it's jus like arm day and it's seated shit and cable work.... This one is debatable

u know at this point
U got to ask yourself am is my equipment working with me
Or for me

I mean I can handle every wieght I use for some good reps without support gear
I get more out of it WITH the support gear
But I know there are some who can't
In that case even if your in physique type sports

Prolly need to take the damn straps and shit off a little bit

[NaturaLPumP]

I'm with you on the wrist wraps DC Catholic, I used them on pretty much every set for years. Funny thing was my back never got any wider ( my weak point ). So after some investigating I realized I had a mind muscle connection problem, at that point I lightened up the weights a little and really focused on technique. I still use em, but not near as much as I used to.