Don't Artificially Limit Your Lifts | Mark Rippetoe

[Jovan Dragisic]

Wrist wraps are primarily used as fashion statements.

They make sure everyone in the gym knows that your 205 bench is gonna be serious.

[francesco.decaro]

They make sure everyone in the gym knows that your 205 bench is gonna be serious.

Well here I was thinking I was using them to put my wrists in more safety and squeeze my palm a little bit to create a better shelf for the bar. I will try not to use them on my 207lbs bench next time, and see if I notice a difference. Now that I think about it, I have never done my work sets without wrist wraps.

I bench alone in my garage by the way, so it's not fashion or badassery, it's just stupidity
I guess.

[Jr_Geezer]

They make sure everyone in the gym knows that your 205 bench is gonna be serious.

Hey, I resemble that remark! I'm off to the gym now to do my 205 bench, with my wrist wraps. But then I'm an old and decrepit 61-year old, so I get some dispensation in that regard.

[Jr_Geezer]

Hey, I resemble that remark! I'm off to the gym now to do my 205 bench, with my wrist wraps. But then I'm an old and decrepit 61-year old, so I get some dispensation in that regard.

So I wore my straps but I think I was upstaged by the jacked bodybuilder who wrapped his knees (with wraps, not sleeves) to do two plates. Not to depth and didn't stand all the way up at the top, very odd.

[RMiller1991]

I am opposed to ridiculous people.

Ed Coan over here looking ridiculous lol

NPL; 2000 Mountaineer Cup II - Bench Press (Ed Coan) - YouTube

They make sure everyone in the gym knows that your 205 bench is gonna be serious.

Lol those people are certainly embarrassing, but yes I am going to use wrist wraps to allow me to do volume pressing at 220 vs 210/212 all day long, and I am unable to see how it is different from using knee wraps to allow more volume/stress systemically while keeping your knees in decent shape.

OHP 220 5x5 - YouTube

[Jovan Dragisic]

Well here I was thinking I was using them to put my wrists in more safety and squeeze my palm a little bit to create a better shelf for the bar. I will try not to use them on my 207lbs bench next time, and see if I notice a difference. Now that I think about it, I have never done my work sets without wrist wraps.

I bench alone in my garage by the way, so it's not fashion or badassery, it's just stupidity
I guess.

You might need wrist wraps at 455, but certainly not at 207. Drop them, train your wrist position, you will get a much better feel for the lift.

[Mark Rippetoe]

Ed Coan over here looking ridiculous lol

NPL; 2000 Mountaineer Cup II - Bench Press (Ed Coan) - YouTube

Ed can do anything he wants and not look ridiculous. You, on the other hand...

[francesco.decaro]

You might need wrist wraps at 455, but certainly not at 207. Drop them, train your wrist position, you will get a much better feel for the lift.

Well I'll be damned, I didn't use the wraps with 207lbs and I am still alive.
The board is right once again!

[Roy Thomas]

I really enjoyed this article. Just a few months ago, I was under the erroneous impression that the belt was something I wouldn't need until I was a more advanced lifter. Now that I've started wearing it (And tracking my food intake) my weights "Magically" started going up. 10/10, put the damn belt on.

[GioFerrante]

I don't think I have ever advised against the use of wrist wraps. But Stef is right -- most people use them because they look badass.

I put wrist wraps on for my heaviest sets of benches and presses. They've helped avoid a lot of forearm tendinitis. Will probably use them for snatches and jerks too.