Weight Training Wrist Supports

Wrist supports are a weight lifting accessory that limits stress on the wrists by bracing them. Certain lifts, such as heavy bench presses and curls, can bend the wrist, causing discomfort and strain that will keep you from giving each lift your all. Wrist supports can allow you to focus solely on lifting properly and not on the pain in your wrists.

Function

Wrist supports for weight training are designed to keep your wrists and from fatiguing before your target muscles wear out, resulting in a more complete workout. Imagine doing an exercise like a heavy bench press, where your wrists might strain and fold under the weight of the bar before your chest is unable to lift anymore. Wrist supports can prevent this from happening so you can lift more weight and build more muscle.

Types

Weight training wrist supports typically come in three types: weight lifting gloves with built-in wrist supports, wrist wraps and weight lifting hooks. Weight lifting gloves, which can improve grip, are sometimes made with wrist supports that wrap around the wrist completely. Wrist wraps work similarly, but can be used with or without a separate glove to improve lifting. Lifting hooks combine the bracing power of wrist wraps with a piece that hooks around the bar to improve grip.

Significance

Not only will failing wrist strength stop you from reaching your best lifts, it could result in pain and injury over time. Wrist supports can help to prevent these problems.

Disadvantages

Wrist supports that limit the range of motion of the wrist are not ideal for certain exercises, such as pull-ups. Some argue that wrist supports can over-compensate for weak wrists that should be trained more before engaging in heavy lifts.

Considerations

Wrist pain from weight lifting isn't always a sign of weak or fatigued wrists, it could mean that you are using an improper grip. This can happen when doing the bench press, where the weight of the bar can cause the wrists the roll back past their natural range of motion. Keep your wrists in line with your forearms by keeping the bar in the palm of your hands, close to your wrists, rather than higher toward the fingers.