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2004/06/17, 09:05 PM
I recently had an older veteran lifter at my gym tell me that I should start wearing straps on my knees when I do squats. I'm doing heavy weight for 4-6 reps, and he said with heavier weight I should be using knee straps like Inzer ones. I have gotten good advice from him in the past and seriously considered getting some straps.
First though I checked around on the web, including FT which has given me great advice over the past year. I didn't find anything conclusive on FT or on the rest of the web; most of the advice I've found has taken both sides. Some say they're great. Some say they are bad. In fact the site that I'm currently using for my workout (Max-OT) says both things. The squat excercise execution article says yes, and a Q&A article specifically about straps says they're terrible.
Should I use them? Should I not use them and adjust my sets to 6-8 reps so I'm not using as heavy of weight? Should I not use them and still do the heavier 4-6 reps? Thanks, I would really appreciate some of FT's experienced lifters' feedback.
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2004/06/18, 07:56 AM
http://www.freetrainers.com/FT/jsp/Message.jsp?f_ix=1&t_ix=1903
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2004/06/18, 09:56 AM
I think you mean wraps, not straps. Wraps are normally used for competitions because they add a little extra springiness to help with knee extension. This may allow the competitor to add some extra pounds to his lift. It is pointless to use them for training however, because the purpose of training is to BUILD strength (not use accessories to simply add weight to the bar that don't increase the demand on the muscles).
Using wraps for training would be much like running a couple of bungee cords from the bar ends to to the TOP of a power cage. Sure a litle extra poundage could be added to the bar, but a mechanical device is doing that extra work - not you!.
Wraps will not help stabilize a wonky knee joint in the way that a knee brace will. Even at that, it is highly debatable that someone who normally wears a knee brace for sports activities should wear it while weight training.
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2004/06/27, 06:57 PM
If the knee extension was a weak point in your lift, and your considering your training, then would you want to work around that weakness or past it?
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Only a man who knows what it is like to be defeated can reach down to the bottom of his soul and come up with the extra ounce of power it takes to win when the match is even.
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