Wrist Wraps: THREE Mistakes Every Lifter Should STOP Making
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Wearing your wrap here? don’t do that.
Let’s briefly cover a few mistakes lifters commonly make when using wrist wraps as well as how to easily fix these errors. I’d recommend watching some of the included videos to see these mistakes (and others) in action as well as how to correct them.
Mistake #1: Wearing the Wrap Only on the Arm
Wrist wraps are designed to be worn - not surprisingly - on the wrist. However, lifters often wear the wrap in such a way that it’s wrapped only around the arm (see the photo below this article’s title). In this case, the wrap doesn’t provide any support for the wrist itself and is now just functioning as an arm warmer.
Stylish, yes, but not very useful.
Since the wrist wrap should act somewhat as a belt for the wrist, make sure that it covers both the arm and the hand. As you put it on, start by wrapping it around the lower part of your hand and then wrap it further down as you go so that it crosses the wrist and ends up wrapping around the arm as well. You’ll know that you’re doing it correctly if the wrap makes it difficult to bend your wrist backward into extension.
Mistake #2: Wearing the Wrap Too Loosely
Wrist wraps should be worn tightly. If you are able to wear a wrap comfortably for five minutes, it’s too loose. Apply some serious tension to the wrap when putting it on and make sure that it’s very snug. Now, it shouldn’t be so tight that it immediately starts cutting off circulation to your hand, but it needs to be tight enough that - again - it should help prevent wrist extension. If it’s too loose, it won’t provide sufficient support.
Mistake #3: Taking the Wrap Off Between Sets
To be fair, this is more of an option than a mistake, but since lifters are often unaware of this option, we’ll call it a mistake of ignorance. You can take the wrap off between sets, and that’s perfectly acceptable as you certainly don’t want the wrap bound tightly around your wrist when resting. However, you can also choose to simply loosen the wrap instead.
To do this, simply undo the velcro and let the wrap slacken a bit. At this point, it’ll be comfortable enough that you can just leave it on until your next set, at which point you need to tighten it up again. To do this, tuck the thumb loop between your thumb and forefinger (i.e., you just need to pinch it, you don’t need to actually put the loop back over your thumb), and then you can once again apply the appropriate amount of tension to the wrap and secure it correctly.
This tactic is useful for all lifters, and it’s especially useful for competitors in weightlifting, powerlifting, or strengthlifting who may be on a clock and need to get their wraps on in a hurry.
You now have three ways to use your wrist wraps more efficiently, and as always, we hope this helps you get stronger and live better
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