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Knee Wraps on Squats
I just recently started wrapping my knees on squats and as soon as I did I noticed a huge difference in how much weight I could lift.
Usually I squat 315 about 12 or 13 times. When I put the knee wraps on I did it 16. And I usually only squat 365 about 5 times. With the knee wraps I did it 10.
Im using the same technique and Im going down to the same level. My question is, am I getting less of a work out by using knee wraps? I almost feel like im cheating myself because they help so much. Or do the extra reps that I am able to do with the wraps on compensate for the help that the wraps are giving me?
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I'm looking to start wrapping my knees now when squatting heavy sets so I don't have a personal experience but my guess is they are helping you by taking the strain off the knee and allowing your quads to get more work with the added reps.
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[QUOTE=iTrainedRonnie;597575083]I just recently started wrapping my knees on squats and as soon as I did I noticed a huge difference in how much weight I could lift.
Usually I squat 315 about 12 or 13 times. When I put the knee wraps on I did it 16. And I usually only squat 365 about 5 times. With the knee wraps I did it 10.
Im using the same technique and Im going down to the same level. My question is, am I getting less of a work out by using knee wraps? I almost feel like im cheating myself because they help so much. Or do the extra reps that I am able to do with the wraps on compensate for the help that the wraps are giving me?[/QUOTE]
The wraps have negligible elasticity which assists in the lift, but the mental security gained is more of a factor in the strength increase.
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using knee wraps is the same as putting a giant spring in your ass
using them excessively will hinder the development of the ligaments and tendons of the kneed and over time the joint itself will not develop with the muscle, this could result in an injury
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[QUOTE=DJAuto;597600013]The wraps have negligible elasticity which assists in the lift, but the mental security gained is more of a factor in the strength increase.[/QUOTE]
With a properly wrapped knee you can add 30-50lbs to a squat.. it's a known fact
that's why in raw PL federations they are not allowed
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anyone have a link for HOW to wrap a knee?
i agree that it would seem counterproductive in actually developing support muscle, tendons, ligaments etc...but i sometimes have such crappy knees that a little artificial stability would be most welcome.
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[QUOTE=boathead;597623903]anyone have a link for HOW to wrap a knee?
i agree that it would seem counterproductive in actually developing support muscle, tendons, ligaments etc...but i sometimes have such crappy knees that a little artificial stability would be most welcome.[/QUOTE]
It does nothing to hinder ligaments developments all it does is keeping the patella and tendons tracking straight , and give better stability
the amount of weight the tendons has to move is the same
youtube it there are quite a few videos out there , look for the EFS one it shows different techniques
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[QUOTE=boathead;597627893]thanks my man[/QUOTE]
You're welcome..
You may want to consider sleeves , I have a set of Tommy Kono they are awesome
I also have wraps but I haven't used them yet , I'd rather train without them
I could probably add 30lbs to my squat with wraps but why ? I'll save that for when I compete if they are allowed.
If your problem is in the patella the sleeves can help a lot , the patellar tracking sideways is an issue with some people and can cause some pain and even tendinitis, wraps or sleeves help keeping the patella tracking in the right direction
Hey boat .. I found the video in my favorites
[youtube]MCfruLGBv-0&feature[/youtube]
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[QUOTE=BrotherWolf;597614913]With a properly wrapped knee you can add 30-50lbs to a squat.. it's a known fact
that's why in raw PL federations they are not allowed[/QUOTE]
Are we talking about a properly fixed powerlifting wrap here or the conventional wraps that ordinary lifters utilize?
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[QUOTE=DJAuto;597691973]Are we talking about a properly fixed powerlifting wrap here or the conventional wraps that ordinary lifters utilize?[/QUOTE]
there are a few different ways to wrap .. check out the video above
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[QUOTE=XXX666;597601083]using knee wraps is the same as putting a giant spring in your ass
using them excessively will hinder the development of the ligaments and tendons of the kneed and over time the joint itself will not develop with the muscle, this could result in an injury[/QUOTE]
Agreed! Think Dorian Yates says this in one of the online seminars floating around.
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Powerlifting belt + wraps gets me about 90 lbs on my squats.
HUGE difference.
Today I got 335 raw and 425 with wraps and a belt. Admittedly I was not at max effort with the 335 lift because I was working my way up. The 425 lift was definitely max effort.
And contrary to popular opinion I've never had an knee issues in my life as a result of using wraps.
As you wrapped squats get stronger, so will your unwrapped squats, as long as you do them that way. Just try to keep them progressing at more or less the same pace.
For boathead; other may do it differently but I start right above the knee, wrap around twice, then go around a few more times moving the wrap down about 1/3 to 1/2 width each time until it is a full width below the knee, then back up to where I started and cinch tight.
-=FLEX=-
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I like them because I got hit by a truck once (srs) knee is garbage, but with wraps I put up 515
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[QUOTE=-=FLEX=-;597731703]
And contrary to popular opinion I've never had any knee issues in my life as a result of using wraps.[/QUOTE]
Popular opinion = broscience :)
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[QUOTE=BrotherWolf;597697883]there are a few different ways to wrap .. check out the video above[/QUOTE]
I know there are different ways to wrap. I'm not new to this game.
I'm asking in what capacity the OP is describing wraps. I wrap my knees, but with my approach in no way does it help greatly in my lifts.
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The wrapp is just to protect your knees and reduce the strain on it, so you can get much more.
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[QUOTE=DJAuto;597829053]I know there are different ways to wrap. I'm not new to this game.
I'm asking in what capacity the OP is describing wraps. I wrap my knees, but with my approach in no way does it help greatly in my lifts.[/QUOTE]
I dont know what to tell you ..change approach use one of the methods in the above video
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[QUOTE=-=FLEX=-;597731703]Powerlifting belt + wraps gets me about 90 lbs on my squats.
HUGE difference.
[/QUOTE]
Do you think with such a gain in the weight being used that the muscle magically became stronger? The belt and the wraps are "helping" which allows for more weight being used, but it's not the muscle moving this extra weight, it's the accessories.
For bodybuilding purposes, exercise should be difficult as possible ( correct form, good rep tempo, etc). Using these things makes the lift easier, thus less effective. Now if this is for powerlifting, it is a different story.
Say a trainee could barbell curl with strict form 90lbs. However, when using poor form they could do 135lbs. Which would be more beneficial? I would say the strict form as it is the muscle moving the weight, not an outside force helping.
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[QUOTE=DYTrainer;598059313]Do you think with such a gain in the weight being used that the muscle magically became stronger? The belt and the wraps are "helping" which allows for more weight being used, but it's not the muscle moving this extra weight, it's the accessories.
For bodybuilding purposes, exercise should be difficult as possible ( correct form, good rep tempo, etc). Using these things makes the lift easier, thus less effective. Now if this is for powerlifting, it is a different story.
Say a trainee could barbell curl with strict form 90lbs. However, when using poor form they could do 135lbs. Which would be more beneficial? I would say the strict form as it is the muscle moving the weight, not an outside force helping.[/QUOTE]
Than it's a win win for a bodybuilder because the number is just not important so..
90lb more or less it makes no difference .. the wraps don't take 400lbs and magically make it weight 15lb..
And BTW wraps don't help the muscle to make the contraction but helps the tendons, ligaments and joint to make a more efficient pull so it has very little to do with muscle development
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[QUOTE=iTrainedRonnie;597575083]I just recently started wrapping my knees on squats and as soon as I did I noticed a huge difference in how much weight I could lift.
Usually I squat 315 about 12 or 13 times. When I put the knee wraps on I did it 16. And I usually only squat 365 about 5 times. With the knee wraps I did it 10.
Im using the same technique and Im going down to the same level. My question is, am I getting less of a work out by using knee wraps? I almost feel like im cheating myself because they help so much. Or do the extra reps that I am able to do with the wraps on compensate for the help that the wraps are giving me?[/QUOTE]
I have a set of Inzer knee wraps and I have noticed the same thing - they definitely aid in the poundage department. The knee is hyper-stabilized and the wrapping of the tendons changes the leverage points of the muscles, giving them better power and efficiency in the movement. If you're approaching max intensity with the lift - wrapped or unwrapped you will have an effect on muscle stimulus.
Personally, I try not to overuse the wraps on poundage that I can use safely without them. But my goal is hypertrophy over pure lift poundage.
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[QUOTE=DYTrainer;598059313]Do you think with such a gain in the weight being used that the muscle magically became stronger? The belt and the wraps are "helping" which allows for more weight being used, but it's not the muscle moving this extra weight, it's the accessories.[/QUOTE]
Please explain to me exactly how a leather belt and a pair of knee wraps lifts a goddam thing.
-=FLEX=-
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[QUOTE=-=FLEX=-;598177653]Please explain to me exactly how a leather belt and a pair of knee wraps lifts a goddam thing.
-=FLEX=-[/QUOTE]
You said you get 90 more lbs on your squat with those items vs using nothing. So obviously some outside force is helping that lift, since you are unable to lift the same without those items.
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[QUOTE=DYTrainer;598207933]You said you get 90 more lbs on your squat with those items vs using nothing. So obviously some [B]outside force[/B] is helping that lift, since you are unable to lift the same without those items.[/QUOTE]
OK, I'll fess up; I bought knee wraps with extra special "[B]outside force[/B]".
:rolleyes:
-=FLEX=-
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[QUOTE=iTrainedRonnie;597575083]
Usually I squat 315 about 12 or 13 times. When I put the knee wraps on I did it 16. And I usually only squat 365 about 5 times. With the knee wraps I did it 10.
[/QUOTE]
17yrs old, 180lbs :)
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I would just think that hassling around with wraps between each set would get annoying. Sleeves do a great job of keeping your knees warm and cozy.
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[QUOTE=-=FLEX=-;598216873]OK, I'll fess up; I bought knee wraps with extra special "[B]outside force[/B]".
:rolleyes:
-=FLEX=-[/QUOTE]
I loled
You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to -=FLEX=- again.
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[QUOTE=BombDonald;598362603]I would just think that hassling around with wraps between each set would get annoying. Sleeves do a great job of keeping your knees warm and cozy.[/QUOTE]
Well that's one of the reasons why you keep the wraps for your max effort lifts
not for warmups
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[QUOTE=DYTrainer;598207933]You said you get 90 more lbs on your squat with those items vs using nothing. So obviously some outside force is helping that lift, since you are unable to lift the same without those items.[/QUOTE]
I see where you're going and I understand and even true that wraps help to squeeze out more weight.. however use your nuggin, it does nothing to stop you from growing or getting stronger because if you squat lets say 300 without wraps today , 350 with wraps tomorrow
and the next time you squat 365 with wraps .. guess what just happened ?? you got stronger
next time again without wraps you can be squatting over 300..
so what I am saying is that it's really not that important, the majority of your reps are done wrap free and we all know hypertrophy ideal range of reps is between 6 and 10 or something like that
so you wouldn't be getting much of that from attempting a 1RM or even 3 or 5RM, right?
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I really don't think using wraps on your final heavy set for a few reps hurts anything. Even with the wraps, I think it's good for the muscle to feel the weight and move it. I'm talking one set here, there's no need to wrap knees on every set mind you. Sure, maybe you wouldn't be able to get the weight up without them, so what? You're introducing your legs to unprecedented weight and once that becomes easier, you'll be able to move that weight without wraps. Not sure why people are wrapping up on high rep sets though...maybe if you've got some bad knees I guess.