Would you consider knee wraps as cheating?

I personally don’t know how I feel about them. I like to do most of my base/buildup training without them then do a few months of adding lots of weight to the bar and getting used to the knee wraps again in prep for a 1rpm PR.
One thing for sure is that whenever I’m in or finish a training block with the knee wraps I’m a lot stronger, and not just with the knee wraps. I feel like the ability to add more weight in the bar strengthens all of the stabilizers and core along with my primary movers so what was heavy without knee wraps is much lighter.

[QUOTE=Lizzy3200;1628635703]I personally don’t know how I feel about them. I like to do most of my base/buildup training without them then do a few months of adding lots of weight to the bar and getting used to the knee wraps again in prep for a 1rpm PR.
[B]One thing for sure is that whenever I’m in or finish a training block with the knee wraps I’m a lot stronger, and not just with the knee wraps. I feel like the ability to add more weight in the bar strengthens all of the stabilizers and core along with my primary movers so what was heavy without knee wraps is much lighter.[/b][/QUOTE]

Exactly my thinking as I was reading your post. Similar to a high pin squat which strengthens your ability to hold heavy weight on your back.

As long as you know the purpose for using wraps, then they can be useful in your training. Just keep wrapless squats in.

They're not cheating unless you're breaking some official rule using them.

[QUOTE=ECGordyn;1628635983]Exactly my thinking as I was reading your post. Similar to a high pin squat which strengthens your ability to hold heavy weight on your back.

As long as you know the purpose for using wraps, then they can be useful in your training. Just keep wrapless squats in.

They're not cheating unless you're breaking some official rule using them.[/QUOTE]For someone who trains purely for strength and hypertrophy, would you recommend buying a pair of wraps?

I always thought wraps were an artificial way of adding weight to squats, and that they generally didn’t help strength development in any meaningful way.

It’d be fun to put up bigger numbers, but are they actually useful in anyway?

[QUOTE=Ironface;1628636493]For someone who trains purely for strength and hypertrophy, would you recommend buying a pair of wraps?

I always thought wraps were an artificial way of adding weight to squats, and that they generally didn’t help strength development in any meaningful way.

It’d be fun to put up bigger numbers, but are they actually useful in anyway?[/QUOTE]

IMO they're not useful enough for my goals (strength, hypertrophy, and health) to justify the cost. I bought wraps in 2018 and used them for about a month before going back to raw. If I could go back to 2018, I wouldn't have bought them.

Only if you compete raw and hide them under knee sleeves.

You can't cheat unless you are breaking a competitions rules.

Nothings cheating in a home gym haha.

Whether it's useful... Probably not unless you are going to compete in them.

Depends how you program..

If you have max effort lifts.. They are great to rotate in.

If you use 'overload' lifts to feel/move more weight before you actually can. Like a slingshot, block pulls, chains ect.

Ive used them in the past to get used to unracking and taking more than my 1rm through a full rep.. Really can help you learn to brace and get tight. Rarely use them, but for £10~ they aren't a big drain on funds.

[b] they WILL change your movement pattern.. Knees will come back more and their you if you don't expect it.

Learning to wrap properly takes time. Most ppl do it like ****

and they certainly can cause knee issues down the line if you rely on them, due to how they work [/b]

I wonder the same thing about belts. I've never tried one and really only interested in maximum lifts without equipment. But I have been using grips on deadlift so I can train them while my finger recovers. I wonder if using a belt in training would potentially help beltless squat numbers.

[QUOTE=jademonkey;1628680103]I wonder the same thing about belts. I've never tried one and really only interested in maximum lifts without equipment. But I have been using grips on deadlift so I can train them while my finger recovers. I wonder if using a belt in training would potentially help beltless squat numbers.[/QUOTE]

I agree with this: never felt a pinch or pain in my lower back on my heavier deadlifts without a belt. With careful form I don't think they're necessary at sub-competitive weight.

I feel like I'm cheating on my knee sleeves when I use wraps.

[QUOTE=jademonkey;1628680103]I wonder the same thing about belts. I've never tried one and really only interested in maximum lifts without equipment. But I have been using grips on deadlift so I can train them while my finger recovers. I wonder if using a belt in training would potentially help beltless squat numbers.[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=EliKoehn;1628681033]I agree with this: never felt a pinch or pain in my lower back on my heavier deadlifts without a belt. With careful form I don't think they're necessary at sub-competitive weight.[/QUOTE]

I'd say using a belt is the opposite from using knee wraps, mainly regarding muscle development. Wraps give you more bounce out of the bottom of a squat, so that the equipment takes on some of the demands of the weight, and takes away from the muscle. A belt helps you brace harder, so that you can more efficiently overload the muscle with more weight.

[QUOTE=ECGordyn;1628714643]I'd say using a belt is the opposite from using knee wraps, mainly regarding muscle development. Wraps give you more bounce out of the bottom of a squat, so that the equipment takes on some of the demands of the weight, and takes away from the muscle. A belt helps you brace harder, so that you can more efficiently overload the muscle with more weight.[/QUOTE]

What about benching shirt?

[QUOTE=GeneralSerpant;1628720063]What about benching shirt?[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=ECGordyn;1628714643]...the equipment takes on some of the demands of the weight...[/QUOTE]

Same as wraps.

[QUOTE=ECGordyn;1628720413]Same as wraps.[/QUOTE]

This sucks because I've been bragging about my bench, but it's with shirt.

[QUOTE=GeneralSerpant;1628721383]This sucks because I've been bragging about my bench, but it's with shirt.[/QUOTE]

Just wear a T shirt over it and nobody will notice.

The crazy thing about knee wraps is they actually are considered "raw" in some powerlifting federations.

As MyEgoProblem pointed out they do change your squat in terms of the movement pattern. I remember when I used them in the past my squat felt different vs my squats in my knee sleeves. It took several sets and sessions to get accustomed to the feel.

The other thing is it's a forearm workout when you wrap them yourselves and if you properly wrap they f'n hurt when they're on.

[QUOTE=Anthony21;1628840173]The crazy thing about knee wraps is they actually are considered "raw" in some powerlifting federations.

As MyEgoProblem pointed out they do change your squat in terms of the movement pattern. I remember when I used them in the past my squat felt different vs my squats in my knee sleeves. It took several sets and sessions to get accustomed to the feel.

The other thing is it's a forearm workout when you wrap them yourselves and if you properly wrap they f'n hurt when they're on.[/QUOTE]

I wrap one of my lifting buddy's who is a strongman..
Big lad. 6'4 130kg lean.

Cries life a bitch and walks like a mummy when I wrap him xD
i always get a pump cranking em on lol

It's not an unassisted squat so what ever you squat when using them "wraps"should be included in your training log.
That being said they can help you use more weight which will be different depending on the wraps and how tight they are which helps other areas strengthen like the lumbars,upper back,glutes,hamstrings,which all contribute to your squat.
I get the same effect using the "sling shot" for bench press from the over load and handling more weight as i mentioned and effecting assisting muscles.
If your worried about if it counts you could have wrap max and raw max for your squat.