Why do athletes need projectile straps and how to use them?
Together with a professional athlete, we counted as many as three types of this accessory.
Professional fighter of the Nashe Delo league, multiple champion and medalist of Stavropol, SKFD and SFD
Straps are small sections of dense fabric used to redistribute the load during exercises with heavy equipment – barbells and dumbbells. They help you lift an impressive amount of weight and perform more repetitions if your forearms and hands can’t do the job.
In what exercises can straps come in handy?
- Various types of pulls with dumbbells or barbells (stanova, Romanian, incline, etc.).
- Pull-ups.
- Upper pulls in block trainers.
If you can not hold the projectiles in your hands long enough to qualitatively work the necessary muscles, belts will be very useful to you.
What kind of straps are there?
There are three most popular types – hooks, pull loops with a locking device and regular straps. They perform the same function, but each has its own pros and cons.
Hooks
Advantages: they are convenient to use due to the design, as they easily cling to the projectile and are attached to the wrists with wrist straps.
Disadvantages: it can be difficult to get a firm grip on the equipment. If you like to work out with wide bars, hooks will not suit you.
How to use: you need to fasten the bracelets on your wrists and start exercising.
Hinges with locking device
Advantages: you can choose a comfortable length and material – such straps come in fabric or leather. A bracelet allows you to securely fasten them on the wrist.
Disadvantages: the remaining fabric gets in the way, it is quite difficult to wrap the shell with one hand.
How to use: put the wrist strap on your wrist and wrap the projectile in a circle with the strap.
Regular straps
Advantages: easy to attach to the barbell. If it is not possible to lift the selected weight, they can be easily removed.
Disadvantages: it is difficult to wrap around the wrist on your own.
How to use: fix the straps on the hands and wrap the free edge of the bar or dumbbells.
To use straps or not – the choice is yours. Straps are an optional workout accessory, but they can help with some exercises. In addition, they will prevent the risk of injury if, when trying to take a large weight, you feel that you can not hold the projectile.
This is a useful attribute for insurance. But never assume that straps will enable you to lift extreme weight if your muscles are not physically ready for it. Approach exercise wisely and consult an experienced professional before training with heavy equipment.