What Are Wrist Wraps For?

Wrist wraps are a type of supportive equipment commonly used by competitive and recreational lifters alike to increase stability, grip strength, and reduce pain when lifting. Using wrist wraps is a personal preference and they’re not a must-have in order to train productively.

However, we get lots of questions about wrist wraps and find them helpful in many cases, so in this article, we’ll dive into how they work, how to use them, and how to choose a wrist wrap for yourself.

If you’re looking for a pair, we have a couple of suggestions that we’ve tried and liked, including the Rogue wrist wraps and several different SBD wrist wraps. We’ll cover what we liked about each of these models before moving on to our guide on how to choose a pair of wrist wraps and how to use them.

What Are Wrist Wraps?

Wrist wraps encircle the wrist to reinforce the wrist joint by compressing it. They are typically made from a woven elastic material that’s covered by polyester and/or cotton and are secured by velcro in order to make them easy to put on and take off betweens sets.

Athletic tape and other forms of medical crepe or bandage are also a type of wrist wrap, though they are typically left on for the duration of the workout or task.

Wrist wraps should not be confused with wrist straps, which are pieces of woven fabric looped around the wrist that are also looped around the barbell, dumbbell, or other implement to help secure the lifter’s grip. Lifters may use wrist straps in a number of settings including, but not limited to, heavy or high repetition deadlifts, rowing or “pulling” exercises, if an individual has torn callus or skin injury of the hand, and/or when the grip is otherwise fatigued.

In general, wrist straps help lifters lift more weight and complete more reps if their grip is fatigued or otherwise a limiting factor. [1,2]

How Do Wrist Wraps Work?

Wrist wraps are often said to improve lifting performance by increasing stability and grip strength while simultaneously reducing the risk of injury and pain. Let’s explore this a bit further by looking at some research.

Strength Performance

The two primary “grips” humans use to interact with their surrounding environment are the precision and power grip.

The precision grip refers to fine-tuned gripping and manipulation of objects using primarily the tips of the fingers and the thumb. In contrast, the power grip refers to the gross action—palmar opposition and finger flexion—whereby the four fingers, the thumb, and the palm enclose an object and apply force to an implement.

Most exercises in the gym utilize the power grip, though this comes in two major flavors:

1. The Compression Grip: The compression grip is used when the hand must secure the bar or other implement when the wrist is being compressed and the forearm is positioned below the hand. This includes exercises like the bench press, overhead press, dumbbell press, squats, and so on.
2. The Tension Grip: The tension grip is used to secure the implement when the forearm is located above the wrist and includes exercises like rows, pull downs, deadlifts, carries, and more.

Both types of grips depend on the muscles of the hand (intrinsic) and forearm (extrinsic) that work together to produce the power grip. Grip strength can be measured using a hand-held instrument (a dynamometer) that measures force production when the individual squeezes it.

Studies looking at grip strength show that wrist wraps do not reliably change grip strength compared to no wrap, regardless of whether they’re flexible, stiff, or made from athletic tape. [3, 4, 5, 6]

When it comes to lifting however, few studies have looked at strength performance in lifting tasks like the squat and bench press when wearing wrist wraps.

One recent study surveyed 70 competitive powerlifters about wrist wrap use and found that 71.43% used wrist wraps during squats, whereas 88.57% used wrist wraps for the bench press. While there was no correlation between strength performance and wrist wrap use, the majority of the lifters used a stiff wrap measuring 60-99 cm in length during the bench press and a flexible wrap measuring 60-99 cm or over 100 cm in the squat. [7]

In a head-to-head comparison, 9 men and 9 women tested their 1-Repetition Maximum (1RM) bench press with no wrap, a flexible wrap, or a stiff wrap to see if there were any performance differences. There were no significant differences in 1RM performance between wearing any of the wraps and wearing no wrap. [8]

Finally, we should address the prevailing myth that wrist wraps weaken the wrists and prevent adaptations. Wrist wraps provide a cast over the wrist joint to render it mostly immobile, which can be helpful in training and competitions. However, the muscles, joints, and other soft tissue structures are still loaded during exercise, and there’s no real evidence suggesting that those who use wrist wraps have weaker grips or reduced range of motion compared to those who don’t use wrist wraps. 

Stability

Despite little evidence showing improved strength performance when using wrist wraps, studies measuring a subjective sense of “wrist stability” routinely find benefits to wearing wrist wraps. [9, 10]

There’s also evidence showing that wrist wraps may improve an individual’s ability to sense the position of their wrist, perhaps leading to improved stability. [11]

While testing “wrist stability” and “position sense” are both a little murky with respect to the reliability of measurement, it seems reasonable to conclude some people probably feel more stable with a wrist wrap.

Injury and Pain

On average, most forms of resistance training have an injury rate of 2 to 4 injuries/1,000 hours. [12] This includes specific training modalities like bodybuilding, powerlifting, Olympic weightlifting, and CrossFit. Fortunately, the majority of injuries observed in resistance training are not catastrophic, in that they do not require specialized care and spontaneously resolve on their own, with an average symptom duration of less than two weeks. [13]

Still, injury and pain are both unpleasant experiences, and reducing the risk of both is prudent. As nearly half of powerlifting injuries are associated with the bench press, and a large number of CrossFit-related injuries occur in the wrist, it’s thought that a supportive wrist wrap may be of use here. [14,15,16]

Some data suggests that those with wrist pain have improved range of motion and decreased pain during activity when using a wrist wrap. [17] However, the relationship between wrist wrap use and injury in barbell or other sports has not been studied at this time.

From an injury and pain management standpoint, wrist wraps are probably useful for those who have current wrist pain during exercise. They probably don’t reduce risk of injury, but instead, they can be a useful training aid for those with wrist pain.

How to Use Wrist Wraps

The use of wrist wraps during training and competition is mostly a matter of personal preference. Commonly, lifters will use wrist wraps during the bench press, overhead press, and variations of these lifts, though some will also use them for other lifts that load the wrist, like back squats, front squats, cleans, and snatches.

As a general guideline, we recommend using wrist wraps as needed. Using myself as a practical example, I spent the majority of my training career using wrist wraps on heavy squats, bench presses, and overhead presses. I would typically put them on near the end of my warm-up sets so that the feel of the movement didn’t change as I started my heavier “working” sets. That said, I stopped using them a few years ago after a non-gym-related injury to my shoulders. Since then, I’ve set a new personal record on my squat and bench press. Again, it’s mostly personal preference.

To wrap your wrists:

1. Place your thumb through the thumb loop and pull the wrap gently over the top of the wrist. The wrap should be centered over the wrist joint.
2. Pull the wrap around the wrist, pulling downwards over the top of the wrist, and upwards under the wrist to the desired tightness.
3. Secure the end of the wrap with the velcro closure.
4. Pull the thumb loop off of your thumb.
5. Repeat the process on the other hand.

A final note for competitors: Wrist wraps are legal to use in competition for most barbell sports like powerlifting, Olympic weightlifting, and strongman, though different sanctioning bodies have their own technical specifications that must be adhered to. Most powerlifting organizations publish the list of approved equipment periodically. Make sure your equipment is approved prior to showing up at a meet!

How to Pick a Wrist Wrap (Best Wrist Wraps for Weightlifting)

Wrist wraps come in different lengths and levels of support. To be clear, the correct wrap is up to a lifter’s personal preference, though we do have a number of recommendations based on the type of lifting you do and tastes.

The Do-It-All Wrap: SBD Medium Flexible Wrist Wrap

For general strength training that includes heavy squats, bench presses, and overhead work, we recommend a medium length (60cm) flexible wrist wrap, such as that from SBD. This wrap will also work for competitive powerlifters who prefer a flexible wrist wrap that isn’t too bulky.

They cost $42.50 for the classic black and red colorway, though they offer limited edition beige-colored SBD Defy Wrist Wraps and an all black Momentum Wrist Wrap for 47.50 as well.

The Competitive Lifter’s Wrap: SBD Medium or Large Stiff Wrap

For competitive powerlifters looking for the maximum support during training and competition, the medium or large stiff wraps from SBD would be a good choice. Some larger competitors prefer the large wrap for all lifts, whereas other competitive lifters will use a medium wrap instead.

They are currently approved by the IPF, USPA, and to this author’s knowledge, all other powerlifting federations as of this writing. Check with your organization to make sure SBD is an approved equipment provider. 

SBD offer a classic black and red colorway, as well as limited edition, beige-colored SBD Defy Wrist Wraps and an all-black Momentum Wrist Wrap.

The CrossFit or Olympic Weightlifting Wrap:  Rogue Wrist Wraps

Made from a cotton, elastic, and polyester blend, the Rogue wrist wraps are durable, strong, and comfortable. The thumb loop keeps this wrist wrap secure over your wrist and the hoop-and-loop closure (velcro) makes it easy to put on, take off, and make quick fit adjustments.

We recommend the 18” wrap if you’re doing Olympic weightlifting and/or CrossFit. Overall, the Rogue is an inexpensive yet quality pair.

Wrist Wrap for Pain: SBD Small Flexible Wrap

For those managing wrist pain wishing to use a wrist wrap, we recommend a small flexible wrist wrap from SBD.

They offer classic black and red colorway, though they offer limited edition beige-colored SBD Defy Wrist Wraps and an all black Momentum Wrist Wrap too.

Wrist Wrap Recap

Wrist wraps come in different lengths and levels of support. To be clear, the correct wrap is up to a lifter’s personal preference, though we do have a number of recommendations based on the type of lifting you do and your taste.

Overall, training accessories are a relatively unimportant part of your training regimen: if you find that they help you train more easily and consistently, great. If not, don’t worry about them. Focus on following a program that’s suitable to your needs and goals, and adjusting your habits and lifestyle for your health, and you’ll be good.

And if you need some help on that journey, we offer one-on-one coaching, nutrition, and rehab support, as well as group training checks online that you may find helpful. If you’re looking for a program, check out our templates or shoot us an email and we’ll get back to you ASAP.

References

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2. Trahey KM, Lapp EM, Talipan TN, Guydan TJ, Krupka AJ, Ellis CE. The Effect of Lifting Straps on Deadlift Performance in Females. J Strength Cond Res. 2023 Oct 1;37(10):1924-1928. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000004494. PMID: 37729509.
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8. Harris, D. R., Cardaci, T. D., Cintineo, H. P., Pham, R. D., Dunsmore, K. A., Funderburk, L. K., & Machek, S. B. (2023).A Cross-Sectional Examination of Wrist Wrap Use Prevalence and Characterization for Ergogenic Purposes in Actively Competing Powerlifters. International Journal of Strength and Conditioning https://doi.org/10.47206/ijsc.v3i1.185
9. Harris, D. R., Cardaci, T. D., Cintineo, H. P., Pham, R. D., Dunsmore, K. A., Funderburk, L. K., & Machek, S. B. (2023).A Cross-Sectional Examination of Wrist Wrap Use Prevalence and Characterization for Ergogenic Purposes in Actively Competing Powerlifters. International Journal of Strength and Conditioning https://doi.org/10.47206/ijsc.v3i1.185
10. Jauregui, Citlaly1; Aguilera, René1; Harris, Dillon R.2; Harris, Dakota R.3; Cardaci, Thomas D.4; Cintineo, Harry P.5; Funderburk, LesLee K.6; Machek, Steven B.1; Adams, Kent J. FACSM1. Wrist Wrap Type And Sex Impacts On Grip Strength, Pushup Power, And Associated Subjective Stability: 1619. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise 55(9S):p 536, September 2023. | DOI: 10.1249/01.mss.0000984828.08197.b3
11. Ucuzoglu ME, Unver B, Sarac DC, Cilga G. Similar effects of two different external supports on wrist joint position sense in healthy subjects: A randomized clinical trial. Hand Surg Rehabil. 2020 Apr;39(2):96-101. doi: 10.1016/j.hansur.2019.11.006. Epub 2019 Dec 14. PMID: 31846745.
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17. Kim GS, Weon JH, Kim MH, Koh EK, Jung DY. Effect of weight-bearing wrist movement with carpal-stabilizing taping on pain and range of motion in subjects with dorsal wrist pain: A randomized controlled trial. J Hand Ther. 2020 Jan-Mar;33(1):25-33. doi: 10.1016/j.jht.2019.02.001. Epub 2019 Mar 11. PMID: 30871958.