Are wrist wraps worth it when lifting heavy?
Are you thinking of WRAPS or STRAPS? Most people throw those 2 terms around but they are actually completely different. Straps are what you use when performing a PULL movement, most commonly seen when people are performing heavy deadlifts. They look like the below. Image from: Weight Lifting Wrist Straps Wraps on the other hand are for as you mentioned keeping your wrists straight when performing pushing moments. Usually the bench press. They are made from a more stretchy material so allow some movement of the wrist but not too much. Image of those below. You mentioned you are getting pain curling. I think that's probably due to micro-tears or training too heavy. Take a week or 2 off from that particular muscle and then start lighter again with wraps and focus on your form. This should solve it.
Should I use wrist wraps to workout?
Yes Fly High using wrist straps is a great way to support your wrists particularly for any of the heavy pressing movements such as the bench press or military/shoulder press etc. When bench pressing you don't want your wrists to bend backwards as this will reduce your pushing power and increase your risk of injury.Exercises that strengthen your forearm muscles will also help but wrist wraps are probably the most commonly used accessory in the gym so i wouldn't hesitate to pick a pair up.New Grips are a good option as they include wrist straps and neoprene pads that help distribute the pressure of the weight evenly which makes lifting more comfortable allowing you complete more reps and lift heavier weights. I've been lucky enough not to have ever had any wrist pain from lifting but my brother used to suffer from this and found the new grips great for getting rid of the pain and increasing his lifts. This may not be the only limiting factor in increasing your lifts. Make sure you're using good technique and using the appropriate rep and set ratios to maximize your goals e.g. 3 sets of 8-12 reps at your working weight is generally the best for muscle growth whereas 5 sets of 5 reps (as heavy as you can) is regarded as one of the best ways to train for strength gains. You're doing well benching over 200lbs at 16 so keep it up.
How do wrist wraps work for deadlifting?
Wrist wrapsThey look like this usually.You wrap them around the bar like above.Then you grab the wrap to keep it from unwinding when you lift. What it does is it forces the weight to go against your forearm and wrist rather than force your hand to hold the weight. As you get stronger and lift heavier weight your hands and forearm muscles might not have developed along with your legs and back, so they might not be able to hold onto the weight. They're handy to use for nearly any pulling exercise when you get too heavy for your forearms. I'd strongly advocate actually working on your grip by carrying heavy things, but I understand if your legs develop quicker than your wrists. Working your wrists through curls won't have the same effect as doing something like a farmer's walk though.Some people will use wrist wraps as a psychological thing to help still grip the bar with just their hands and not depend on a wrist strap.
Do these anti static wristbands really work?
Purpose-made static wristbands have a built-in resistor for the express purpose of limiting the shock caused by touching a high voltage. Otherwise, it would be like working on live electricity while holding an earth ground with your other hand all the time - which would be rather foolish. This is why you should always use a purpose-made anti-static wristband or other device, and not fudge it by shoving a wire under your watchband or clipping an alligator clip to your earring.The built-in resistor is usually 1 megaohm. Given that your arm-to-arm skin resistance is more on the order of a kiloohm, the wristband reduces the current flow through your body by a factor of 1000. Sometimes the strap and the coiled wire will both have a megaohm resistor.I still wouldn't touch any live voltages over 40 volts. Just because your wristband won't kill you doesn't mean that some other path won't.
In the UFC do fighters wear wrist wraps wear wrist wraps under their grappling gloves in training or fight?
Wrist wraps when training. Fists are completely taped and signed off by a Athletic Commission's authority prior to a fight. The gloves provide minimal protection, the wraps help protect the bones, ligaments and joints in your hands and wrists. In a pro or amateur fight you have to be taped, and a member of the sanctioning body has to sign off on your taping. (Ensuring it is properly taped, no hidden objects, etc. During training just regular wraps are worn, especially if working on the heavy bag. However doing normal grappling and such, it is isn't unheard of to not wear wraps or anything. But if you are working the bag, or hitting the pads, you are definately wrapped. If you are fighting in a ring or caged, you are definately taped. Hope that helps.
How does a Anti-Static Wrist Strap work?
Yes, there should be continuity, it's basically a conductive fabric strap electrically connected to a wire. You can get them at major on-line electronic suppliers like Maplin / Rapid Electronics in the UK or Digi-key in the US. However.... I would not advise that you try to use one as a TENS electrode. For TENS you have to have a layer of conductive liquid or gel between the conductive part and the skin. This spreads out the current over an area of skin. If you use a dry electrode like the wrist strap the current will be concentrated into small spots where the fabric is touching the skin; it will probably hurt and could cause blisters. If you really want to try it, soak the strap in salt solution first, or buy a tube of electrode gel / paste. In fact the old-fashioned way to connect an electrode to a patient in an ECG test was to use a cloth band soaked in salt water. I think they still use something similar in the electric chair ;-) You can get TENS electrodes in different shapes, you might find a long one that you can wrap around your wrist.
Do wrist wraps reduce forearm muscle gains?
Maybe, maybe not. In your case, and with regard to any pressing movements, you want a stable wrist. Your forearm muscles are your wrist stabilizers. However, when you're pressing, the forearms are not the prime movers. With a dumbbell bench press, your pecs, shoulders, and triceps are the primary movers and main muscles worked. Power does get leaked in your wrists due to instability and flexion, and that's why wearing wrist wraps helps you press a little more.Now, if you're doing an exercise that works your shoulders, triceps, and pecs, are you going to rob yourself of doing more weight just to work your forearm muscles a little more?If you want to strengthen your forearms, do grip and forearm work, but don't sacrifice some weight on chest/shoulder/tricep exercises for the sake of your forearms. Wear the wraps.
Can relying on lifting wrist wraps be bad for you?
Hey,It is no coincidence I avoid any supplementary equipment like that. In my experience they all tend to lead to some weaknesses if being overused.With that being said they all have their rightful place and time to be used in any resistance training program.Unless you have some underlying weaknesses in your wrists due to injury or something else. Or you have recently injured your wrist I’d say there’s no need to use them.Then again that depends.If you are into a high impact sports like boxing, even tennis can be considered that. I’d argue that you should use them but at the same time you should have some light training with lighter or no wrist wrapping whatsoever. The reason for that is so you can still allow your wrists to get stronger. And at the same time protect them while doing the tougher exercises.Overdoing it with the wrist wraps can eventually lead to poor strength in the area of the wrists.You need your wrist and all the ligaments in there to be strong and stable in all planes of motion.At the same time since the planes of motion that the wrist is capable of are so many this is making them rather prone to injuries. Any quick movements or using extremely heavy weight combining that with swinging and cheating can cause injuries if your wrists are not properly conditioned.Don’t ego lift.Stay smart and think long term.Happy training!Miro
Do hand grips really work strengthening the wrist/fingers?
the problem with hand grippers is they come at a fixed resistance. In order for you to become stronger you need to be able to increase the resistance somehow. this is not very practical with handgrippers you will get a bit stronger in your wrists and fingers, but in order to continue progress you will have to keep buying new handgrippers all the time. It's better just to work out with a barbell or even dumbbells. or even hanging off a bar. wrapping towels around a bar and hanging by holding onto the towels is a great way to increase your grip strength. when you're hanging off a bar wrap a sock around your hands to widen the radius of the bar. doing deadlifts is another great way to blast your forearms/wrists.
What are some good wrist straps for deadlifting?
The hook grip and chalk. The only support you will ever need.If you still need some straps for lifting, buy anything that looks like this and don't spend any more than 10 to 15 $ on it. Seriously. The type of strap is irrelevant and most of them last a lifetime anyway.