Squatting
Equipment
So your thinking of lifting in an up and coming Powerlifting competition.
Now is the time to start thinking of what equipment you are going to
need. The following is a list of the personal equipment you can wear
for the squat
Lifting Suit
Briefs
Undershirt
Belt
Knee Wraps
Footwear
Wrist wraps
Why do we wear these items?
The short and to the point answer to this question is that it enables
you to lift more. But that is not the only reason, the suit belt and
knee wraps keep everything tight. The lifting suit is working hardest
when fully stretched at the bottom of the squat. It is in this position
that you are most likely to suffer an injury, the lifting suit by keeping
the muscles under compression is going to reduce the chance of injury
when in this position. And lets not forget, give you some help getting
out of the hole.
Many lifters claim that knee wraps help to stabilise the knee and lessen
the incidence of injury. While there is little evidence to support such
claims,
it is a fact that knee wraps can significantly improve squatting poundage's.
In the squat movement knee wraps actually help in the extension of the knee
by providing a spring effect upon ascent. However I must caution lifters that,
overuse -too often and too tight- of knee wraps have been known to lead to
chondromalacia patella (roughness behind the kneecap. Lifters, should be careful
in the use of knee wraps in training.
Knee wraps can take the proper degree of stress away from the tendons,
ligaments but don't overuse them as they reduce the amount of work
that the actual muscles
have to cope with. A good rule of thumb is to only use wraps for lifts in the
heavy intensity range. Care should also be taken not to wrap too forcefully
directly across the top of the kneecap and to choose wraps which are of a softer
texture; both these practices will lessen the chances of patella damage. We
wear a belt because when we are in the bottom of the squat, a contraction of
the deep abdominal muscles and the diaphragm serves to support the spinal column.
The belt thus gives our abdominal muscles something to contract against. This
support lessens the force required by the lumbar muscles to lift a weight and
it lessens the compressive forces exerted on the disks of the back.
How to choose a Lifting Suit.
A lifting suit is an important and not inexpensive purchase. These heavily
constructed supportive suits come in a wide variety of models and must be perfectly
fitted to an individuals structure. It is only through experimentation and
talking to knowledgeable competitors that a lifter can hope to find the proper
brand for their particular physique. Suits vary in price from about £35
to £70. The following are some guidelines that you should use when you
buy a new Lifting Suit.
- Never choose a suit solely on the basis that it is worn by a particular
champion. But you can experiment with suits that are worn by champions
with physical characteristics and lifting styles that are similar to
your own.
- Pay attention to the cut of the material in the chest and mid-back
region. Some suits are low cut and some are high cut. If you have a
tendency to round your back while squatting a higher cut costume which
offers
more support in the upper torso could be of benefit to you.
- Tighter is not always better. This fact is especially true in regards
to the shoulder straps. Straps that are too tight will have a tendency
to round the lifters back while squatting and can actually hinder the
proper form in a lift.
Briefs
Briefs, briefs what are briefs. Underwear, that's what we call it in
this country. Now powerlifting briefs are like women's girdles but on
steroids. My favourite type is the boxer short style, basically it is
the lower half of a lifting suit. The briefs must not be longer in the
leg than the lifting suit and when worn the waist does not extend beyond
the mid-torso. Briefs carry the same advantages as a lifting suit. I
feel the tighter the better, up to the point where it does not hinder
your lifting style. Briefs will cost about £20 and are well worth
it.
Undershirt
One undershirt, commonly called a T-shirt should be worn. The T-shirt
can have sleeves but they must not pass the elbows.
Belt
You go into some gyms and people are wearing belts doing sit ups (I kid
you not). Please remember that you should only wear a belt on heavy
squats, deadlifts and overhead pressing movements. If you wear a belt
all the time you are not going to build a strong mid section. Now what
type of belt should you buy. A powerlifting belt must be made of leather
in one or more laminations. The maximum width of the belt is 10cm and
the maximum thickness must not exceed 13mm along it's main length.
Belts range in price from £20 to £80, depending on they
type and whether you have them decorated with a slogan or name. There
are three main types.
- Lever belt. These have become very popular in recent years. It can be
put on without help, and can as it works on a lever action can be worn
very tightly.
- One prong buckle belt. This is the belt that you will see most lifters
using. Not as easy to put on as the lever belt and harder to get
on tightly. But still a very good belt.
- Two prong belt. Harder to put on than the one prong belt. Can be
a little clumsy when the pressure is on.
Knee Wraps
Knee wraps have to conform to strict standards. Wraps must not exceed
2m in length and 8cm in width. Nearly all the knee wraps on the market
will conform to these standards, but remember to check your old wraps
regularly as they do stretch with use. There are many different wraps
to choose from, experiment until you find one that suits your needs.
Look to pay about £20 for a good pair of wraps. Many people do
not know how to properly wrap their knees, the following is what I have
found to be the best way for me.
Roll the wraps up, I feel it is unnecessary to roll them up very tightly.
Starting just below the knee, roll the wrap anticlockwise around the
leg, on each rotation overlap the previous by about half the width
of the wrap. Continue until you have reached to just above the top
of the knee. Depending on your knee size this should take between 6
and 8 revolutions.
Now with the wrap at the top of the knee cross diagonally down to the
bottom of the knee, take it round the back and then cross up to the top
of the knee. This should give you an X shape, with the middle of the
X over the middle of the knee.
Wrap over the middle of the knee with what remains. It is a good idea
to put you thumb or finger under the last revolution as this will help
you tuck in the end of the wrap.
A final hint. Try and get the end of the wrap to finish on top of the
knee. This is so that it will make the knee appear higher than it is.
Remember to wrap tightly, a loose wrap is of no use to a powerlifter.
Footwear
When it comes to squatting heavy weights you must wear a sturdy pair
of shoes. Avoid flimsy training shoes, air filled shoes or pump up
shoes. Training shoes with a solid heel and some ankle support are
what is needed. The best shoes I find are the purpose made weightlifting
shoes. I have been lifting in a pair of Record shoes for the past three
years and have no complaints.
Wrist wraps
These give added support to the wrists. If you need their support you
should train your forearms hard, the consequence of this will be stronger
wrists and you being able to squat without wrist wraps. However if
you do get sore wrists from squatting then by all means wear the wraps.
There are two main types and the ones you buy are really up to personal
choice.
1 meter wraps. Basically a knee wrap that has been cut in half. They
are wrapped round the wrist and secured by tucking the end in.
Velcro wraps. These are usually about 16 inches long. They are very elastic
and are secured with Velcro. They sometimes have a thumb loop so that
they are easier to put on.
So that's all the equipment you can use to help you squat more.
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