Once you decide you’re going to get in shape or put on some muscle, you’d think that it’s a simple matter of a gym membership and some self-discipline. And while at it’s most basic form that is true, there’s also a whole world of extra gear you’ll suddenly discover is available to the new weightlifter. Just start poking around strength training or powerlifting sites, and you’ll see a never-ending supply of gear these beasts are using: shoes, belts, wraps, full body suits, etc. It’s pretty easy to look at these guys and the massive weight they’re moving and think, “I’m not nearly that strong. I’d like to be that strong. Maybe all the stuff that guy is wearing is the secret.”
There’s a lot of stuff that could be purchased for weightlifting…but what do you really need?
Now, the real secret is obviously hard work and discipline over time (and probably a smidge of genetics, if we’re honest), but could all this weightlifting gear really just be a massive marketing ploy…or is some of it actually worthwhile? Well, I’ve been a dedicated powerlifter for about five years now, and over that period I’ve tried most of the extra lifting gear out there. So, for our purposes today I’m going to assume two things: 1) You do some amount of barbell training and have a desire to get and stay strong. 2) You don’t have unlimited funds to buy every shiny piece of lifting equipment and want to know where you’ll get the most bang for your buck.
So, with that in mind, I’m going to quickly run through the most common weightlifting accessories, and I’ll rate them on a scale of 1-5 stars in terms of how necessary they are for effective strength training.
If you’d rather watch the video breakdown of this list, go ahead and check it out here!
Lifting Shoes * * * * *
Yes, I realize coming right out of the gate with a 5-star rating is a bold move, but I can’t over-emphasize the value of a real pair of lifting shoes. If you’re doing any sort of legitimate strength training with barbells, it’s going to involve copious amounts of squats. If you plan to put heavy weight across your shoulders, squat down, and stand back up over and over again…I promise, you’re going to need a solid foundation under your feet. I’ve used basic running shoes before (terrible idea…when the weight got heavy I could actually see the heels compressing underneath me), and I’ve done the old Chuck Taylor’s like so many have before me (a little less squishy, but still not hyper stable). Proper lifting shoes provide a super-rigid sole that won’t compress under hundreds of pounds, as well as a strap or two across the top to provide extra support to the arch of your foot. I never squat without my lifting shoes!
The shoes and the belt are the 1-2 punch that make heavy squats possible!
Lifting Belt * * * *
If you were going to buy only two pieces of lifting gear, I’d tell you to get shoes and a belt. And since this article becomes immediately less helpful if everything gets five stars, I’ll take one star off of the belt because I really think shoes are the most important single piece of gear. Plain and simple, a belt will help you lift more weight safely. Some purists will give it a bad rap and say that it’s cheating in some way, but that comes from a misunderstanding of how the belt actually works with your body. The belt itself is not holding your spine together or taking work away from your core. Actually, it provides a rigid structure that your entire trunk can flex against, allowing your ab and back muscles to flex harder than they would on their own. Therefore, your core is working harder, and you can safely move more weight which places a greater strain on the rest of your body resulting in increased strength adaptation…basically, a belt will help you get stronger, plain and simple.
Deadlift Straps * *
Okay, don’t take a 2-star rating as a sign that I don’t believe in DL straps…I actually LOVE mine! But, this article is about what you need for effective weightlifting, and I’d have to put these lower on the list. Perhaps I’ll do a whole article on deadlift grip at some point, but there are basically three choices: unassisted overhand grip, inverted grip (where you reverse one hand), and the strap grip (back to overhand, but with straps helping you). As you move through those grips, they get stronger as you go through the list. With an unassisted overhand grip, your grip will fail before your legs or back will. Once you hit that point, you can switch to the inverted grip. It’s remarkable how simply flipping one hand creates a reverse rotational tension that locks that bar into your hands, allowing you to pull more weight off the floor. I used this grip for years and hit some pretty great PR’s using it, but I will warn you that it eventually started to catch up with me. As I was chasing the upper-edge of my deadlift strength with that grip, I was developing some tendonitis in the bicep of my inverted hand. Nothing that took me out of the game, but I could tell it was getting worse. I ordered myself a pair of deadlift straps, allowing me to pull even more weight but with a symmetrical overhand grip, and the problem went away never to return.
The three viable options for pulling heavy bars off the floor…getting stronger as you move left-to-right.
Knee Wraps * * *
Knee wraps (or sleeves, depending on your preference) are another helpful but not truly necessary piece of gear for effective strength training. They add a little extra support to the weakest point of the squat mechanics (the knee), and provide just a bit of a “bounce” out of the bottom of the squat. Now, a lot of times knee wraps can be a quick bandaid for knee pain caused by squat form issues. While it may help alleviate the pain, it doesn’t solve the root issue and the pain will probably return as the weight continues to get heavier. Triple-check your form and make sure you aren’t doing anything that would cause unnecessary strain on your knees. If your form checks out and you’re still experiencing some knee pain (you know, ‘cause you’re getting old), wraps or sleeves might provide the extra bit of support you need to keep your training on track.
Wrist Wraps * *
Same concept as the knee wraps, but for the upper body. Really, I try to use these only when truly necessary, which is at the upper limits of my bench press. With proper grip position and form, wraps shouldn’t be required to prevent injury. However, at a certain point, your chest and arms will be able to handle more weight than your wrists are comfortable supporting. Wrapping them up provides that extra bit of support to get more weight on your larger muscle groups, thus increasing your overall upper-body strength.
Chalk * * *
Okay, I lifted for years without using chalk. I never had a bar slip out of my hands, and never tore a callous. But, when I first built my home gym, I ordered a bag of chalk just to experiment with it. Holy crap…I had no idea what I had been missing! My grip is so much more rock solid on pulls, it’s not even funny. No, I had never had a bar drop out of my hands, but I’ve definitely missed pulls before because my grip was in the process of failing. I also used to have to re-set my hands all the time, and was generally distracted by trying to fight my grip. A little chalk on both hands and those days are gone…I can just grab the bar and get to work without thinking about it. Now, I realize chalk is not allowed in every gym, and I would give you the same advice I got from Mark Rippetoe: “If your gym doesn’t allow chalk, use it anyway. If they make a big deal about it, find a new gym.” That may seem like strong advice for a 3-star piece of gear, but it’s a cheap and easy addition that makes a disproportionately big difference.
Few items give you as much improved performance for so little money as a bag of lifting chalk!
Supplements * * * * *
Okay, this could obviously be a post all by itself, but nutrition plays such a huge role in fitness. If you’re trying to build strength and muscle, you need to fuel that development properly. And while you could technically perfectly dial in all the real foods with the perfect spread of macronutrients dispersed over the course of the day…it’s nearly impossible for the average person to maintain that. A few key supplements will help fill in the gaps of your diet, help you hit what are typically some pretty challenging protein numbers (1g per lb. of desired body weight is the standard muscle building prescription), and generally increase your performance.
That being said, there is probably no more gimmicky corner of the fitness industry than supplements (translation: there’s a lot of crap out there). Three key supplements that I highly recommend to virtually everybody would be: protein, creatine, and some Branch Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs…often found mixed into a protein supplement already). I don’t get too into pre-workouts…frankly, a cup of coffee serves me just fine and I don’t like how most pre-workouts make me feel (I’ve never tried cocaine, but I imagine it’s a similar experience). I’ve had a relationship with MtnOps for a while now, and have always had a positive experience with their supplements. Effective, taste better than a lot of the other stuff out there, and not crazy-expensive (at least by supplement standards). If you’re really looking to pack on some muscle, you’re probably going to need to make at least a couple supplements a part of your daily life.
Get to work!
Alright, by now perhaps you’ve filled up an Amazon cart and you’re ready to hit that next elusive PR. Obviously, I wish you the best! But, a bag full of lifting gear is no substitute for grinding it out week after week. Get under that bar, do the work, and watch your body do what it was designed to do…adapt. If somehow you’re thinking, “well, I can’t really push myself until I get that belt or those wraps or…” that’s just crazy. Be smart, of course, but slap another 5lbs. on the bar, and see what your body can do. Odds are, you’ll surprise yourself.