Every time that you squat using weights you put pressure on your knee joints. If you do not use the right equipment, you risk doing damage that could have a serious impact on your ability to train. One of the most important pieces of equipment you should use is squat wraps. These wraps are made of the same material as wrist wraps. They can be wrapped around the knee, either spirally or diagonally in order to provide support when squatting to lift weights.
Wraps are a popular form of knee protection for squats because they enable powerlifters to lift higher weights, by enabling them to produce more power when they lift. It’s important to make sure that you choose good quality squat wraps that suit your needs when you are lifting if you want to make sure that you are investing wisely. We are going to tell you about the best knee wraps for squats on the market and provide you with the information you need to buy knee wraps for squats.
Top three knee wraps to use for squats
We have selected the three best knee wraps for squats in bodybuilding. We have based our choices on level of support, comfort, fit and value for money. These knee wraps will all give you the results you need without you having to break the bank to buy them.
DMoose Fitness Knee Wraps for squats
These wraps for squats provide knee protection for squats that you can trust. There are important benefits you can get from using these wraps.
Extra support when you are squatting with wraps. These durable wraps allow you to lift higher levels of weight, without risking injury from unexpected twists. This means that you can keep going with high weight workouts without having to take recovery time out.
Long lasting knee support. As a dedicated athlete, you want to be able to train effectively in the long term and you do not want to be replacing knee straps for squats every couple of weeks. DMoose Fitness Knee Wraps are made from heavy-duty elastic and have double stitching; they provide long-lasting knee protection for squats. The manufacturers are so certain of the quality of their product that they include a lifetime guarantee to provide a refund or replace the wraps if there is a problem.
Comfort and a good fit. One of the most important things to think about when choosing the right support for your knees when powerlifting or bodybuilding is comfort of fit. These are some of the best knee wraps for squats when it comes to a comfortable and secure fit. The material that they are made from is strong but has a high level of flexibility, making it comfortable while still providing knee protection for squats. The fit of the wraps can easily be adjusted by using the hook and loop closure with fastening straps; they are designed to fit all bodybuilders, male and female. This is important as there is nothing more distracting than knee wraps that fall down as you are training or competing.
Style and safety in a knee wrap. Comfort is not all you need to be concerned about when you wear knee straps while lifting weights. You also want to look good and make sure that you are safe. DMoose Fitness Knee Wraps are stylish, so you will be the envy of others when you wear them. They are also made from non-toxic materials and they do not contain any PVC or lead, so there is no danger or unwanted smells.
ProFitness Weightlifting Knee Wraps for squats
There are several advantages to be had from using ProFitness weightlifting knee wraps for squats. Their affordable price is just one of them.
Improved levels of stability. This helps you to reduce the risk of injury when completing squats while powerlifting. This enables you to add more weight to your routines, knowing that your knees will be protected and you will not face injuries and lengthy recovery periods.
Easily adjustable to fit. ProFitness weightlifting knee wraps are 72 inches in length and have velcro straps. This means that you simply need to adjust them so that they are a comfortable and supportive fit on your knee. The wraps are suitable for use by males and females, and provide the same comfortable fit for both.
High levels of flexibility. It does not matter whether you are squatting or doing lunges, these knee wraps are flexible enough to enable you to move smoothly, and without over exertion, while still providing you with all of the support that you need. This is important as you do not want to be too restricted, or in pain, as you train.
Comfort while you train. These knee wraps for squats are made from soft cotton polyester and ultra strength elastic. This means that you can always trust them to be comfortable and supportive while you train. This removes any distractions that feeling uncomfortable can cause. This is a big advantage if you have never worn knee wraps for squats before, and you are not used to the restriction of movement.
Colours to reflect your personality. Style is important, if you are working out. These knee wraps come in a range of colours, so you can choose the shade which best represents your personality and which you feel most comfortable wearing.
High level of compression. If you are using the wraps for WODs or CrossFit you need to have precise levels of control. The high compression that these wraps have provides this, preventing you from sustaining injuries.
Help with muscle recovery. If you have a current injury, using these knee wraps can help with the reduction of swelling and inflammation, enabling you to get back to full training as soon as possible.
RIMSports Best Knee Wraps for squats
If you want to prevent a knee injury from squats, these wraps can help you do it. You get many advantages if you buy them. One of these advantages is the good price; here are some of the others.
High levels of safety. When you are using knee wraps for squats, you want to be sure that your knees will be safe as you train. If you do not have this safety in place, your knees could be injured and your training schedule could be interrupted. You get this safety when you use this product. These wraps provide a high level of support for your knees at all times.
Increase in the amount of weight you can lift. As you train, you want to be able to lift more weight. This can happen if you use these knee straps for squats as they can increase the amount you can lift by at least 5-10%. This is due to the power that you get from the wraps due to the stored elastic energy that they possess.
Added weight means added protection. These knee wraps may weigh more than others on the market, but this is not a bad thing. The additional weight is created by extra material which is included in order to provide additional protection. The additional material provides more padding around your knee cap, improving your training safety.
A high level of versatility. RIMSports knee wraps can be used as powerlifting knee wraps or weightlifting knee wraps. They are popular with bodybuilders due to the high level of support that they provide. This support means that your knees are well protected, no matter which type of training you are doing.
Long length of knee wrap for flexibility. These knee wraps can be stretched to six feet in length. If you stretch the wraps to this length, you can provide a higher level of protection for your knees when you squat while powerlifting. Different people like a different amount of protection either side of the knee. Having this length of wrap means that you can choose the length of wrap that you have on the leg as well as the knee. This length means that the wraps are also designed to fit people of different sizes; both male and female.
Other knee wraps for squats on the market
Our top three best knee wraps for squats are not the only good quality products on the market. You may want to take a look at these other knee wraps which have not quite made our top three. We have listed their best features and details of why they were not quite at the top of our list.
Iron Bull Strength Knee Wraps
These wraps provide a high level of support and compression. They have a length of 80 inches and feature a hook and loop velcro fastening system which makes them easy to adjust. However, the straps have been known to come apart with use which is obviously not ideal, especially if you are in the middle of a training session when it happens. This is why they did not make our top three.
Mava Sports Knee Wraps
These 72 inch long squat wraps can help prevent injury while you train, while also assisting with the recovery of any injuries that you currently have. They are easy to adjust using the hook and loop system and will not roll up or fall down once you have them in place. However, some users of these wraps have complained that they do not provide the high level of support you would expect. As support is one of the most important feature of a squat wrap, they are not amongst our top recommendations.
Harbinger Squat Wraps
Harbinger squat wraps can be used for bodybuilding, powerlifting, and weightlifting. They are made from ultra-strong elastic that is of competition standard. This knee protection for squats is 78 inches long and comes with a 90-day warranty. Although these wraps provide a good level of stability, they did not make our top three as there have been some issues with the fit which could be a distraction if the knee wrap rolled up or fell down during training.
Inzer Knee Wraps
Inzer knee wraps are intended to grip the skin, but they can have a tendency to slip during training, which can present a problem. This is why they were not amongst our top three recommendations. However, these are still amongst the best knee wraps for raw squats as they help to generate extra power.
Fit Active Sports Knee Wraps for squats
These knee straps for squats also have a tendency to fall down as you lift weights, so they did not make our top three. However, they do provide a good level of support and comfort. They are also easy to adjust as they feature a hook and loop closure which is used when adjusting the 72-inch long material to fit.
Gymreapers Knee Protection for Squats
This knee wraps for squats and bodybuilding can help to build your strength while training. They provide high levels of compression and support so that you can train safely and to your full potential. The main reason that this product did not make it to the top three of our best knee wraps for squats is that there are issues with the velcro that is used. It can be uncomfortable and on occasion, the stitching can come apart easily. Once this happens you cannot secure the wraps so they can no longer be used.
CAP Barbell Elastic Knee Wraps
Although this product provides a good level of support and has an easily adjustable length of 72 inches, it often moves while training which can be disruptive. It also contains chemicals which can potentially cause birth defects. For these reasons, it did not make the top of our list of recommendations.
How knee wraps for squats work
You may wonder how much do knee wraps help your squat? The simple fact is that there is more force when you lift if you use good quality knee wraps. This is because the wraps have stored elastic energy which means that you get a greater amount of upward propulsion when you commence the concentric part of the squat. Another benefit of using knee wraps for squats is that they improve efficiency as they reduce the amount of horizontal displacement that happens during the eccentric part of the squat.
What all of this means is that although you do not gain any muscle strength from using knee wraps for squats, they do help you to improve your technique and they provide additional force to help you lift higher amounts of weight. So, when you are thinking how much do knee wraps add to a squat, the answer is a lot. This is especially the case if you are mainly concerned about lifting more weight, safely and efficiently.
Another benefit that you get when you buy wraps for squats is the reduction of stress on your quadriceps tendon. This is the tendon that attaches to your quadricep muscles and your patella (knee cap). Reducing stress in this way helps to make it less likely that the tendon will detach from the patella while you are training. This is an important benefit as this type of injury can often only be repaired with surgery which means that you are likely to miss a significant amount of training, or that your weightlifting career could be over.
Choosing the best squat knee wraps for you
Unlike many pieces of sports equipment, knee wraps do not have a lot of moving parts. This means that there is not a lot of technical information to consider when you are looking to purchase squat wraps. However, there are still certain factors that you need to consider when deciding which are the best squat wraps for you.
How soft are the knee wraps?
When you use knee protection for squats for the first time, it often takes a while for you to get used to high levels of compression. At this time, you may want to opt for a softer knee wrap, until you have more experience of using them. Once you are used to the way wraps affect your movement, softness is no longer an issue.
Is the knee wraps good quality?
You want to make sure that the knees wrap for squats and bodybuilding that you buy are good quality so that you get value for money. Knee wraps do stretch over a long period of time because they are made from elastic, but you do not want this to happen within three weeks of buying them. You also need to be wary of poor fastenings; make sure that there is no fraying and that the wrap is easy to fasten securely. High quality is present in each of our top three selections.
How long are the knee wraps?
You need to think carefully about how long a knee wrap needs to be in order to provide the right amount of knee protection for squats. You need to be able to wrap the material around your knee and also around the few inches of leg above and below the knee joint. If you do not have the right amount of length, your knee is not going to be stable enough to be properly protected.
How much do knee wraps cost?
You will normally pay less for knee wraps than knee sleeves for squats. However, you can still expect to pay upwards of $20 for good quality knee wraps. Remember that you have to balance the price of the wraps with the support that they can provide. You may find wraps that seem to be very low cost, but they may not do the job that you need them to.
You need to take all of these factors into consideration when you are shopping for knee wraps for squats.
Tips about knee wraps and how to use them
There are several things to consider when you use knee wraps while powerlifting or weightlifting.
- Allow plenty of time for wrapping during competitions. This applies whether you are wrapping you own knees or someone else’s. If you rush you risk making a mistake
- Have something to kneel on while you are wrapping someone else’s knee as it can be an uncomfortable process
- Make sure that you always have extra knee wraps available, just in case you have any problems
- If you are wrapping someone else’s knees always make sure that you know how they want the wrapping to be done. Not everyone has the same requirements, so never make assumptions
- Do a hand warm-up before you apply squat wraps. It’s easy for your hands to slip while you are wrapping. The more supple your fingers are, the less likely this is to happen
- Do not try and wrap your knees while you are standing up
Living with knee wraps – use and care
Buying knee protection for squats is just the start. You need to know how to use the knee wraps corectly, and how to care for them. Having this knowledge up front makes it more likely that the wraps you purchase will last for a decent length of time.
How to use knee wraps for squats
There are different methods of using knee wraps for squats; the spiral method and the cross method. The spiral method involves overlapping layers up and down the knee. In this method, the wrapping is almost horizontal. In the cross method of knee wrapping, the knee wrap is overlapped across the knee in an “X” shape, meaning that vertical wrapping is used. No matter which method of knee protection you use, it’s important to remember certain things.
- Sit down while you wrap your knees. This is not something you can do while standing up
- Pre-stretch knee wraps tightly. This makes them easier to apply
- Stretch your leg out but keep it relaxed
- Start at the back of the knee, at the crease
- Wrap your knees in to out as this helps to force your knees out when you squat and gives you more power
- Stretch the wraps to the right level. If you stretch them too much you may end up causing the knee to have no movement. If you do not stretch them enough you will not get the support that you need
How should you wash knee wraps?
You are obviously going to use knee wraps for squats and bodybuilding on a regular basis. The more you use them, the more stinky and objectionable they are likely to get. If you do not want to be barred from the gym because you smell, you need to make sure that you wash your knee wraps regularly. This will normally be every four to five uses, but if you use your knee wraps as much as every other day, you should aim to wash them at least once a week. Failure to wash them regularly not only causes squat wraps to smell bad, but it also leads to a build-up of bacteria which can damage the fabric.
The problem is that even the best knee wraps for squats do not fare well if you just throw them into the washing machine with all your other work out gear. They end up getting tangled around everything else that is in the machine. You need to find the best way of keeping your knee wraps clean.
Wash by hand
If you want to avoid damage to your squat wraps, you may decide that washing them by hand is the best option. It takes time, but if you wash them correctly the wraps will remain in good condition for longer.
- Use lukewarm water when you wash the wraps as water that is too hot can cause damage
- Use mild detergent in the water and a clean cloth to rub the wraps
- Make sure that the knee wraps are rinsed thoroughly as any residue that is left in can cause irritation to your skin when you wear them
- Once the knee wraps are rinsed, get rid of excess water by squeezing them. Do not twist or wring the wraps out tightly as this can cause damage which can cause them to weaken, meaning that they are not as effective as they should be when you come to use them
- The best place to dry knee wraps for squats is outside. Never place them in areas where there is a lot of suns as this can cause them to shrink; stick to hanging them out in the shade
Washing knee wraps in a washing machine
As we mentioned earlier, washing knee wraps in a washing machine can cause problems. However, this does not mean that you cannot do it. If you do not have the time to wash by hand, using the machine is an option. It’s not practical to wash only the wraps, from an energy efficiency point of view. So, you have to find a way of preventing the squat wraps from coming into contact with other items of laundry.
The best way to do this is to buy a laundry mesh bag that you can use each time you need to wash the knee wraps. Once you have the bag, you can place the wraps inside and then simply throw the bag into the machine with your other workout clothing. Remember to not use a very hot wash and that mild detergent is best. If you do not have a mesh laundry bag available, you can always use a pillowcase to do the same job.
Before you place the knee wraps in the washing machine:
- Check the labels to make sure they are suitable for machine washing
- Check for any washing instructions that are provided
- Fasten any straps so that they do not catch and stretch the material
Once the wraps are washed, the best way to dry them is outside in the shade. You may be able to place them in the dryer but it’s possible they will shrink and some wraps cannot be machine dried, so you should always check the label.
Conclusion
If you want to find the best knee wraps for squats, you need to pay attention to the important factors; quality, length, and cost, as well as softness if you are new to wearing them. The DMoose Fitness Knee Wraps, ProFitness Weightlifting Knee Wraps and RIMSports Knee Wraps which make up our top three choices for the best wraps for squats on the market, are all good quality and affordable and they are all of the sufficient lengths if you are wrapping your knee using one of the traditional methods.
Obviously, every individual has to make the best choice for them, and we have listed several other squat wraps that you may want to consider, together with our reasons for not featuring them as a top selection. Any good quality knee wrap that you choose should help to protect you from a knee injury from squats if they are used in the right way. This means wrapping your knee to the right level of tightness. Although, some professional bodybuilders wrap their knees very tightly, for most people this means being able to have movement in your knee but knowing that the wrap is providing the power and support that it’s intended to.
Caring for your squat wraps, by making sure they are washed in the right way, means that they will last longer. Remember to wash them carefully, so that the fabric is not damaged. If you do this the knee wraps that you buy should protect you from a knee injury from squats, and provide you with extra power when you lift, for a significant length of time.