The Gear Thread. (Paul Cooter Not Welcome)

We all know when we're getting gorilla-jacked-triple-stacked we need those little bits and pieces that help us get through it all. I'm talking about gear. No not the 'roids. Not Chris Anderson's blood-vessel-bursting single ply gear either.

This can range from shoes, to bands, wraps, sleeves, socks, underwear, salts, hell maybe you have a chalk block made from ancient stones lifted by the bearded Samson himself, and the list goes on.

The purpose of this thread is to share with each other what we've learned works, and what doesn't.

With that being said I'll start off with my gym bag. Inside this magical bag of gains I have:

*Pendlay lifting shoes - Solid shoes. Forgot what it feels like to lift without them.
*fat gripz - great for accessory work. I use them on dumbbells as well as barbells.
*grizzly wrist wraps - meh
*Rogue voodoo floss - great for mobility work.
*Nose Tork - self explanatory. 10/7 doctors agree it kills brain cells.
*Chalk block from previously stated Samson stone
*Spud Inc. 1.5" wrist straps - Best straps I've ever used. Takes a bit to break them in.
*Red Slingshot - phenomenal for benching accessory work.
*Leather American belt from Adler Sports - best belt I've had to date. 2 prong 10mm thick.
*Velcro Harbinger Belt - meh

The only negative things I can say about anything are the grizzly wrist wraps I got when I was a noob (inb4 still a noob jokes), and they just velcro on. They're OKAY, but I'm kinda ready to move on to big boy wrist wraps. To be honest I barely use them. Only when I'm hitting 95%+ on bench.

The Velcro Harbinger belt has also served me well for benching. Unfortunately the velcro is worn to shit on it, which sucks cause it's not even a year old. If i flex my core it'll snap off, which doesn't do me much good. 4/10.

I just purchased some Titan knee sleeves so I'll post about those once I get a few workouts with them.


Share whatchu got yo

Metal single ply V-Type squatter-- pretty easy to learn in, I get a little over 100lb out of it and I think I can get up to 200lb out of it once I really get into it and squeeze into the smaller one that I have.

Inzer groove briefs-- they don't add much, maybe 20-30lb, but they keep my hips feeling good and let me go a lot wider. I may use these on my raw days every now and then, actually.

Overkill double ply bench shirt-- damn I will get a ton out of this shirt once I learn it. I just gotta keep working down the boards and break it in. It locks up pretty quick. Hoping to touch by the end of May.

Inzer Z-Suit-- this thing doesn't come close to fitting me. In other words, it's perfect.

Inzer HD Blast shirt--again, way too small. I should be able to get a lot out of it.

Would you say you can get more out of your Inzer shirt since it's smaller than the Overkill? Sorry, I'm not up to date on my geared lifting. To be honest, you're the only reason I've been doing more research. If for nothing else, it's so I can understand your training sessions and how to help when need be.


Open question to anyone: Would you say knee wraps are pretty much the same accross the board? After trying out some Elitefts ones at Magni I'm considering buyin some of those, but before today I have zero experience with any kind.

srs post

Wraps:

Inzer Iron-Z wrist (24")/knee (2m) wraps-- I'm lumping these together because they're the exact same material. I got mine used off of T-Nation; they were the very first pair I had ever used. They are a very forgiving wrap that is good for first-timers. They can stretch a mile and you can get a fair amount out of them if you really crank them on. I believe I squatted 473 in these.

EFS Super Heavy 60cm wrist wraps-- these wraps have served me very well. The material is excellent and can go from mild support to cast-like depending on how you like it. I only got different wraps because I needed something longer. I've used them so much that the thumb loops are worn out all to hell and the velcro doesn't work the best. I still use these as training and squatting wraps.

EFS Heavy 2m knee wraps-- another very good wrap. These are a solid step up from the Iron-Zs. I squatted 479 twice in these and 500 in the gym. Plenty of rebound with a solid amount of support. Great for raw lifters. I would love to see these used by somebody in the club looking to use wraps. Very good wrap.

Anderson KLA 3000 36" wrist wrap-- these things are absolute casts. I seriously had trouble getting my hand open enough to grip the bar when I benched at my last meet. They give a metric fuckton of support. I benched 331 in these wraps and use them for all my equipped bench days. The velcro on them is ridiculous and I honestly have trouble getting them off sometimes--I have to use my teeth to get it started. These will last for a long time. Getting a longer wrap was one of the best decisions I've ever made.

Slingshot Lilliebridge WR knee wraps (2.5m)-- best knee wraps I have used. Absolutely awesome combination of stiffness and rebound. I can crank them on and get a lot out of them. The extra .5m helps a lot and I really hope they come out with a 3m version. Terrific knee wrap.

TK knee sleeves-- I'll go ahead and include these in with the wraps. I love my TK sleeves. It makes my unwrapped work feel that much better. They can be a bit of a challenge to put them on but they aren't too difficult to figure out. Your knees will get HOT in these. I routinely have sweat dripping down my calves and the inside of the sleeve is soaked when I take them off.




Belts:

Bestbelts.net 10mm athlete cut double prong belt-- absolutely awesome belt. Easy break in but is still pretty stiff. I like double prong because it looks cool. I can't do lever because I like to be able to adjust my belt, although I could be swayed in time. Bestbelts makes the best belts (heh heh heh) for the money. They have fantastic customer service and you can call and ask for literally whatever the hell kind of belt you want. Their site went down shortly after I got my belt, but have been up and running just fine the past few years. I won't be needing another belt for a long time. I did have to drill holes in it to get it tight enough after Basic, though.

Inzer double prong belt-- can't say much about this because I only ever used it once. It took 3 months for me to get it, and then I realized it was the wrong size (my fault, not Inzer's). I was quoted another 3 months to get a replacement. I had to pay to ship it back to get a refund. Inzer doesn't do all the colors that bestbelts does and the CS is nowhere near as good. The belt was very stiff and definitely would have taken longer to break in, although I guess it would stay stiff for longer. I will never order directly from Inzer again--they make great products, but the experience I had with them was bad enough to scare me away.




Shoes:

Wrestling shoes-- I've used the same pair for about four years now. Wrestling shoes are fucking awesome for lifting. Thin sole, lots of grip, and comfortable as all hell. The only thing I don't use them for is squatting, now that I have my weightlifting shoes, but I have squatted 500 in the gym with wrestling shoes and 479 in competition. Stick to Asics.

Adidas Powerlift Trainer weightlifting shoes-- cheap ($70) from Rogue and they work for me. Adidas makes good shoes, although this is their entry-level w/l shoe. It took me a little while to adjust, but my squat has flown up since using them. I have a medium-wide stance, but I also use these for my equipped work when I go super-wide. Eventually I will upgrade to a Romaleo or Adipower or something along those lines, as the heel in these isn't the best material, but that is pretty far off for me.



Rehab/prehab stuff:

Foam roller-- just fucking get one. I stole mine from the Rec Building a year and a half ago. Otherwise, get a section of 6" PVC.

Lacrosse ball-- I FUCKING LOST MINE AND I AM SAD. These are awesome for getting into tough areas that a roller can't reach. Stick to a lacrosse ball, as anything softer won't do much good. Embrace the suck, cause it will hurt like a bitch.

Theracane-- only used on during Basic, but omfg I want one so bad. Absolutely perfect for getting into tight spots and working out knots.

The Stick-- again, only used one during Basic. Really great for getting deep into bigger muscles like quadz.

Bands-- so useful. I use these for mobility work, warmups, traction, triceps work, rear delts, whatever. Put them on the shitty benches at the CRWC. Do some kinky choking shit in the bedroom. Whatever you're into, man, I'm not here to judge.

Voodoo floss-- another cool tool. Wrap it around elbows, shoulders, calves, ankles, whatever, and do your typical mobility work. The floss will help bust up some of the tissue and get it moving more normally. My left ankle has zero dorsiflexion, so I should really be using this stuff every day.






Misc (not the forum):

Fat Gripz-- Fantastic for pressing work. These take so much pressure off my elbow and pec. The movement gets a lot more difficult, too. I like doing pullups with them, but rows kind of suck because they keep on moving around. I mean, they do this for pullups too, but it's easier to deal with for pullups.

Spud Inc Straps-- if you own straps and they aren't made by Spud Inc, you're an idiot. These things are fucking indestructible. After having cheap leather and fabric ones break, I finally got smart and got some Spud Straps. Just make sure to break them in by rubbing them on a curb or cinder block. Go ahead and rub a shit ton of chalk into them, too, and just impregnate the fabric.

Spud Inc dip belt-- same material as the straps. Indestructible. The chain is a bit more heavy-duty than other dip belts, too, which is nice.

Baby powder- incredibly awesome for deadlifting, and a MUST for equipped lifting.

Titan bench suit slippers-- better than plastic bags. These help get the sleeves on nice and high which makes the shirt easier to touch.

Chains-- I don't own any, but have used them plenty. There are few things cooler than the sound of clinking chains in a gym. Fantastic for bench and deadlift work, although I've never used them for squatting. Put them around your neck and do dips and neck work at the same time!

Neck harness-- stole mine from the CRWC buy one off of Amazon and hook it up to a cable machine. Big necks are badass.

Ammonia/nose tork-- I prefer ammonia caps, but nose tork is reusable, which is cool. Nose tork loses it's potency after a while, though. Fantastic for PRs. Don't be the guy who uses it for a set of 300lb squats in the gym, though. In fact, if you're squatting less than 700, just don't use it in the gym.

Ab wheel-- no better tool for total midsection development. $10 from Amazon, including shipping. I do it on all my lower body days. Get good at these and you won't need anything else. Don't do stupid shit like situps and crunches.

Captains of Crush gripper-- no better brand of Grippers. Only 4 people (I believe) have officially closed the #3, and nobody has closed the #4. I can't close the #1, so I do static holds and negatives with it. My grip sucks ass, although I've never lost a competition deadlift due to grip.

TENS unit--really good for strained muscles and deep soreness. Electrical stimulation, in case u dint kno. It may be pseudoscience for all I know, but hey, the placebo effect is still an effect.

Biofreeze- best analgesic ointment available. Ben-Gay isn't bad, though.

EFS Squatter logo hat-- I will lift with no other hat. I only wear this hat for lifting. I only break it out when its services are needed.

Metallica's Kill 'Em All album-- I will lift to no other album. I only listen to this album for lifting. I only break it out when its services are needed.

SSchwartsenator wrote:

Would you say you can get more out of your Inzer shirt since it's smaller than the Overkill? Sorry, I'm not up to date on my geared lifting. To be honest, you're the only reason I've been doing more research. If for nothing else, it's so I can understand your training sessions and how to help when need be.


Open question to anyone: Would you say knee wraps are pretty much the same accross the board? After trying out some Elitefts ones at Magni I'm considering buyin some of those, but before today I have zero experience with any kind.

There's no way the Inzer shirt would give me more than the Overkill shirt. Overkill is top-of-the line stuff, and this one is double ply. It's just that for the most part, tighter = more out of the gear. There's no way I could even get into that Inzer shirt without seriously stretching out the sleeves. I'm having Jake Hartman sell it for me, actually.

Knee wraps are not the same across the board. Wraps can either be stiff or stretchy. Different wraps are different combinations of these. Inzer Iron-Z wraps are the stretchiest I've ever used. Something like an EFS Super Heavy or All Black wrap is incredibly stiff and are more like a cast. Equipped squatters will typically want something stiff, for more stopping power in the hole, while raw lifters want something a bit more stretchy for rebound. It's a lot of personal preference. There isn't a HUGE difference, but the differences are definitely there.

You can use my EFS Heavy wraps sometime. My honest advice though is to wait on wraps. I generally say squat at least double bodyweight before you look into using wraps. Sure, throw them on every now and then, but get stronger first. I hit 446 in a meet unwrapped before I got my first pair of wraps.

Holy in depth reviews Batman!


Honestly, you're right about me wrapping. I think I'd be getting ahead of myself at this stage if I regularly trained with wraps. I rarely go above 80-85% 1RM in sheiko anyways. I'm still probably gonna wrap up tomorrow though for my new 1RM attempt to see what it's like. Don't know if I'll be wrapping up for UPA in July, there's still 12 weeks so I'll see where my training takes me.

I definitely want to start doing work with sleeves though cause the volume is starting to get to me. The recovery time between squat days compared to the workload is too short so I'm rarely squatting when I'm at 100%. I'm hoping the Titan sleeves will keep my knees warm during the workouts. I'm not expecting any sort of rebounding aid from them.


Random question about wrap length though: Isn't wrap length limited to 2m for lifting raw in most federations? Or am I just making shit up?

Inzer 10mm lever belt: I don't care what you people say, lever belt master race reporting in
Adipowers, love them for everything, the difference between these and entry level shoes are real
MuscleTech™ water bottle courtesy of MuscleTech™
Rogue dip belt, more trendy and crossfity than a Spud Belt
EFTS wrist wraps of some kind, I don't really use them because I don't bench
Spud straps, best straps evaarrrr
Rogue mini bands, good for shoulder mobility
Voodoo floss, so supple

Nathan Poage wrote:

Inzer 10mm lever belt: I don't care what you people say, lever belt master race reporting in
Adipowers, love them for everything, the difference between these and entry level shoes are real
MuscleTech™ water bottle courtesy of MuscleTech™
Rogue dip belt, more trendy and crossfity than a Spud Belt
EFTS wrist wraps of some kind, I don't really use them because I don't bench
Spud straps, best straps evaarrrr
Rogue mini bands, good for shoulder mobility
Voodoo floss, so supple

What shoes did you have before the Adipowers?

I'd be lying I said I havent been tempted by lever belts. My bodyweight fluctuates wayyy too often though, anywhere from 190-205 so I feel like I'd constantly have to be adjusting it.

If you want to get into wraps, go ahead and do some wrapped sets as some overload work every now and then. Work up to some heavy triples after your main work.


I believe Poage had the same shoes that I have now.

Yeah, the first version of the powerlift trainers.

First legit wrapped day 4/30/14 at Magni Barbell. Come one, come all.


I might just play around with them, but like I said, I still have a lot more room to grow before I use them regularly.

SSchwartsenator wrote:

Paul Cooter not welcome

Might as well be an invitation. If I wasn't too lazy to switch accounts...

Update:


EliteFTS normal wrist wraps - Really nice wraps. I feel like they're really good intro wraps. Nice and stretchy, and don't absolutely kill my wrists like a stiffer wrap I've tried.

Titan Knee Sleeves- Holy wowza. Best investment ever. Keep my knees super warm during workouts. My patellar ligament in my left knee always bugs me after a lot of volume, but the sleeves keep it warm and lube'd up realllll nice like. They don't provide any rebound, so don't be under the impression they'll help your numbers jump at all. This might be heresy, but I'd say they're comparable to the blue Rehband sleeves, AND they're cheaper (60 bucks compared to 80 bucks). The stitching is really nice, and doesn't seem like it's prone to ripping like the TK's. Another huge plus is how easy they are to put on. They don't rip leg hairs out like the TK sleeves.