CrossFit is a type of strength and conditioning workout that uses one’s own body weight to be converted to power throughout. It involves constantly varied functional movements performed at high intensity with these movements equivalent to gymnastics, weightlifting, running, rowing and all other kinds of sports. CrossFit workouts require no additional equipment or hours to be spent at the gym. However, often people do make use of wrist straps. Wrist straps are used for wrist support by bodybuilders, power-lifters, cross fitters, baseballs players and many more. They are available in various looks and forms such as cloth, nylon, leather, and suede to make sure they fit everyone’s needs. Six reasons why CrossFit workouts require wrist straps are mentioned below;
- Stabilizes the wrist
Wrist straps come in handy by assisting the wrist. It produces compression that is able to restrict and reduce the shaky movements of the hand. It also helps to keep the wrists tight and secure, enabling the user to lift heavy items and to stabilise the wrist joints for better performance. Instead of the wrists being bent wrong, fatiguing or straining, wrist straps make sure the wrist is firm so that one can lift and target the muscles they want to focus on instead of the wrists taking all the strain.
- Provides protection
During intense workouts, the wrist can be pulled into excessive extension under load and result in injuries and failed lifts. CrossFit requires a lot of repetitions, and while the focus shifts to doing them quickly, one may become ignorant towards keeping the wrist in the correct position. Wrist wraps can help avoid such injuries by immobilising the wrist and keeping it stable and tight. Sprains, strains, and pains due to exercise are eliminated, and the workout is made easier. In addition, wrist straps make sure that instead of using shoulder strength while curling, the weight on the hands and wrists is made steady.
- Allows working on the target muscle
If you are not able to hold on to the bar long enough to fatigue the target muscle or if you intend to improve the size and strength of a certain muscle group, wrist straps can help improve the ability to do so. It is important to know which muscle groups one wishes to work on so that one may realise which muscle fatigue easily.
- Helps increase performance
Effective wrist wraps let you benefit more from your workouts as they enable one to train more often with more repetitions and heavier weights. They help by adding in support to a weaker part of the body that is the wrists that give in much quicker than other stronger parts. This allows the addition of a few more reps as well as the addition of a heavier weight.
- Improves grip
Often when performing an exercise, the grip becomes weakened during a set. When the grasp on the weight is compromised, one is forced to prematurely conclude the set because they are no longer capable of supporting the weight. This happens for a number of different reasons including a lack of grip strength, sweating, gripping without knurling on the handles having smaller hands, or just overall grip fatigue while nearing the later part of a set.
- Improves focus
Using wrist straps also helps focus on the exercise better. With the focus less on gripping or the fear of the weight sliding out of the hands, it is directed more towards moving and feeling it. It leads to better mind-muscle connection and allows one to carry out the exercise much more effectively.
