Wrist Wraps

The wrist is a small joint that has to handle huge loads in pressing exercises. In the bench press, military press, and weighted dips, the load tends to bend the wrist backward (extension), creating a poor leverage that reduces force output and increases the risk of inflammation. Wrist wraps counter that bending by wrapping the joint with adjustable compression.

How they work: you start wrapping just below the wrist joint, pass over the joint itself, and close the wrap with the velcro strap. The tension should be enough to limit excessive extension, but not so tight that it completely blocks movement or cuts off circulation. A correctly wrapped wrist feels supported, not numb.

When to use them: on heavy sets of bench press, overhead press, push press, and generally on exercises where the wrist tends to give out under load. They're also useful if you have a history of wrist issues or during high-volume training phases where cumulative stress on the joint becomes significant. They're not needed for curls, pulling movements, or any exercise where the wrist isn't under direct compression. Wraps that are too tight for too long are counterproductive: put them on before the heavy set, take them off after.