Essential Powerlifting Gear: Choosing the Right Belt, Sleeves, and Wraps

June 2, 2025

As you progress in powerlifting, investing in specialized gear can significantly enhance your performance, safety, and confidence under the bar. While raw strength is paramount, the right equipment provides crucial support where you need it most. This guide will break down three essentials: lifting belts, knee sleeves, and wrist wraps, helping you understand the differences and choose what's best for your training and competition goals.

Why is Specialized Gear Important in Powerlifting?

Powerlifting gear isn't about masking weakness; it's about maximizing your potential and reducing injury risk when handling heavy loads. Properly chosen equipment can:

Improve Stability: By providing external support to key joints like the spine, knees, and wrists.
Enhance Biomechanics: For example, a belt can help you create better intra-abdominal pressure [27].
Increase Confidence: Knowing you have extra support can mentally prepare you for maximal attempts.
Potentially Allow You to Lift More Weight: Some gear, like very tight knee sleeves or wraps (in equipped lifting), can directly contribute to the amount of weight lifted.
Reduce Injury Risk: By supporting joints and promoting better movement patterns under load.[28, 18]

Powerlifting Belts: Your Core's Best Friend

A powerlifting belt is arguably one of the most impactful pieces of gear.

Benefits of Using a Lifting Belt:
- The primary benefit is an increase in intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) [27]. When you brace your core against the belt, it creates a more rigid and stable torso, which helps protect your spine and transfer force more efficiently during squats and deadlifts.[27, 29]
- This increased stability can lead to lifting heavier weights more safely.[29]
- Learn more about bracing techniques in our [How to Brace Your Core in Powerlifting – Unlocking Maximum Strength]
Types: Lever vs. Prong Belts:
- Prong Belts: Feature one or two prongs that fit into holes, similar to a standard belt.
  - Pros: Highly adjustable [30] to accommodate different body types and preferences for tightness between different lifts or even between warm-ups and working sets [30, 31] Generally more affordable.[30]
  - Cons: Can be more time-consuming to fasten and unfasten tightly.[30] May loosen slightly during a set if not secured properly.
- Lever Belts: Use a metal lever mechanism for quick and very secure fastening.
  - Pros: Extremely easy and fast to get on and off [31]. Can be set much tighter than prong belts, providing a very secure fit.[31] Consistent tightness every time.
  - Cons: Less versatile for on-the-fly adjustments (usually requires a screwdriver to change the lever position for a different tightness).[31] Often more expensive.[31]
- User Experience: Many competitive powerlifters prefer lever belts for their consistent tightness and ease of use during competitions, while prong belts offer more flexibility for varied training needs.[31, 32]
Thickness: 10mm vs. 13mm Belts:
- 10mm Belts: Offer a good balance of support and comfort. They are more flexible [33] and have a shorter break-in period .[32, 33] Suitable for a wide range of lifters and exercises, including those who find 13mm belts too restrictive.[33]
- 13mm Belts: Provide maximum stiffness and support, ideal for very heavy lifting, especially in squats and deadlifts.[32, 33] They are more rigid and may take longer to break in. Some lifters find them less comfortable, especially those with smaller frames.[32, 33]
- Consideration: For most lifters, especially beginners and intermediates, a 10mm belt is an excellent choice. Elite lifters or those who prefer maximum rigidity might opt for a 13mm belt.[33]
Choosing the Right Belt for You:
- Consider your experience level, lifting style, and personal preference for comfort vs. maximum rigidity.
- Ensure the belt is IPF-approved [34] if you plan to compete in an IPF-affiliated federation (SBD belts are generally IPF approved).

Knee Sleeves: Support and Warmth for Your Squats

Knee sleeves are a popular accessory for squats, providing compression, warmth, and a sense of stability.

Benefits of Knee Sleeves:
- Compression & Support: Provides stability to the knee joint [35, 36, 28, 37] during squats
- Warmth: Neoprene material helps keep the knee joint warm, which can improve blood flow and reduce stiffness.[35, 36, 28, 37]
- Increased Proprioception: The feeling of the sleeve can improve your awareness [35] of your knee position.[35, 38]
- Confidence: Can make lifters feel more secure and confident under heavy loads.[35, 39, 37]
- Performance: Some studies suggest a(https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33201154/) with neoprene knee sleeves, though this is likely not due to structural support like knee wraps.[40, 38] Thicker, tighter sleeves may offer a slight "rebound" out of the bottom of the squat.[36]
Types: 5mm vs. 7mm Neoprene:
- 5mm Knee Sleeves: Offer a balance of support and flexibility. Good for a variety of activities, including general weightlifting, CrossFit, and for lifters who prefer more mobility.[36, 41, 42] They provide moderate compression and warmth.
- 7mm Knee Sleeves: The standard for powerlifting. They provide significantly more compression and support than 5mm sleeves, ideal for heavy squats.[35, 36, 41, 42] They are stiffer and offer more warmth.
- Consideration: For serious powerlifting, 7mm sleeves are generally recommended [39, 41].
Sizing and Fit for Optimal Performance:
- Measurement: Measure the circumference of your knee joint (around the center of the kneecap) with your leg straight and muscles relaxed.[43, 44, 45, 46] Some brands also recommend measuring calf circumference.[46]
- Comfort Fit vs. Competition Fit:
  - Comfort Fit: Choose the size according to the manufacturer's chart for a snug but comfortable fit. Good for general training and longer sessions.[43, 39]
  - Competition Fit: Many powerlifters size down by one size for a very tight, compressive fit for competitions or maximal attempts.[43, 39, 46] This can be uncomfortable and harder to get on but may offer more support and a slight performance boost. Not recommended for beginners or extended wear.
- Tip: If you're new to knee sleeves, start with the recommended size for a comfortable fit before considering sizing down.[46]
IPF Approved Knee Sleeves:
- For IPF competitions, knee sleeves must be made of single-ply neoprene, be a maximum of 7mm thick, and a maximum of 30cm long.[47, 34, 36, 48, 44, 49, 50, 51, 52] They must not provide excessive support or rebound.
- SBD knee sleeves are designed to meet these specifications and are widely used in IPF competitions.[44]

Wrist Wraps: Stabilizing Your Lifts

Wrist wraps are crucial for supporting the wrist joint during heavy pressing movements like the bench press, and can also be helpful in squats to maintain wrist position.

Benefits of Wrist Wraps:
- Wrist Stability: Help maintain a neutral wrist position, preventing excessive hyperextension (bending backward) under load, especially in the bench press.[15, 17, 23, 18, 19, 20, 21]
- Injury Prevention: Reduce strain on wrist ligaments and tendons.[17, 23, 18]
- Pain Relief: Can alleviate wrist discomfort for those with pre-existing issues or when lifting heavy.[15, 23, 19]
- Improved Force Transfer: A stable wrist allows for more efficient power transfer to the bar.[15, 19]
Types: Stiff vs. Flexible:
- Flexible Wrist Wraps: Made with more elastic material, offering a balance of support and wrist mobility.[23, 25, 26, 53] Good for a variety of exercises, dynamic movements (like Olympic lifts, though less common in pure powerlifting), or for lifters who prefer more comfort. Many powerlifters use flexible wraps for daily training.[26]
- Stiff Wrist Wraps: Offer maximum support and rigidity, creating an almost cast-like feel to immobilize the wrist.[23, 25, 26, 53] Preferred for maximal attempts in the bench press or by lifters needing the most wrist stabilization. Can be less comfortable and harder to wrap tightly.[26]
- SBD offers both flexible and stiff options to cater to different preferences.[25]
How to Properly Use Wrist Wraps:
- Placement: The wrap should cover the wrist joint itself, extending slightly onto the base of the palm and the forearm for optimal support.[19, 22, 54]
- Tightness: Wrap them snugly enough to provide support and limit excessive wrist movement, but not so tight that they cut off circulation or cause pain.[19, 22, 54] You'll likely wrap tighter for a 1RM attempt than for volume sets.
- Thumb Loop: Use the thumb loop to help start the wrap, then you can remove it from your thumb during the lift if preferred or required by federation rules.[22]
Choosing the Right Length and Material:
- Length: Common lengths are 40cm (small), 60cm (medium), and 1m (large) (([25]https://innerstrengthproducts.ca/blogs/athlete-articles/choosing-the-right-sbd-wrist-wraps-a-guide-to-support-and-performance)).[25] Medium (60cm) is a popular all-around choice. Longer wraps allow for more revolutions and potentially tighter support.[25] IPF rules typically limit length to 1m (([34]https://custom.sockclub.com/blogs/usapl-approved-gear-guide),([29]https://www.powerliftingtowin.com/powerlifting-rules-gear/)).[34, 29]
- Material: Most powerlifting wrist wraps are a blend of polyester, cotton, and elastic.

Other Essential Gear (Briefly)

Singlet: A non-supportive, one-piece suit required for powerlifting competitions.[34, 29]
Powerlifting Shoes: As mentioned, specialized shoes for squatting (raised heel) and deadlifting (flat sole) are common.[34, 29, 55, 56]
Chalk (Magnesium Carbonate): Used to dry hands and improve grip for all lifts.[34, 29]

Choosing the right powerlifting gear is an investment in your performance and longevity in the sport. Start with the basics like good shoes, and as you get stronger and more serious, consider adding a quality belt, knee sleeves, and wrist wraps. Always prioritize gear that is approved by your federation if you plan to compete.

Ready to upgrade your lifting arsenal? Head over to sbdlife.net to explore our premium selection of SBD powerlifting belts, knee sleeves, wrist wraps, and more!

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