Are you ready to become a serious weightlifter and achieve your dream of making it in Olympic weightlifting? Training and working hard is one pillar of your success. To reach your goals, you also need to make sure you eat right and have the right equipment and gear for the job. Not sure where to start? Here are six pieces of gear that you need to have if you want to move forward in your training.
6 Must-Haves for Every Olympic Weightlifter
1. RockTape Assassins Knee Sleeves
Are you looking for a way to give your legs the support they need? We have the answer. The RockTape Assassins Knee Sleeves are a smart choice for weightlifters. These accessories are not merely about looking the part when you train, but they actually provide important compression to your legs. They help blood flow faster, which means that you can warm up the muscle groups quicker than usual.
If those benefits are not enough, know that they also reduce pain and discomfort. It’s not just during training that you need knee sleeves, actually. When it comes to your post-training recovery, wearing these accessories can help reduce the swelling.
2. Shin and Calf Support
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Much like the knee sleeves, shin and calf support will help compress your legs, which in turn helps to improve blood flow and reduce pain when it comes to lifting heavy weights.
Plus, sometimes when you lift the bar, you end up scraping your knees and shins. Not only can that put you off your game, but it can also be painful. Solving that problem could not be more straightforward. This shin and calf support helps shield your skin from the bar, which is more essential than it first sounds.
3. Weightlifting Straps
When you first start out, it’s your grip, rather than your stamina, that you need to worry about. If it gives out, your set could quickly end in disaster. You absolutely have to put your safety first when it comes to training. Investing in high-quality weightlifting straps could be the answer. As the straps are already “looped” and connected, they should give you a high level of grip and keep your hands secure.
Ensuring that you get the right gear is essential to your safety and progress when lifting heavy weights. Whether you are doing pulls, hang pulls, high pulls, deadlifts, or heavy snatches, using these straps could give you the extra edge. In time, you will find it easier to maintain a solid grip, but you need to start off using straps to help you out.
4. Lamb Finger/Bar Tape
One of the things that nobody tells you about weightlifting when you first give it a try is the havoc that it plays with your hands. Gripping onto bars can often lead to blisters and cuts. Of course, it goes without saying that you want to do something to protect your skin. Using finger and bar tape will do the trick. This stuff is awesome when it comes to providing the highest level of protection for your hands, fingers, and wrists.
5. Liquid Chalk
When you picture a weightlifter, you may imagine them emerging from a cloud of chalk. It’s true that chalk is essential to any Olympic weightlifter’s training. It soaks up the sweat and increases friction, so when your hands grip the bar, they don’t go anywhere.
Over the years, there have been advancements in the type of chalk that people tend to use. Getting liquid chalk for your gym bag is a small investment that offers major results. Adding extra grip to your lifts is a smart move, especially when you are new to the weightlifting game. Liquid chalk comes with a handy little clip, which means that you can attach it your bag with no problem. Then, before you start a session, you can add a little chalk to your hands, rub your hands together, and get training.
6. Weightlifting Shoes
Your everyday sneakers probably won’t cut it. Legit weightlifting shoes are made with a slight heel to improve your squat mobility. They offer extra stability and sturdiness to keep your feet firmly connected to the ground. Plus, they’re built to last for years — a solid investment.
Don’t know where to start? We love Nike Romaleos.
Starting out in the world of Olympic weightlifting is challenging but rewarding. If you want to keep making progress, you need to invest in the right gear. After reading our guide, you should now have a clear idea of the must-haves for Olympic weightlifting. Of course, the gear is merely a starting point — nothing replaces hard work and dedication — but it will pay off later to get them ahead of time.
