The 10 Most Essential Pieces of Lifting Gear (and How to Use Them)

If your knees start feeling sore or stiff while squatting, you might appreciate the comfort of a pair of 7-millimeter neoprene knee sleeves. While these sleeves won't prevent injury or help you lift heavier, they make your knees feel more at ease during squats.

One theory is that they help by keeping your knees warm; another suggests that the way the sleeve folds behind your knee relieves pressure during deep squats. Regardless of the reason, they simply feel good. They're not essential, but they are certainly welcomed by many lifters.

Just to be clear: I don't actually own knee wraps. However, they often get mistaken for knee sleeves, so let's clear up the confusion. Knee wraps are primarily used in powerlifting competitions, especially in equipped and raw-with-wraps divisions. They offer intense compression, providing extra support to help straighten your knee as you rise from a squat.

Unlike sleeves, knee wraps do enable you to lift more than you could without them. That said, they can be extremely uncomfortable, to the point of pain, and need to be applied right before a lift and removed afterward. If you plan to use them in competition, make sure you find someone who can teach you how to wrap them properly and assist you before you hit the platform. They aren’t necessary for general gym use, though, and might not be all that helpful for casual lifters.

Wrist wraps might look like a mini version of knee wraps, but they’re much less intense and are mostly used for lighter gym sessions. A standard pair of wrist wraps includes a thumb loop and a velcro patch, allowing you to wrap your wrists quickly before heavy presses like bench or overhead presses.

These wraps help stabilize your wrists while performing pressing movements (but they’re ineffective for pulling exercises). If your wrists tend to feel sore or weak after heavy pressing, wrist wraps could provide some relief, especially during your heaviest sets.

Just to clarify: These are not “wrist straps,” despite the fact that they go around your wrist. We’ve already covered wrist wraps, and these are a different piece of gear entirely: “lifting straps,” “deadlift straps,” or simply “straps.”

The purpose of straps is to support your grip during pulling movements. If you’ve ever had a deadlift bar slip out of your hands, you’ll understand why they’re helpful. There are several varieties of straps: Lasso straps are the most common and budget-friendly, Olympic weightlifting straps offer a faster release if you need to drop the bar, and figure-8 straps provide a super secure hold, which is ideal for heavy lifts in strongman training.

The best strategy for using deadlift straps is to complete as much of your deadlift workout as possible without them, only relying on them when your grip starts to give out. This ensures that your grip doesn’t limit your ability to train your back and legs, and you can still work on strengthening your grip in other ways.

A sturdy, well-constructed weightlifting belt helps you brace your torso when lifting heavy loads. It doesn’t prevent injury—your form and technique are key—but it does enable you to lift heavier on squats and deadlifts than you could without it.

If you're unsure about what to buy, a 4" wide, 10mm thick leather belt will meet most people's needs. Some prefer a slightly narrower belt for deadlifts. Personally, I own a 3" 10mm Pioneer Cut leather belt with a single-prong buckle, along with a 4" 2Pood velcro belt. Some lifters prefer lever belts over buckles on leather belts. Just be sure to avoid double-prong buckles—they're unnecessarily difficult to use.

To continue the theme of similarly named items, a dip belt is designed to let you attach weights to your body when performing weighted pull-ups or dips. These belts are usually loose, which is fine because the weight naturally pulls the ends of the belt tighter. As long as the belt doesn’t fall off, it’s properly fitted.

Typically, you don’t need your own dip belt unless you have a home gym; most gyms will have one available for use.

Olympic weightlifting shoes, also known as squat shoes by those who mainly use them for squats but not for snatching or cleaning and jerking, come with a rigid sole and an elevated heel. This design enhances stability and helps users achieve better squat form. If you have trouble hitting the depth you desire during squats, these shoes can make a significant difference.

While squat shoes are beneficial for certain lifts, they should not be used for deadlifts due to their raised heel, which forces a forward bend. To optimize your deadlift form, it's best to switch to flat-soled shoes, such as wrestling shoes or simple flat sneakers like Chucks or Vans.

Guess what? Yes, I’m recommending booty bands! While they’re not the best option for loading exercises correctly—weight on the bar is always preferable to a band around your knees—they’re actually fantastic for warming up. Try forward and sideways walks with the band around your knees; they’re excellent for activating your hips and preparing them for a lower body workout.

I personally don’t use lifting gloves, nor do I typically recommend them. However, if you're happy with your gloves, that's completely fine. Gloves can offer extra grip and may prevent calluses, but I believe chalk and straps provide better traction. With a little hand care, you can protect your hands from calluses without the rough texture. The added fabric between your hands and the bar might even make it harder to grip properly. For me, barehanded lifting is always the way to go.