I’ve been training for a while, but I’m a novice when it comes to (Olympic) Weightlifting.
I don’t necessarily have any issues with my knees (my right one bugged me for a few months about a year and a half ago, but gives me no problems presently). However, I notice that the majority of folks who do the lifts with any degree of proficiency tend to use knee wraps.
Before I drop 80 dollars plus shipping on some Rehbands, I wanted to hear some people’s firsthand experiences regarding wraps.
-Do you think they add anything to your squat?
-Do they alter your mechanics; make it harder to get under the bar?
-Do you think they enhance your proprioception? Do wraps enhance your “groove” or your “feel?”
-Do they think they have any real protective benefit?
Well, I’ll just say this: I’ve been lifting for over 13 years and never consistently used knee wraps or sleeves. Granted, my lifts are nothing to sneeze at, but for a Master lifter at 41 years old, I do alright.
You won’t need wraps/sleeves right away, but you will need them soon.
My suggestion would be first to get good lifting shoes, once you have those, then get the knee sleeves.
They help lift heavier squats and they don’t make it harder getting under the bar (at least Rehband sleeves don’t, not sure about wraps). They also keep your knees warm between sets, and I feel like the keep my knees more “inline” while lifting.