T Nation

Training with Strong Knee Sleeves?

#1

I have a pair of Mark Bell’s Strong knee sleeves and I also have a pair of Rehbrand knee sleeves. I’m not sure if I should do my regular squat training with the Strong knee sleeves or the Rehbrands. I’m currently running Candito’s 6 week strength program. On one hand I’m concerned that the Strong knee sleeves would give me too much support and I will not be able to build as much strength if I didn’t use them in my regular day to day squat training. On the other hand, I think I might be over training if I just use the Rehbrands since my squat max that I’m using for the program is based on what I did with the Strong knee sleeves. The Strong knee sleeves are the tight competition size for me. They are tight but not supper tight or at all uncomfortable. It does not take much effort to put them on. I’m not sure how much poundage or rebound that I get out of them. More then anything I think they help me just feel more in the groove and more stable. Especially in the hole. When I was doing Sheiko before I would normally use the Rehbrands in my everyday training since the intensity is pretty low. However, the intensity is very high in Candito’s program so I’m more worried about over training if I don’t use the Strong knee sleeves.

What do you guys think? Would it be best if I normally use the Strong knee sleeves or the Rehbrands?

#2

Just my opinion:

This knee sleeve revolution is a joke. I swear more people wear them for cosmetic purposes than anything else.

In my opinion people would be better off not wearing knee sleeves except for peaking and competition, with a proper pair of tight sleeves, similar to your rehbands.

#3

I think you’re really overthinking knee sleeves. You should just train in the same knee sleeves every time. If you’re knee sleeves are giving you something like 20+ pounds to your lift, you’re venturing into knee wraps or geared lifting-- I don’t see the purpose in wearing knee sleeves at that point. Sleeves should be there to keep your knees warm and feeling good, with maybe a snatch hair of support.

I’ve always worn knee sleeves every time I squat or do oly lifts, and they add maybe 5 lbs to my lift.

#4

You might be right. I know how it can get to the point of splitting hairs. The Strong sleeves probably don’t give me 20+ pounds but they definitely give me more support then the Rehbrands do. The Strong knee sleeves are I think on par with the SBD knee sleeves as far as support goes. My technique is definitely better and tighter feeling with the Strong sleeves and it makes it a little easier on my knees. They give me a bit more confidence in the hole.

What kind of sleeves do you lift in?

#5

TL;DR don’t overthink it and anyway I have serious doubts about whether knee sleeves do anything beyond comfort.

I have yet to wear a pair of sleeves that give me anything other than comfort. Admittedly, I’ve never tried SBDs so can’t speak about them. I did recently buy a pair of Loaded Lifting sleeves that are slated as stiff but beyond being marginally harder to put on than my old Eleikos they don’t seem to do anything in terms of pop.

#6

So in other words would you say it’s ok to use the strong sleeves for regular training if they at least give me a psychological advantage?

Do you have the PR MK3 Loaded lifting sleeves or the training grade sleeves?

#7

I have two pairs of SBDs: small and extra small. I save my extra smalls for meets. They buoy me psychologically if nothing else. I can’t imagine the carryover in terms of poundage is significant. But the overall feeling of extra tightness probably subconsciously plays a role in my mental confidence.

#8

Is the small size for you the competition fit or the regular fit?

#9

The MK2s, they were on sale half price. I can imagine the MK3s are even stiffer - but I still can’t see how they’d give much if anything out of the hole. The big difference I’ve noticed between my MK2s and my Eleikos is that the MK2s crumple during use and I can still see the folds days later. The Eleikos never did that. This crumpling leads me to think the MKs are stiff, but that this doesn’t translate into rebound. Nice sleeves though. I’d buy again.

Absolutely.

#10

It depends, what color are them sleeves and do they match your outfit of the day?

In all seriousness though, I would train without sleeves for the most part. If I were peaking for a meet I’d go…

Sleeveless for accumulation phase
Rehbands for transmutation phase
STrong for peaking phase

The rationale behind this would be, squatting sleeveless feels kinda vulnerable for me. Putting on my SBDs make me feel kinda powered up. You don’t wanna bust out your secret move when no ones looking. Ok, I might be crazy.

#11

I would say my size smalls are regular fit and the XS are competition fit.

#12

^^^This.

Wear them to keep your knees warm between sets, but for anything else I have found them useless.

#13

Quick update. Today, first work set I didn’t wear sleeves because I was wrapping all other work sets. Then I put sleeves on later for my FSL sets - same weight as first work set, obviously. Felt Identical to squatting it without sleeves, even with a weaker stance.

#14

for peaking and competition

This is when you should use your sleeves. During any hypertrophy phase you’ll do fine without them. Peaking, train how you play and use the ones you’d want to use in competition. The Mark Bell STrongs if that’s your thicker/tighter pair.