Wrist Straps

Of course! At decathlon.com.gr you will find a wide variety of wrist wraps & weightlifting straps, designed to offer stability, safety, and better performance during your workouts. We feature adjustable wrist wraps for joint protection, as well as durable lifting straps for demanding pulling exercises. You can pair them perfectly with a weightlifting belt for full body support or with chalk for an even firmer grip!

Weightlifting straps are essential when your grip strength (in your forearms and fingers) falls short of the strength of the muscles you are training. They are mainly used in heavy pulling exercises, such as deadlifts, rows, and Australian pull-ups. By choosing weightlifting straps, you eliminate the limitation of a fatigued grip, allowing you to lift more weight and focus entirely on targeting your back!

Their main difference lies in their purpose of use and the type of exercises they serve. Wrist wraps provide compression and stabilization to the wrist joint, preventing it from bending backward under heavy weight, which is why they are primarily used in pressing exercises like bench presses or shoulder presses. Conversely, lifting straps focus on reinforcing your grip by "binding" your hands to the barbell or dumbbell, and are used in pulling exercises like deadlifts and rows to give your grip a break.

Properly positioning lifting straps is very simple once you learn the 3 basic steps. First, pass the free end of the strap through the loop to create a circle that fits around your wrist, with the end pointing toward your thumb. Next, place your hand on the bar and wrap the fabric end under and around it (in the direction opposite your fingers) 1-2 times. Finally, twist the bar slightly toward you to tighten the strap and secure your grip.

If you rely exclusively on straps from the very first rep, yes, your natural grip won't develop to the same degree. That's why the best tactic is to perform warm-ups and your first sets without straps to strengthen your forearms. Use weightlifting straps only on your final, heaviest sets where your grip is exhausted but your large back muscles still have more to give! Additionally, if you want to specifically strengthen your grip for even longer endurance, you can train your grip independently using wrist trainers (hand grippers).

Most wrist wraps feature a "One Size" design with strong Velcro and a thumb loop, allowing you to adjust the tightness precisely to your wrist measurements. The choice comes down mainly to the length and stiffness of the fabric: a shorter/more elastic wrap offers moderate support and greater flexibility, while a longer and stiffer wrap provides maximum immobilization for very heavy presses.