Knee Sleeves: How to Put Them On & Wear Them, When & Why to Use Them, Best Ones to Buy
Channel: Barbell Logic
Date: 2022-11-18

Learn everything you need to know about knee sleeves for squats & lifting. How do you put them on & wear them? Which knee sleeves should you buy? Why do you use knee sleeves? Which lifts should you wear knee sleeves during? Learn this and more. This is knee sleeves 101.

What Are Knee Sleeves & Why Wear Them?

Knee sleeves are a hollow, cylindrical piece of material, typically neoprene, that goes around your knees when you lift.They're typically 7mm thick, though you'll find thinner and thicker options.

What they are not are knee wraps. Knee wraps are wrapped tightly around your knees and often times require another person to wrap around your knees.

Knees and joints get achy and creaky. Knee sleeves give your knees a hug, with a little compression and a little warmth.

They are not meant to add weight to your squat. If they do, it's negligible. Instead, they help your knees feel a little better and give just a bit more compression.

The thinner the material, the less warmth and compression you'll get. There's really no reason to get thinner than 7mm, but some options at that size or thicker will clearly add weight to the bar.

If you're a competitive powerlifter and federation allows a thicker, more compressive option, go for it. If you just want some knee sleeves that give some warmth and compression, go with something else.

How do I Put Knee Sleeves On?

Knee sleeves can be a little difficult to put on, especially the bigger, more compressive knee sleeves. You should be able to pull up the smaller, less compressive ones in one single pull. The thicker ones might require a few yanks.

Get your foot through the knee sleeve. Then fold the top portion down, maybe about an inch, and then pull up.

You want your knee to be centered on the middle of the knee sleeve vertically. You also want the seams on the sides, not on the knee cap or small of the knee.

How to Use Knee Sleeves for Squats (& Other Lifts)

Now, for how to use knee sleeves and when to use them.

Put them on at the beginning of the workout. You want warmth, so don't wait until your warmed up to put them on.

The one lift you really don't want to wear knee sleeves for are deadlifts and deadlifts variants. The bar will get caught on or at least have to pass over the lip of the knee sleeves. You don't want deadlifts to be any harder.

For deadlifts, Matt, pulls them down and inside out. This prevents interference as the bar moves up the shin.

The knee sleeve can be worn for any lift, and really should be worn for lifts that require a decent amount of knee extension and flexion - so squats most especially.

Matt likes to wear them during presses, not to help the lift but to provide proprioceptive feedback for him to not bend his knees.

Lastly, they can really be worn for the duration of the workout. If you want to take them off after your squats, you can, but you don't have to.

The best option for you is the knee sleeve that accomplishes what you want to get out of a them. That being said, we can give some broad recommendations.

Generally, we'd recommend against the thinner, cheaper options (3mm & 5mm). Typical brands you might find are Harbinger or Mueller.

Matt recommends Rehband for everyday use. SBD are the best for competitive lifters, looking to add weight to their squats. Cheaper options simply aren't worth it (buy once cry once). 

 

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Learn more:
Video page: https://barbell-logic.com/how-to-use-knee-sleeves/
Lifting Straps: https://barbell-logic.com/how-to-use-lifting-straps/
Wrist Wraps: https://barbell-logic.com/how-to-use-wrist-wraps/
Lifting Belts: https://barbell-logic.com/all-about-belts-why-when-how-which-lifts/
Equipment to Get Started: https://barbell-logic.com/248-getting-started-4-the-equipment-you-need-for-your-first-home-gym/

0:00 Why Use Knee Sleeves?
1:13 What Are Knee Sleeves & Options
2:18 How to Put On Knee Sleeves
2:37 Thinner, Cheaper Knee Sleeves
3:43 Rehband Knee Sleeves
4:59 When to Use Knee Sleeves Squatting (Press & Deadlift Too)
6:26 SBD Knee Sleeves
9:17 Best Knee Sleeves for You
9:45 Buy Once Cry Once (You Get What You Pay For) --------------

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