Knee sleeves are supportive elements of strength equipment. They come with many options. Just like all supportive elements, their use comes with a time and place. So, if you are going to the gym or just are playing with weights, it'll be a good idea to keep yourself equipped with a pair knee sleeves to keep yourself away from injuries or help to recover from the old ones.
Yes, knee sleeves are very popular among strength athletes mostly for joint protection, warmth, and stability during the workout session.
A sleeve’s benefits will be dependent on your strength sport, preferences, and knee sleeve needs. We’ve compiled a list of the best knee sleeve for powerlifting, weightlifting, CrossFit®-style workouts, knee warmth, and even squats. The video below reviews our current favorites.
It's important to understand that this list is compiled according to our judging criteria for each knee sleeve, and you may find that a different fit from our top choices works better for you. In the end, we focused on connecting you with the best sleeves for your lifting preferences, or at least make a knee sleeve’s presence known to you if you had never seen them.
Why Specific Strength Athletes Might Use Knee Sleeves
A powerlifter will typically use a sleeve to support their knee’s stability in squats/leg training. Often times a stiffer, more rigid sleeve will be this athlete’s go-to, since they’re training with heavier loads frequently. Sleeves can help an athlete build confidence in their heavy movements, and provide the knee with added compression. In addition, there are a few sleeves that are approved for competition, so they’ll offer stability and joint warmth over extended rest periods.
Weightlifters will utilize a sleeve for light joint support and warmth. These athletes will need a sleeve that’s mobile and follows the joint without inhibiting mobility. Since this athlete is often catching weight in the bottom of a squat, a sleeve can’t limit their ability to achieve depth, so thicker, more rigid options are usually not ideal. Also, this athlete will be taking longer rest periods, so a lighter sleeve can be useful remaining comfortable and maintaining joint warmth in-between sets.
CrossFit, functional, and recreational athletes will utilize a sleeve that fits their specific needs best. This athlete performs a variety of movements throughout one workout, so a sleeve that’s versatile is often their best fit. Support, mobility, and design will all play a role in how the sleeve impacts their performance. For example, someone doing CrossFit, or possibly more cardio based movements, may reach for a lighter sleeve so they don’t feel confined/limited by a stiffer neoprene sleeve.
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