Buyer's Guide: A7 Strongwear
This week’s post is spotlighting an equipment and apparel company that serves the strength sport community! Our office works with many powerlifters and weightlifters who may be familiar with this brand, but for those of you who even casually lift or are thinking about taking your training more seriously, keep reading! Take a look at some top quality lifting gear, and a personal favorite of Dr. Raines - Strongwear A7.
Bar Grip Shirts
Nothing beats comfortable workout gear that let you fly through your workouts with ease and assists with desired form. Our first lineup of equipment is the A7 Bar Grip tops for both Women and Men. Sporting several colors, the A7 Bar Grip shirts feature a silicon covering on the backs that help with the slipping of bars and on benches during a workout. Combined with the high quality cotton lycra that these shirts are made from, which allow for flexibility and breathability, you end up with a phenomenal piece of gear for your weightlifting routines.
Notice the pattern across the upper back - this is the main feature of A7’s bar grip shit. This layer of silicon sticks to benches and bars more easily than your typical training shirt.
Dr. Raines uses these tops for SBD (squat, bench, deadlift) days and any sessions involving supine positioning on a bench. These tops allow for additional stability and grip between the upper back and the bench. But why is it applicable? For individuals pressing and squatting in the elite ranges, any leg up on training or factors you can limit will positively reinforce desired form decreased the variables that you have to be aware of.
Couple this top with a replicable cadence, individualized prehab and cues, and you’ve got yourself a solid foundation to make gains!
Squat Shorts
Next up we have some high quality shorts. A7’s Shorts typically come in unisex sizes in a variety of materials from cotton, polyester, and spandex depending on your preference. If you’re looking for comfort and durability, then look no further. Typically shorts have a tendency to wear down or even tear at the inseam, particularly with athletes who spend a lot of time at squat depth. These squat shorts by A7 feature elasticity in that sensitive area - so no worries about squatting below parallel! Also, these shorts feature pockets and clips for carabiners on both sides!
The dark area on the inside of the thigh reflect that extra stretchy area that commonly wears down with use!
If you are a rugger or strength sport athletes, these shorts are for you! Comfortable and durable with added functionalities, these shorts have been go-to’s for Dr. Raines since transitioning from rugby to powerlifting.
Wrist Wraps
As powerful as the human body is for a variety of athletic feats, it doesn’t mean that it is completely 100% injury proof. This is especially true for the lifting world where several hundred pounds of weight can be shifted around. A7’s Wrist Wraps come in extremely handy for providing extra added stability to your list to assist you in moving those heavier loads during your workouts and are even approved in several federations. Looking for extra support for your wrists? Then be sure to check these out.
A7’s straps remove wrist stability out of the equation. When you’re bench pressing or squatting hundreds and hundreds of pounds, the last thing you want to worry about is your wrist angle.
Like with anything, there’s a time and a place. These wraps are not meant to necessarily prevent injury, they’re more of a aide for desired form. As stated in the image caption above, they are great for limiting the variables a lifter has to worry about as load increases.
Lifting Belt
A fundamental tool in the weight lifter’s arsenal, lifting belts provide a tactile cue to activate your core while under load. This peripheral resistance facilitates bracing, a common implication for low back injuries associated with strength training. A7’s Lifting Belts not only provide this benefit, but they come in different variations including models with standard belt holes, and a lever-tightened belt. These belts are currently approved by several federations, too.
The lever buckle featured above allows for easy release after a hard set!
It’s important to reiterate that belts like these DO NOT prevent injury and they are not meant to be used as a crutch. They are a training tool and should be used appropriately.
Knee Sleeves
Knee Sleeves are the last product we’ll be looking at today. These are great for helping to provide some extra stability to the knees and add some compression to assist with blood flow while lifting. On top of that, the shape of the sleeves provide a bit of a spring or rebound effect when coming up out of depth in a squat. A7 sells their knee sleeves in a set so you get more bang for your buck.
Sleeves like these facilitate joint stability, tissue warmth, and external cueing.
Similarly to the belt, knee sleeves are not meant to prevent knee injury, aid in recovery, or be relied upon. They are simply a tool that can benefit your training sessions when indicated and used correctly.
Well, that’s it for this week! Have questions about strength and conditioning, strength sports, or lifting in general? Shoot us a message!
*Always check with federations and equipment companies regarding approved products for competition.