Hand weights: what are they for and what are the benefits of them? * Crossfit

CrossFit is a sport for the strong and enduring, and its most important task is to acquire functional strength to perform daily strength tasks. That is why, for many Workout, the component is somewhat more important than the strength component. But how to make it even harder, even more intense and at the same time not forget about the strength component of competitive sports? Hand weights are great for this. They are also actively used in many other sports to develop endurance.

General information

Hand weights are special cuffs, less often gloves, in which a special filler is embedded that increases the weight. Their main purpose is to create an additional center of gravity at the end of the joints (wrist) to improve the development of the muscles of the shoulder and forearm and the development of endurance.

In particular, for the first time boxers, who were supposed to increase the speed of the blow while maintaining the technique, were thinking about hand weights. Since the initial weight of the hand is quite small, they had the opportunity to increase explosive strength only with the help of explosive push-ups and other similar exercises. Hand weights (boxers often use weighted gloves) completely solved this problem, since they allowed to achieve two main advantages:

Natural range of motion. Despite the fact that the center of gravity of the movement was slightly shifted, the hand weights made it possible to preserve the natural amplitude of movement and to work out the technique of explosive movement, as close as possible to reality.
Load progression. If push-ups and barbell presses are aimed at a general increase in strength and usually only indirectly affect the force of impact, then direct movement with an increase in speed made it possible to create a systematic progression of the load.

Thanks to these two factors, the power of the athletes' blows has increased significantly in the shortest possible time. For comparison, earlier the strongest blow of a boxer recorded by the federation at the end of the 19th century was equal to only 350 kilograms. Today, there are a large number of athletes whose impact power exceeds a ton.

Naturally, the strength of the shoulder muscles is needed not only by athletes associated with martial arts, therefore, arm cuffs (and then weighting gloves) have become widespread in almost all sports.

Where to use?

Today, hand weights are widely used in all sports, from marathon running to alpine skiing. They are used both in table tennis and in fitness. We will try to figure out why hand weights are needed in crossfit disciplines.

Let's start by breaking down the previously described advantages based on the disadvantages of classic training.

Advantage # 1

Crossfit training with high-intensity complexes involves the entire body. However, in exercises like pull-ups and push-ups on the arms, most of the load, as in any other basic exercise, is taken by large muscle groups (back, chest, legs).

As a result, the muscles of the arms may not receive sufficient load, which does not allow the entire body to be fully worked out with the same intensity. With the use of hand weights, this has become possible.

Advantage # 2

The second advantage obtained from wearing weights is more obvious for representatives of power all-around. Namely - an increase in the intensity of cardio load. It's no secret that CrossFit is based on HIIT workouts, which involve peak intensity on the verge of maximum heart rate. However, even in this case, trained athletes rarely exceed the heart rate zone above the level of fat burning, which is insufficient for training the athlete's overall endurance. Weights help solve this problem, as each hand movement now has an additional load.

Note: This is how Richard Froning Jr. uses hand weights. He goes for a run in a complete weight kit, which includes: a weight vest, weights on his legs and arms. Thus, it complicates the aerobic exercise of the whole body.

Another indisputable advantage of weighting agents in heavy sports, in particular, in power crossfit, is the study of lagging red fibers. The thing is that white fast fibers, which are responsible for strength and speed, are easily worked out with the help of power complexes (thrusters, shvungs, traction, etc.). While the red slow fibers are involved only during prolonged exercise, which is typical for Workout complexes. The main problem is that when working on workout schemes, the weight remains fixed, which does not allow an increase in load over time and improve fitness. The extra weight on the arms solves this problem.

This is far from the full range of possibilities of weighting agents for increasing aerobic, strength, speed and other sports indicators; one can endlessly talk about their benefits. Therefore, it is better to purchase and try it yourself.

Criterias of choice

So, we figured out what weights are for. It's time to choose:

Wearing comfort. In spite of everything, this indicator should be the most important. Indeed, unlike dumbbells, weights are worn for a much longer period, and any rubbing or improper balancing can lead to discomfort, and in rare cases even to dislocations and other injuries.
Weight of the weight. It should be chosen depending on your purpose and the period of wearing. Better to get a few kits for daily wear, cardio and strength training. Or take the option with removable plates.
Goal. This determines not only the weight of the weighting agent, but also the type of construction. For CrossFit, padded cuff weights are best.
Filler. Lead, sandy and metallic. Lead is rare, sand is often complained of that it seeps through the sewing line over time, besides, the weight of such a weighting agent is constant, and the metal version allows you to increase or decrease the weight of the cuff, since the plates are removable. That is why the best solution would be to purchase a metal weighting compound. However, sandy is also a good option if you need a little weight.
Material... The best option is polyester or tarp. They are the most durable.
Manufacturer... It is worth giving preference to well-known brands - Reebok or Adidas.
Hand fastening method... Depends on the weight of the cuff. The best option is one wide Velcro. This will reduce the time it takes to remove / don the weight.

What are they?

Let's consider the main categories of weights used in CrossFit:

View	A photo	Key characteristic	Target task
Light weight, cuffs	© piggu - stock.adobe.com	Convenient layout and center of gravity allow you not to feel their pressure during exercise.	Training the athlete's striking power while maintaining coordination of movements and correct execution technique. Great for classic high-intensity cardio due to its extra center of gravity.
Light weight, gloves	© Hoda Bogdan - stock.adobe.com	Convenient layout and center of gravity allow you not to feel their pressure during exercise.	Training the athlete's striking power while maintaining coordination of movements and correct execution technique. Great for classic high intensity cardio and drummers.
Average weight, cuffs	© Adam Wasilewski - stock.adobe.com	Comfortable layout and center of gravity allow you not to feel pressure during exercise or everyday wear.	For everyday wear - used for general training of hand endurance.
Adjustable weight, cuffs	© onhillsport.rf	Cuffs with metal plates that act as weight regulators for progression of the load.	Universal weights designed for multipurpose use. In rare cases, it can be used as a weight for the legs.
Flexible weights	© yahoo.com	Can be attached along the entire forearm. They look like a sleeve.	Designed for complex functional training. Perfect as a replacement for a weight vest.
Homemade weights	© tierient.com	Low cost - the possibility of anatomical adjustment.	Depending on the filler, the quality of the material and the fastening, they fulfill different purposes.

Outcome

If you plan to use weights for jogging or for doing basic exercises, cuffs are the best choice. At the same time, if you decide to arrange a cardio boxing session in the gym, then glove-shaped weights are suitable due to the lesser injury hazard to the hand and adjacent joint.

Today, many people underestimate the role of hand weights in ongoing training. But they can be worn not only during training, but also during the day. While this will not greatly improve your athletic performance, it will generally improve energy balance and increase calorie expenditure.

Interesting fact: very often people who quit smoking use weights. This is due to the fact that physically supporting a cigarette with your hand while wearing this projectile is quite difficult and uncomfortable, which makes people experience negative feelings and, as a result, avoid psychological dependence on nicotine stimulants.