Why Should I Have 2 or 3 pairs of Crossfit Grips?
People in business have a saying, time is money, in Crossfit time is everything. It’s not uncommon to see only seconds separating athletes either that being at the Games or at your local neighbourhood comp. Grip technology has come a long way in the last 5 years and athletes now have the biggest choice in grips than ever before. This advancement in materials, means that there is now a optimal option for every occasion. Having the correct material for a powder coated bar or for a set of wooden rings might give you the ability to do the set unbroken and win your heat by those critical seconds you need.
Victory Grips offers four different styles and four different materials for two main reasons. The first reason is that there is not a universal style nor material that suits everyone. Second, there is not a universal style nor material that is best for every skill, workout, bar type, and environmental condition. Having more than one style of grips with back-ups at your disposal is about being prepared. If you are serious about the time you spend training and desire to perform better, you should listen to this information.
Think of grips like shoes. You have shoes that you wear for your standard mix modal workout of the day (WOD), lifters for Olympic lifting, and running shoes for your 5K’s or track workouts. Then, you have variations of those shoes because you like the soles or other materials they are made of for one reason or another. In essence, grips are no different. Victory Grips are designed with the different skills and workout situations in mind for the simple reason to help you perform at your best. No matter the gymnastic skill that is thrown at you in the gym or at a competition you need the right grips.
Different Styles Of Grips
There are grips that will handle the majority of your workouts, which are the 3 finger and 4 finger grips. These styles will handle the majority of your workouts and are considered utility grips. Then there are specialty grips, which are the 2 finger and fingerless (Freedom) grips. The 2 finger grips are designed for rings and kettlebells, and the Freedoms are designed for fast transitions.
Different Materials of Grips
Some materials grip better in powder coated bars or bare steel (Speal) bars. Some are thicker and softer while others are thinner to accommodate different protection needs and dexterity preferences. Some materials do better in humidity or in the rain. We have some athletes who have training grips and competition grips. The training pair are a thicker material which allows for high volume daily, where as, the competition grips are thinner and allow maximum grip. To help you better understand the difference between materials, we have generated this chart – Click Here
Finding Your Workhorse
Like shoes, you will find that there is a particular pair of grips you use the majority of the time. This is when you need to have backups if you are a serious competitor. According to our favorite running coach, Chris Henshaw, elite running athletes always have three pairs of shoes: a pair that they are currently running in, a pair that is broken in and on stand by, and a pair that is brand new. These shoes are on a constant rotation to make sure you are always prepared for an important competition with a pair that you can count on to not fail and perform optimally. You do not want to be competing in the Open with a pair of grips you have been using for 9 months and think they will not fail you in the midst of a workout. When you compete, you are exerting more force and performing larger sets than in training because of adrenalin. You need to make sure your grips are ready to handle that intensity. Be prepared!