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Elbow Sleeves for Bench Press and Heavy Lifting: Fit, Sizing and When to Use Them
Elbow sleeves do for the elbow what knee sleeves do for the knee: they keep the joint warm and compressed under heavy pressing, s...
Elbow sleeves do for the elbow what knee sleeves do for the knee: they keep the joint warm and compressed under heavy pressing, so the elbows feel better through a bench session and the tendons are less cranky the next day. They give a little support at the bottom of a press; they do not lift the weight for you, and they are not a bench shirt.
Who they are for
Bench pressers first: anyone working heavy sets of bench, close-grip or overhead press, and especially lifters whose elbows ache on the first few sets or the morning after. Strongman and bodybuilders use them for the same reason on pressing and arm work. Squatters with a low-bar position that stresses the elbows wear them too. They are worth having once your bench is around bodyweight or your elbows have started complaining, whichever comes first.
The SBD elbow sleeve
The sleeve on this page is SBD's: a 7mm neoprene body with 5mm panels at the crease so the elbow can still bend through a full range of motion, reinforced stitching, and a length of 21 to 25cm depending on size. It comes in six sizes from XS to 2XL, made in the UK, and it is sold as a pair. The Classic black and red is the default; Nova, Serenity, Aspire and Resolve are the same sleeve in limited edition colourways, single production runs that are not restocked once a size sells out.
Sizing
Take two measurements with the arm relaxed and straight: around the forearm about 10cm below the elbow, and around the lower bicep about 10cm above it. Check both against the size chart on the product page. If the two measurements point to different sizes, go with the bicep measurement; a sleeve that is tight above the elbow and looser below is comfortable, the reverse is not. New sleeves are stiff and take a few sessions to shape to the arm.
Care
Wash them the same as knee sleeves: hand wash in warm water with a mild detergent or a squirt of shampoo, rinse, squeeze out and air dry away from heat. Neoprene holds sweat and an unwashed sleeve stiffens and smells within a month.
Common questions
Are elbow sleeves allowed in competition? Not in IPF powerlifting; they are a training aid. Check the rules of any other federation before wearing them on the platform.
Do they add weight to the bench? A small amount at the bottom of the press from the rebound, but the real benefit is warmth and consistency across a session, not the number.
Can I wear them all session? Yes; that is what the 5mm crease panels are for. Most lifters put them on for warm-ups and leave them on through the working sets and accessories.
Elbow sleeves or elbow wraps? Sleeves for training and general support. Wraps are a different, stiffer tool for equipped or strongman pressing.
Every pair ships from our Sydney warehouse, and we can measure you in store.