Whether you want to incorporate weightlifting into your fitness routine in order to build muscle or to improve your strength and body condition, you will need to do a couple of preparations before proceeding with the new workout drills. The first step involves creating a comprehensive workout plan for your fitness level and desired goals. Aside from weights, bars, and racks, you will also need to buy a few essential items to help you achieve your maximum athletic performance. Be sure to know more about the top 5 important items that you should consider before you add weightlifting to your fitness routine. Consider these 5 things and start seeing long-lasting results in no time.

Weightlifting Shoes

While any type of court shoes may be used for different physical training activities, there are specially-designed weightlifting shoes that are optimized for maximum comfort, enhanced support, and improved power output. In contrast to ordinary running shoes, weightlifting shoes provide additional stability needed for the activity. Weightlifting shoes are more rigid and have slightly thicker heels compared to other training shoes. They help you maintain a good body posture and keep your ankles and feet in proper alignment while performing squats.

Weightlifting Belt

Contrary to what most weight trainers believe, weightlifting belts do not reduce the strength of the core muscles but they actually make the lower back and abdominal muscles more involved in each repetition. Aside from promoting efficient muscle growth, weight lifting belts are also designed to reduce the risks of sustaining injuries during intense workouts. They help stabilize your core muscles and they effectively reduce strain on the spine by acting as a counterforce against the pressure from the abdominal wall. Read more information about the best weightlifting belts of 2017 and get the perfect one for you.

Knee Compression Sleeves

Unlike weight lifting knee straps which may restrict motion and increase friction between the joints, compression knee sleeves provide enough warmth to maintain proper circulation of blood as well as synovial fluids which lubricate the joints. Although they don’t directly increase your lower body strength, compression sleeves help reduce the risks of sustaining swollen and painful knees after an intense workout.

Weightlifting Gloves

Weight trainers have different opinions of weightlifting gloves; some say they interfere with their workout while some appreciate the benefits of wearing them. Weightlifting gloves are designed to help you increase the grip on the weights, reducing the risks of accidental slips due to sweaty hands. They protect your palms from sustaining blisters and calluses and they also provide additional support to your wrists to help you achieve your maximum performance.

Kinesio Tapes

Regardless of what type of program you are currently training for, you must never run out of Kinesio tapes. These thin and elastic cotton strips are almost identical to the human skin, allowing maximum flexibility and unrestricted motion. Kinesio tapes are used to treat minor injuries and inflammation to help trainers maintain the same performance all throughout their routine. You may also use Kinesio tapes to prevent minor injuries, reduce muscle fatigue and improve blood flow in different areas of your body.