Why Knee Sleeves
There are three main reasons to wear knee sleeves: support, warmth, and less knee pain—both during training and afterward.
Support comes first. I want a sleeve that provides stability throughout an entire lower-body session without being so stiff or restrictive that it becomes competition gear. It should move with me, stay in place, and remain comfortable through squats, assistance work, and conditioning.
Warmth matters, especially for those training in a home or garage gym. Just because it’s cold outside doesn’t mean your knees have to be. Keeping your knees warm helps them feel better and move better throughout the session.
Finally, there is knee pain. My knees are in remarkably good shape considering all the stupid things I’ve done, but training without sleeves can leave them sore for days. With sleeves, my knees feel better while I train and afterward. For over seven months, I did an insane number of squats with a weight vest every day and wore the knee sleeves for every session. My knees were never sore. I still have a hard time believing it.
You probably don’t need knee sleeves when you are brand new to lifting and have no knee soreness or discomfort. But if you plan to train for the long haul, a dependable pair will eventually earn a place in your gym bag.
Get Your 5/3/1 Athlete Knee Sleeves
What Lifters Are Saying
Reviews have been lightly edited for length and clarity.
“No joke, I have spent serious money on knee sleeves—Inzer, SBD, and all the Amazon brands. I own 20 pairs, and all of them roll down my knee to some degree. Your knee sleeves do not, which makes them the best.”
— J. Nickless
“My wife compared the interior to her original Rehbands and prefers these. The ribbed interior provides extra grip, with no sliding around or constant adjustment. I ordered a Large based on the size chart. They were a little snug around my calves, but I have bigger legs.
“After putting them through a full workout, they never moved once I had them positioned correctly. They were very easy to take off, and I had no complaints about tightness during use. Very snug fit, but nothing felt overly compressed. 10/10.”
— J. Clark
“I’ve been using 7 mm Rehbands for years, and these feel almost identical. I’m looking forward to putting them through more training.”
— D. Shulte
“I am the definition of old and beat up. All four limbs have been surgically repaired at various times, so knee sleeves are a daily part of my lifting. The 5/3/1 Athlete Knee Sleeves are perfect for what I need. They are snug, stay in place, and provide enough support and pop without being so tight that I need to pull them down for breaks.
“I use them for all my warm-ups, lighter work, and assistance exercises, then use wraps for my competition lifts. Even though these are knee sleeves, I also like using this particular sleeve as an elbow sleeve.”
— P. Stevens
“I did my first WALRUS workout in the new sleeves. Awesome! They feel great for bodyweight squats. I had been using my SBDs, which are great for barbell squats but too much for bodyweight work. I didn’t realize the difference until I trained in the new sleeves.”
— D. Schader
“As a Masters Olympic lifter, I’ve used all the brands and types of knee sleeves out there. I have been using my 5/3/1 sleeves for a few weeks, and they are great—stay in place, easy on and off, a nice fit, and a great price compared with many other brands. Highly recommended for all types of lifting.”
— B. Shinn
“I primarily use them for BJJ, and they work amazingly well. They don’t slip or ride up, they are very comfortable, and they allow full mobility. I also used them for a squat workout and feel they are just as good as—or even better than—my Rehbands. I’m probably going to order another pair so I can keep one for lifting and another for BJJ and grappling.”
— T. Lintunen
“They arrived quickly and are very well made. They provide great support without making my legs numb. They are the only knee sleeves I’ve owned that didn’t bunch up once during an entire training session.”
— L. Barber
Get Your Pair of 5/3/1 Athlete Knee Sleeves
If you would like to submit a review simply email it to wendlerstore@gmail.com
Reviews will be maximally helpful to others if you include your knee measurement, size ordered, how you use them and how you like them. But all reviews are helpful to us and truly appreciated.
Want to talk more training strategies with Jim and other 5/3/1 lifters? Join the Private Forum for just $4.99/month - cancel anytime.
