supporting the community
Strength Wraps
Vital for lifting success
Free-weight exercises typical to CrossFit training require stability, balance, dexterity, and control. We tend to think of the larger muscles trained in squats and dumbbell rows, without giving the smaller joints and muscles the support they’re due. But try lifting any weight at all without using the wrists! Kelley Urbani, owner and creator of Strength Wraps, knew the importance of weight-bearing structures. Borrowing from a lifelong commitment to fitness, her adventures in CrossFit inspired her competitive streak and sparked a career. After tallying up some impressive finishes, including winning the 2011 OC Throwdown, Kelley worked as a personal trainer and coach at a local CrossFit affiliate before devoting her energy to perfecting and re-inventing a favourite workout prop: the original adjustable wrist strap. While training at CrossFit Balboa, home of CrossFit Football, Kelley became accustomed to wearing wrist wraps while she trained, like all the other athletes there did. Being a lifting-centric gym, they wore lifting wraps, but as Kelley got into CrossFit competitions, winning the first OC Throwdown in 2009, she felt the wraps weren’t what they needed to be. She wanted to be able to loosen and adjust them for different exercises, have them be sweat- and water-proof, and more. The main concept of Strength Wraps is to provide joint support, give full range on motion in the wrists for all movements, and most importantly, easily tighten and loosen down on itself. This “selfadjusting” feature is a time saver for all competitive athletes. When training for maximum reps or task completion in a minimal time, joint support is a key component to an athlete’s success. Strength Wraps delivers a product that takes the athlete’s performance from good, to GREAT. Unlike any other competitor, wraps are produced with an interlocking pattern that provides strong support and an exceptionally tight gripping component that accommodates all fitness and sport-specific movements. Accompanied with a non-slip string, tightening and loosening your wrist wraps can be done in a second. MARKET LEADER Strength Wraps is an internationally recognized brand with a wide demographic of customers. With such a large community of fitness enthusiasts comes feedback. They strive to offer a product that fits the comfort and needs of people across the globe. In fact, they’re so confident in their product that they offer a money back guarantee. If you’re still not convinced, just ask Strength Wrap sponsored athletes Kenneth Leverich (2x CrossFit Games competitor), Scott Panchik (4th place in 2012 CrossFit Games), Kendrick Farris (Olympic Games record holder), Valerie Calhoun (Games competitor at just age 17) and Jill Spealler (mom of top Games athlete Chris Spealler)—they’ll give you the dirt. Reusable and washable, these cotton or cotton/poly blend wide bands have gained an international following, thanks to the designer’s flair and attitude. The mission statement rightly sums up their accomplishment: “To provide durable wrist wraps to the international fitness community that are of the highest quality and design as proven by years of performance testing.” Now that’s a wrap!?
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W W W. S W E AT R X M A G . C O M
July/August 2013
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