The gear worth having: bands, grips, straps, mats and the small tools that make training easier and safer.
What to look for
Each entry below covers one training accessory — what it does and what published biomechanics studies, meta-analyses and position stands report — with references at the end of every page.
Top picks
Nine common training accessories, each summarised from published studies.
Accessory
Resistance Bands
Elastic training bands, compared with conventional weights in a published systematic review and meta-analysis.
Learn more ↗Accessory
Weightlifting Belt
The rigid lifting belt, studied in biomechanics research on intra-abdominal pressure during heavy squats and deadlifts.
Learn more ↗Accessory
Lifting Straps
Wrist-to-bar straps that remove grip as the limiting factor, examined in published deadlift training studies.
Learn more ↗Accessory
Foam Roller
The self-massage cylinder, quantified in a meta-analysis of its effects on performance and recovery.
Learn more ↗Accessory
Knee Sleeves & Wraps
Neoprene sleeves and elastic wraps for the squat, examined in published biomechanics research.
Learn more ↗Accessory
Compression Garments
Tights and sleeves for recovery, assessed in a meta-analysis in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.
Learn more ↗Accessory
Jump Rope
The oldest conditioning tool, assessed in a systematic review with meta-analysis in the Journal of Sports Sciences.
Learn more ↗Accessory
Blood-Flow-Restriction Cuffs
Occlusion training cuffs, covered by a published position stand on methodology, application and safety.
Learn more ↗Accessory
Massage Balls
Small, targeted self-massage tools, grouped with foam rolling in the published self-massage literature.
Learn more ↗This section reports what published research says about accessory categories; it does not review or endorse specific brands. Pair any accessory with sound technique — the exercise library on this site shows the movements themselves.
