Gear Guide

HAND PROTECTION- Pull Up Grips $25 per pair from Solid Strength

Leather pull up grips protect hands from aching or tearing during high rep workouts. Suede, grips well on pull up bars and can be worn for other lifts without affecting grip. They are long lasting and colours can vary from that shown in picture. Price is for 1 pair of Pull Up Grips. Made in NZ.

KNEE PROTECTION- 5mm Rehband Knee Sleeves $60 for each single from Industrial Athletic

I’ve tried a lot of knee sleeves and Rehband are the only one I recommend that is sold locally.  These neoprene sleeves provide warmth, compression and just enough support without negatively impacting the way you move while running or jumping.  These are awesome for squat based movements and protecting your knee caps during exercises where your knees contact the floor such as lunges, turkish get ups and burpees.

WEIGHTLIFTING SHOES- Reebok CrossFit Lifter 2.0 $219 from reebok.co.nz

They may not be pretty but a pair of dedicated weightlifting shoes such as these will give you the most noticeable appreciation for how simply wearing a certain type of shoe can dramatically improve the way you move. Whether your squating, jerking, cleaning or snatching your performance will significantly improve with these due to the elevated heel, the hard unforgiving sole and the straps which hold your feet down. All of these features lead to better movement and far greater stability than your average trainer.

WOD SHOES-Reebok Nano 6.0 $209 from reebok.co.nz

If your looking for your next pair of everyday trainers then these would be a great option (the Nike Metcon are also excellent). The Nano 6.0 is stable, light weight and comfortable. These are currently being reviewed by many as the best all rounders for CrossFit at the moment. 

 

SKIPPING ROPE- Speed Rope $15 from Solid Strength

This inexpensive rope is the perfect entry point speed rope to purchase. It’s fast enough that performing double unders (two revolutions of the rope for every skip) are easy but the cable is also heavy enough that it has good tactile feedback which is important while learning i.e. if you get an advanced speed rope the cable is so light you will not be able to “feel” where it is resulting in an extremely slow and frustrating learning process.

WRIST PROTECTION- Wrist Wraps $28.80 by Etsy

Our wrists are comprised of a whole bunch of small delicate bones which take quite the beating in CrossFit. If you are experiencing some wrist pain there a two things you must do. Firstly improve your flexibility through your entire upper body. This helps relieve the stress on the wrist dramatically. Second thing, invest in some wrist wraps. I personally like a cotton based wrap like the one pictured because I prefer the feel and aesthetically like the style but the elastic ones and neoprene variety are good also.

 

MIDLINE STABILITY- Schiek Weightlifting Belt $75 from Raise Lower

If you’re looking for a little extra midline support during your max effort lifts or just during an especially demanding heavy back intensive workout than this belt is a great option. This is a low profile belt so it doesn’t get the way when snatching and offers just enough support and diversity for a CrossFitters needs.