Elbow sleeves, also known as elbow supports, are a great tool to give your elbows the support they need. Whether you’re a dedicated athlete chasing that extra boost for a new PR, or you’re dealing with nagging elbow pain and looking for relief, using an elbow sleeve can definitely help.
These sleeves are especially useful for sports like streetlifting and calisthenics, where your elbows are under constant pressure during pushing and pulling movements.
In this blog post, we’ll explain exactly what an elbow sleeve is and dive into the main benefits of using one during your training.
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What are elbow sleeves?
An elbow sleeve is a protective band worn around the elbow. You can use it during workouts, but also throughout daily activities.
These sleeves are typically made from stretchy, breathable materials like neoprene or nylon. Their main purpose is to support the elbow and protect it from injury.
They come in different sizes, which is important because an elbow sleeve only works effectively when it fits properly.
If it’s too loose, it won’t provide support. If it’s too tight, it can restrict blood flow and become uncomfortable.
Our favorite elbow sleeves
Below you’ll find our top recommended elbow sleeves for streetlifting and calisthenics .
Streetlifting elbow sleeves: MPDS
These elbow sleeves are perfect for heavy strength exercises like weighted dips and the bench press. They’re 7 mm thick and made from high-quality neoprene, providing optimal support during intense training sessions.
MPDS is the leading brand in the streetlifting (weighted calisthenics) scene. The name stands for:
M: Muscle-up
P: Pull-up
D: Dip
S: Squat
In our opinion, MPDS creates the best competition-approved streetlifting gear you can get.
These elbow sleeves come in two versions: Half Stiff and Full Stiff.
Half Stiff is perfect for your regular training. It offers great comfort around the elbows and is easy to put on and take off.
Full Stiff is specially designed for competitions and 1RM attempts. It provides maximum support but is harder to get on, which makes it less suitable for everyday use.
Buying elbow sleeves to support exercises like weighted dips during your training? Then go for the Half Stiff version. If you decide to compete later on, you can always switch to the Full Stiff model.
Calisthenics sleeves: gornation
The GORNATION Elbow Sleeves are lighter and thinner than, for example, the MPDS Streetlifting Sleeves. This makes them much more flexible in use, ideal for static exercises like planches, back levers, or front levers, where stability and freedom of movement are more important than maximum support.
They also offer just the right amount of compression and control during endurance calisthenics workouts, without restricting your range of motion.
For heavy weighted exercises like weighted dips or 1RM bench presses, they’re less suitable, in those cases, the stiffer MPDS variants are the better choice. But if you’re looking for a sleeve that helps with balance, coordination, and injury prevention during technical calisthenics sets, these GORNATION sleeves are exactly what you need.
Who can benefit from using an elbow sleeve?
There are two groups of people who can benefit from using an elbow sleeve: dedicated strength athletes and individuals with an elbow injury.
For athletes
For strength athletes, streetlifting enthusiasts, and calisthenics practitioners, proper elbow support is crucial.
These types of training put significant pressure on the joints, which increases the risk of injury.
But elbow sleeves are also valuable for athletes in other sports, such as golfers and tennis players, where the elbows are exposed to high levels of stress as well.
For injuries
An elbow sleeve keeps your arm warm and helps with both recovery and injury prevention. That’s why it’s ideal for anyone dealing with an elbow injury.
Benefits of elbow sleeves
There are many benefits to using elbow sleeves during training. Below are some of the most important ones:
Support
Perhaps the biggest advantage of an elbow sleeve is the support it provides during training. It can help reduce pain from existing injuries and give you just that little extra boost during heavy reps.
Improved performance
Elbow sleeves offer a physical benefit through compression, but they also help mentally—especially during heavy sets.
If you’ve dealt with elbow injuries in the past, you might find yourself focusing more on whether your elbow will hold up than on the actual exercise. Wearing an elbow sleeve gives you peace of mind and allows you to fully concentrate on your movement.
Protection
Elbow sleeves help prevent elbow injuries. By keeping the joint supported and protected, they reduce the risk of strain or overuse.
Improved blood circulation
Elbow sleeves are made from compression material, which promotes better blood flow in the arm.
Reduced pain and stiffness
This is especially beneficial for people dealing with chronic elbow pain or stiffness.
What to look for when buying elbow sleeves?
If you’re planning to buy elbow sleeves for training, keep the following points in mind:
First, it’s important to choose the right size. Elbow sleeves that are too small can feel uncomfortable during workouts and may restrict blood flow. On the other hand, sleeves that are too large will slide down and won’t provide any real support.
That’s why you should measure your elbows before ordering a pair. For the sleeves mentioned earlier, you can easily find a size guide on each product page that shows which circumference matches which size.
Another key factor is the thickness of the sleeves. Thicker sleeves offer more support, but they can feel restrictive during certain movements.
Thinner sleeves provide less support, but they’re more comfortable for long-term wear. So ask yourself what matters most to you: support or comfort?
