Here are the best elbow sleeves for weightlifting to help you train pain-free and recover from your elbow injury.
Suffering from elbow pain is very annoying. You walk around and your elbow feels completely fine and you think that it has finally recovered.
So you go back to the gym or the tennis court and feel motivated to start training normally again. But right as you push the barbell or hit a forehand swing you feel a stinging pain in your elbow and forearm.
We know exactly how it feels. And most people who are training will experience it sooner or later. Recovering from elbow tendonitis and other elbow injuries can take a lot of time.
But elbow sleeves and braces can allow you to train without pain and also help you recover faster from the injury.
Today we’ve teamed up with Meridian Fitness in Greenwich, London to bring you the best elbow sleeves for weightlifting!
Let’s begin.
Here are the best elbow sleeves for every circumstance:
- Best Overall – Iron Bull 5mm Elbow Sleeves
- Best For Powerlifting – SBD Elbow Sleeves
- Best For Calisthenics – Nordic Lifting Compression Elbow Sleeves
- Best For CrossFit – Rehband RX Elbow Sleeves
- Best For Bodybuilding – Gymreapers Elbow Sleeves
- Best For Weightlifting – Iron Bull Elbow Sleeves
- Best Elbow Wraps – Iron Bull Strength Premium Elbow Wraps
- Best For Bench Press – Stoic Elbow Sleeves
- Best For General Lifting – Kunto Fitness Elbow Brace
- Best For Pain Relief – Vive Elbow Ice Pack Sleeve
- Best For Tennis Elbow – SENTEQ Elbow Brace
- Best For Golfer’s Elbow – Bodyprox Elbow Brace
- Best For Disc Golf – Crucial Compression Elbow Brace
- Best For Basketball – Nike Pro Elite Sleeves 2.0
- Best For Baseball – Bucwild Sports Compression Arm Sleeves
- Best For Bursitis – Vive Elbow Brace
Keep reading to see the full guide for each elbow sleeve!
#1 Best Overall – Iron Bull Elbow Sleeves
Thickness: 5 mm
Sizes: 9-16 Inches (23-40.5 cm)
Material: Neoprene
Occasions: Weightlifting, CrossFit, Calisthenics, Sports
Price: $50.00
The Iron Bull elbow sleeves are the best elbow sleeves for the gym. They are very versatile and comfortable.
These elbow sleeves work great for all types of training, whether it’s in the gym or on a tennis or golf court.
The sleeves are made out of two 5 mm thick neoprene panels that are stitched together for a perfectly contoured fit around your elbow.
The build gives really good stability and support for your elbows while still being very comfortable to wear for long periods of time.
The Iron Bull sleeves are also 9 inches long. The length of the elbow sleeves maximizes the support and compression of your elbow joints. This minimizes pain and allows you to lift heavier weights.
The excellent build quality of these sleeves gives you maximum comfort and the confidence and strength to hit new PRs in the gym.
The sizes vary from 9-16 inches (23-40.5 cm) in elbow circumference.
#2 Best For Powerlifting – SBD Elbow Sleeves
Thickness: 5 mm inner, 7 mm outer
Sizes: 9.5-19 Inches (24-47.5 cm)
Material: Neoprene
Occasions: Powerlifting, Strongman, Weightlifting
Price: $62.50
SBD creates some of the highest quality and most rigid lifting equipment on the market.
Their elbow sleeves provide outstanding support and stability while still giving you a natural range of motion.
SBD has made this possible thanks to the smart design of the elbow sleeve.
They have a rigid 7 mm thick outer panel for maximal support and strength and a thinner 5 mm inner panel for better flexibility and range of motion. This makes the SBD elbow sleeves perfect for powerlifting
These elbow sleeves will set you back $62.5 US. They are pretty pricey but you really get what you pay for. They’ll last a lifetime and always give you the same unparalleled support and stability.
SBD’s elbow sleeve size ranges from XS-2XL or a 9.5 – 19 inch (24 – 47.5 cm) lower bicep circumference.
#3 Best For Calisthenics – Nordic Lifting Compression Elbow Sleeves
Sizes: 7.9-16.5 Inches (20-42 cm)
Material: Premium Nylon Yarn, Spandex & Latex
Occasions: Calisthenics, Crossfit, Sports
Price: On Sale For $24.15
The Nordic Lifting Compression sleeves are the perfect choice for calisthenics. They offer a lot of elbow support and won’t obstruct your mobility.
Preserving flexibility and mobility is important when you are doing calisthenic exercises. You want to have a natural range of motion when doing calisthenics movements in order to avoid injuries.
The Nordic Lifting elbow sleeves are unisex and come in sizes between 8-16.5 inches (20-42 cm) in elbow joint circumference.
#4 Best For CrossFit – Rehband RX Elbow Sleeves
Thickness: 5 mm
Sizes: 8.7-13.4 Inches (22-34 cm)
Material: Neoprene
Occasions: CrossFit, Calisthenics, Weightlifting
Price: $40.00 Per Sleeve, $80.00 For A Pair
Rehband RX elbow sleeves offer great support and flexibility when performing explosive CrossFit movements.
The Rehband RX elbow sleeves have an anatomical 4 panel design that won’t restrict your mobility in any way. You can twist and turn your elbows freely without any discomfort.
The only downside of these elbow sleeves is the price. Each single elbow sleeve cost $40 US, so a pair of the Rehband RX elbow sleeves will set you back $80 US.
Despite the high price, the quality and durability of these elbow sleeves are well worth the price tag. They’ll last a lifetime and your elbows will thank you for it.
#5 Best For Bodybuilding – Gymreapers Elbow Sleeves
Thickness: 5 mm
Sizes: 9.4-13.4 Inches (24-34 cm)
Material: Neoprene
Occasions: Bodybuilding, Weightlifting
Price: $40.00
The Gymreaper elbow sleeves will help you take your bodybuilding workouts to the next level. They are extremely versatile and can be used for all types of bodybuilding exercises.
They are made out of a 5 mm thick neoprene material which offers great support and durability. The rigid build improves your strength and stability and helps prevent injuries.
The Gymreaper elbow sleeves come in 6 different sizes ranging from 9.4-13.4 inches in elbow joint circumference.
I would suggest that you choose the smallest size possible for your elbow circumference. A snugger fit will give you the best stability and strength.
#6 Best For Weightlifting – Iron Bull Elbow Sleeves
Thickness: 5 mm
Sizes: 9-16 Inches (23-40.5 cm)
Material: Neoprene
Occasions: Weightlifting, CrossFit, Calisthenics, Sports
Price: $50.00
The Iron Bull elbow sleeves are very comfortable to wear for long periods of time and offer excellent quality.
The sleeves are made out of 5 mm thick neoprene which gives you really good stability and support for your elbows.
The Iron Bull sleeves are 9 inches long. Longer elbow sleeves maximize the support and compression of your elbow joints. This minimizes pain and allows you to lift heavier weights.
The excellent build quality of these sleeves gives you maximum comfort and the confidence and strength to hit new PRs in the gym.
The sizes vary from 9-16 inches (23-40.5 cm) in elbow circumference.
#7 Best Elbow Wraps – Iron Bull Strength Premium Elbow Wraps
Length: 40 Inches (1 meter), 60 Inches (1.5 meters)
Material: Rubber & Cotton Blend
Occasions: Weightlifting, Powerlifting, Strongman
Price: $50.00
The Iron Bull elbow wraps offer great support and stability when performing heavy pressing movements in the gym.
These elbow wraps are made out of an elastic rubber and cotton blend. They are secured in place by a high-end velcro closure that won’t come loose even under very heavy loads.
The benefit of elbow wraps is that you can adjust how tight they fit more accurately than elbow sleeves.
This allows you to choose how much compression you want depending on what exercise you are doing or how much weight you are lifting.
The Iron Bull wraps come in two sizes, 40 or 60 inches long (1-1.5 meters). 40 inches is enough for most people. This length is enough to wrap the elbow sleeves about 4 times around your elbow.
If you have really large forearms and biceps you’ll probably be better off going for the 60-inch option.
#8 Best For Bench Press – Stoic Elbow Sleeves
Thickness: 5 mm inner, 7 mm outer
Sizes: 9.5-15 Inches (24-38 cm)
Material: Neoprene
Occasions: Bench press, Weightlifting, Powerlifting, Strongman
Price: $45.00
The Stoic elbow sleeve gives you a lot of support and stability without restricting your range of motion. It allows you to lift more weight and hit new PRs with confidence.
It’s the perfect elbow sleeve for bench pressing. The outer panel is 7 mm thick while the inner panel is 5 mm thick.
The thick outer panel gives you a lot of stability and power in your pushing, while the thinner inner panel still allows you to bend your elbow unrestricted.
The Stoic elbow sleeves come in 7 sizes varying from 9.5-15 inches (24-38 cm) in elbow circumference.
For maximal bench press strength, I would suggest choosing the smallest size possible for your elbow circumference.
#9 Best For General Lifting – Kunto Fitness Elbow Brace
Sizes: 4.25-17 Inches (10.8-43.2 cm)
Material: 70% Nylon, 15% Spandex, 15% Rubber
Occasions: Weightlifting, Sports, Good For Children
Price: $22.00
Kunto Fitness elbow sleeve is the perfect option for general lifting in your everyday life. The elbow sleeve is very slim and can easily fit underneath your regular clothing.
The elbow sleeve improves blood flow and circulation and gives you a lot of support and compression for your elbow joint.
It’s perfect for work that involves a lot of lifting and physical strength. If you are a carpenter or builder and struggle with elbow pain the Kunto Fitness sleeve can allow you to work pain-free without restricting your mobility.
The Kunto Fitness elbow brace also comes in smaller sizes (4.25 inches and upwards).
This makes the Kunto Fitness brace the perfect elbow sleeve for children with elbow injuries.
#10 Best For Pain Relief – Vive Elbow Ice Pack Sleeve
Uses: Cooling, Heating, Anti Inflammatory, Circulation
Sizes: Fits Up To 19.5 Inches (49.5 cm)
Material: Neoprene, Gel-Packs In Latex-Free PVC With Non-Toxic Gel Filling
Occasions: Rehab, Pain Relief
Price: $33.00
The Vive Elbow Ice Pack sleeve is great for treating injuries and relieving pain in your elbow after exercising.
The elbow sleeve comes with 4 gel packs that can be both cooled and heated. Place them in your freezer overnight or heat them carefully in your microwave.
Heat them in 5-second intervals and keep a close eye on them so that they don’t break inside your microwave and cause a mess.
Here are some instructions on how you can use the Vive Elbow Sleeve optimally.
After exercising: Place the ice-cold gel packs in the elbow sleeve pockets and then wrap the sleeve around your elbow joint for about 15-20 minutes.
Cooling your elbow joint after exercise will decrease blood flow to the area and reduce inflammation and pain
A couple of hours later you can heat up the gel packs in your microwave and reapply the sleeve around your elbow for 15-20 minutes.
The heating effect will increase the blood flow and circulation in your elbow joint. This will bring fresh oxygen and nutrients to the injured area and aid the healing process.
It can be difficult to use the Vivac elbow sleeve while exercising so it’s best to use it after training to help with recovery.
You can use a different elbow sleeve such as the Iron Bull elbow sleeve If you want to minimize the pain during exercise.
#11 Best For Tennis Elbow – SENTEQ Elbow Brace
Sizes: Length 15.5 Inches x Height 3.25 Inches (39 cm x 8.25 cm)
Material: Neoprene, Velcro Closure
Occasions: Tennis, Golf, Other Sports
Price: $20.00 Per Brace, $40.00 For A Pair
The Senteq elbow brace relieves tendonitis in the elbow and forearm and significantly reduces the pain from tennis elbow.
The brace sits around your upper forearm. And since it doesn’t cover your elbow you retain all your movement in the elbow joint.
Having a natural range of motion in your swing is really important when playing tennis.
Senteq’s elbow sleeve improves blood flow and circulation and helps to calm inflammation. This will allow your elbow to recover and heal while still allowing you to play tennis and exercise.
#12 Best For Golfer’s Elbow – Bodyprox Elbow Brace
Sizes: One Size Fits All
Material: Nylon, Spandex, Velcro Closure
Occasions: Golf, Tennis, Other Sports
Price: $15.00
The Bodyprox elbow brace is the best option for golfers with elbow tendonitis.
The brace gives compression to your forearm and alleviates pain. Your range of motion isn’t affected by the elbow brace which is a huge benefit for golfers as you can maintain your natural swing.
The Bodyprox elbow brace comes in a one-size-fits-all. You can loosen or tighten the elbow brace and get the exact amount of compression you want.
#13 Best For Disc Golf – Crucial Compression Elbow Brace
Sizes: 8-16 inches (20.3-40.6 cm)
Material: Premium Nylon/Spandex
Occasions: Disc Golf, Golf, Tennis, Other Sports
Price: $15.00
The Crucial compression elbow brace gives you great support and compression. The brace improves blood flow and circulation in your elbow joint and keeps it warm.
The Crucial compression elbow sleeve can also give you better stability in your disc golf throws. Compressing your elbow stabilizes your elbow joint and allows you to throw without pain.
Since the brace is very breathable and lightweight it doesn’t get uncomfortable or too hot, and sweat won’t get trapped underneath the brace.
#14 Best For Basketball – Nike Pro Elite Sleeves 2.0
Sizes: Small – X-Large
Material: 80% Polyester, 15% Spandex, 5% Silicone
Occasions: Basketball, Baseball, Cycling
Price: $28.00
The Nike Pro Elite Sleeves 2.0 are currently the best basketball shooting sleeves.
The sleeves are designed to allow you to move naturally and also offer great compression for your elbow to improve blood flow and circulation.
The Nike Pro Elite Sleeves 2.0 are made out of sweat-wicking material which keeps your arms dry. The materials used in the elbow sleeves also keep you cool in the summer heat and warm in the colder months.
#15 Best For Baseball – Bucwild Sports Compression Arm Sleeves
Sizes: Small – XX-Large, 10-21 Inches (Youth Sizes in Small-Large, 6-9 Inches)
Material: Polyester, Spandex
Occasions: Baseball, Basketball, Other Sports
Price: $24.00
These elbow sleeves offer maximum comfort and performance. The sleeves are made out of lightweight sweat-wicking material that keeps you dry and cool.
The Bucwild Sports sleeves give you plenty of compression around your elbows and biceps and forearms. They improve circulation and blood flow which helps you to recover faster after exercise.
These elbow sleeves are great for both pitchers and batters who want extra support and compression for their elbows to prevent injury and improve their performance.
#16 Best For Elbow Bursitis – Vive Elbow Brace
Sizes: One Size, Adjustable Up To 17.5 Inches (44.5 cm)
Material: Polyester, Nylon/Spandex, Velcro
Occasions: Bursitis Pain, Daily Wear
Price: $19.00
The Vive elbow brace stabilizes and protects the elbow joint. It also relieves pain from elbow bursitis by reducing swelling and inflammation.
The Vive elbow brace is super easy to put on and can be adjusted to get the exact amount of compression that you need. It’s also very breathable so moisture and sweat won’t build up under the elbow brace.
Are Elbow Sleeves Good For Weightlifting?
Elbow sleeves are great for all types of weightlifting. Elbow sleeves will help prevent injuries and reduce elbow pain, whether you are doing calisthenics, powerlifting or working your everyday job.
Avoiding injuries will make it easier to build more muscle since you’ll be able to have better continuity in your training and avoid time out of the gym due to injuries.
Elbow sleeves are also great for increasing your strength in pushing exercises. They apply pressure to your elbow joints, which helps to extend your arms and allows you to lift heavier weights.
Increasing your strength will result in more muscle growth as you can lift heavier weights and apply more tension to your muscles.
What Kind Of Elbow Sleeves Should I Get?
Which type of elbow support is best, and how do you choose which elbow sleeves you should get?
Well, it depends on what type of training you are doing.
For bodybuilding and powerlifting where you are lifting heavier weights, I would suggest going for a more rigid and thick elbow sleeve.
At least 5 mm thick and preferably with a 7 mm thick outer panel for maximum support and strength.
Elbow wraps are also a good option for bodybuilding and powerlifting.
The benefit of elbow wraps is that you can adjust the level of support you want by loosening or tightening the wraps.
You’ll want extra strong support if you are going for a bench press PR for example. But while doing regular 10-12 rep sets you might not need all that extra support.
For calisthenics and CrossFit, I’d suggest a more flexible elbow sleeve that retains your natural range of motion.
You could go for a 5 mm thick elbow sleeve for a bit more strength and support that still allows you to have good movement in your elbow joint.
You could also opt for a thinner elbow brace, like the Kunto Fitness elbow brace, that will make it much easier to bend your elbow.
An elbow brace still gives you good compression and stability but not the same strength that a 5 mm sleeve would give you.
For tennis elbow and golfer’s elbow, I would go with an elbow brace. Either a Kunto Fitness elbow brace or a SENTEQ elbow brace.
The Kunto Fitness elbow brace will give you more compression and stability in your elbow. The drawback is that your movement in the elbow might be affected a bit.
If you want to avoid that, the SENTEQ elbow brace is a better option. You’ll retain your natural mobility and range of motion in your elbow.
On the other hand, you won’t get the same compression and stability from the SENTEQ elbow brace as you’d get from the Kunto Fitness brace.
At the end of the day, both will do a great job of relieving pain. And it is up to you what trait you value more.
For more compression and stability, go for the Kunto Fitness elbow brace.
For a better range of motion and mobility, go for the SENTEQ elbow brace.
When it comes to general lifting in your day-to-day life I’d go for a thinner elbow brace, like the Kunto Fitness elbow brace.
Elbow braces offer a lot of compression and stability while being thin enough to fit underneath regular clothing.
It’s perfect for carpenters who are suffering from elbow tendonitis or anyone whose job involves a lot of lifting and physical work.
Are Elbow Wraps Better Than Elbow Sleeves?
The benefit of elbow wraps is that you can adjust the level of support and compression you get by wrapping them tighter or looser.
Some lifts, like bench press PRs, require more strength and stability while other lifts require less.
The benefit of elbow sleeves is that they are easier to put on and you’ll always get the same support and stability.
Sometimes you can accidentally wrap the elbow wraps too loosely or tightly and you’ll have to readjust them to get a good fit.
Elbow sleeves will always fit the same and you won’t have to worry about cutting off blood circulation.
In the end, the choice will come down to what you prioritize more.
If you want to be able to micro-adjust the level of support and stability go for elbow wraps.
If you want uniform support and compression and elbow support that is easy to put on, go for the elbow sleeves.
What To Do Now?
Now that you’ve found the best elbow sleeve for your situation you’ll be able to go back to the gym or tennis court and train pain-free!
If you want to take your training to the next level I recommend this article with the best pre-workouts for beginners!
If you are looking for a new workout split to get better results in the gym, click here to see all my articles on different workout splits
