Lock-Jaw Pro HD Collars

The Story:

Most people are used to those metal spring collars and while I have 2 pairs of them I don't really like them. When we used them on iron plates the collars were longer then some plates so it would hit the ground. The good part was that we could use it as a kick stand so the barbell didn't roll away. They are also a hassle to take on and off and the rubber handles pop off all the time. All small things but still annoy me. When I was at the store I saw some of these Lock-Jaw Pro HD Collars and it looks slim and a lot quicker to use. There are two versions the lock and the regular. The lock pros have a red tap that locks the collars. I was told that the others can pop open some times. It wasn't that much more for the lock pros, so I ended up getting the Lock-Jaw Pro HD Collars.  I bought mine for $44.00 from Total Fitness USA.

The Review:

Not all collars are made a like. These collars were very nice to use. They make for a quick plate change and are perfect for those WODs that require you to do so. It may shave a few seconds off of your time and while some people tell me a few seconds do not matter. I tell them a few seconds can be the difference between a7 minute and a sub 7 time. A few seconds can be the difference between a new PR. A few seconds can be the difference between 1st and last and every second counts.

I have noticed that over time the collars are starting to wear and you cannot read the words on it anymore but that is ascetics. 

The collars also rub against my bumper plates causing a ring to form around it and can actually start to rub rubber off of the plates.

Pros:

Quick to take off and on

Not too much slide on bar

Slim Design, easy storage and use 

Cons:

Tears/rubs rubber off of bumper plates (smooth bumpers so far not on my Hi-Temps)

KT Tape Pro: Day 5, Morning removal.

Good morning! Welcome to day 5 of my KT Tape Pro trial run. The tape is securely fastened to my back although I am still a bit skeptical as to whether or not it is doing anything anymore. I have decided to take the tape off now. One thing that leads me to believe that the elasticity in the tape is no longer present is the wrinkles in the strip. According to the KT Tape Pro website there will be wrinkles in the tape when you sit back up from being tapped.

I should have thought of that earlier. I will test more of the tape on a different location that will be easier to view and photograph. I might try my shoulder or knee. 

In summary. 

KT Tape Pro worked quite well for the first 3 days or so. Then started to show signs of wear and loss of elasticity in the strips. I find that the biggest problem with the tape is not that the tape will fall off, since it was very secure for the most part, but rather the loss of elasticity in the tape causing it to not function as desired. Even as I pull the tape off of my back right now it is still very securely stuck to my back. The KT Tape Pro handles well in the water. Although prolonged use in water on multiple days combined with strenuous workouts may have been the contributing factor to the loss of elasticity and peeling. Since the preliminary tests were promising I will be ordering more KT Tape Pro to try on my shoulder and/or knee. I have some Rock Tape and Rock Tape H20 in the mail already so I will try that next. 

KT Tape Pro Day 4: Update

Decided not to do the regional event 4 WOD today. I felt it was better to rest, rather then hurt myself.

KT Tape Pro on the other hand decided to keep on working. No issues today. Although all I did was clean up my gear and organize. Although I do think that it is losing some elasticity. It does not seem to be working as well as before. When I first put the KT Tape Pro on my back I could feel some pressure release and tension in the tape strips. Now it seems like I just have tape on my back. We'll see how things are tomorrow morning.

KT Tape Pro Day 4

KT Tape Pro Day 4.

This morning it is still on my back nice and dry. It seems to me that long exposure to water will reduce the sticking abilities of the KT Tape Pro. Since yesterday it was wet for quite some time. Since I am not going into the water today I will see how it handles on Sundays WOD. Scaled to stay under that 22min time cap of course. 

May 6, 2012

SUNDAY 120506

2012 CrossFit Games Regional: Individual Event 4
For time:
135 pound Back squat, 50 reps
40 Pull-ups
135 pound Shoulder-to-overhead, 30 reps
85 pound Front squat, 50 reps
40 Pull-ups
85 pound Shoulder-to-overhead, 30 reps
65 pound Overhead squat, 50 reps
40 Pull-ups
65 pound Shoulder-to-overhead, 30 reps

KT Tape Pro Day 3

Day 3 with my KT Tape Pro. 

After getting out of the water I showered off and hoped in my car. On the drive home I felt something on my back and when I reached to feel it, I felt the sticky tape starting to come off. Needless to say I was a little disappointed. I got home and got ready to do the pack (50# DB) version CrossFit Games Regional Event 3:

May 5, 2012

SATURDAY 120505

2012 CrossFit Games Regional: Individual Event 3
Four rounds for time of:
100 pound Dumbbell snatch, 10 reps
200 foot Sprint

After I finished my WOD I went home to shower off. The KT Tape Pro was still starting to peal off. After an accidental nap I woke up and the tape had dried off and was not pealing off anymore. 

KT Tape Initial Thoughts...

Initial Thoughts:

KT Tape was nice enough to send me a trial pack in the mail. It came very fast. I got it in a few days. So off the bat KT Tape gets a +1 due do excellent customer service and follow up. 

KT tape recommends that you do not wear the tape for longer than 5 days. Although it says that it can stay on for 7 days. Contradicting information...Hoping they get back to me soon. 

I watched the video on the KT Tape website on how to apply KT Tape and had my sister assist me since I can't put it on my own back.

I could tell that the tape was doing something after I walked around a bit. It is hard to describe the feeling, it was almost as if the tape helped to remove the pressure on my lower back. 

KT Tape PRO is comfortable and does not bother me when it is on. I barley notice that it is their, aside from the pressure and pain relief. 

The first night I had it on I woke up and part of the tape seemed to be rolling up so I just rubbed it down and it was fine. Later that morning I went to the beach to go diving (now I am going to have KT Tape tan lines...) and when I came out the tape was stuck to me like glue. No shift no pealing. It was as if I wasn't in the water at all. The tape does absorb water so it stayed wet a for a few minutes after you leave the water. After a shower it is the same way. You might want to let it dry off before you put on a nice shirt or else you will have wet KT Tape marks on your shirt. 

After the beach I did my CrossFit WOD... 

"The Chief"

Max rounds in 3 minutes of:

135 pound Power cleans, 3 reps

6 Push-ups

9 Squats

Rest 1 minute. Repeat for a total of 5 cycles.

Post rounds completed for each of the 5 cycles.

Needless to say this was a pretty brutal WOD where you will sweat and move. I moved but the KT Tape didn't budge. The last thing I would want to think about during a WOD is some annoying tape flapping around on my back (although in this WOD I was in drone mode and might not of noticed). When I finished my fifth round I did my usual flopping around on the ground. When I got up I checked my tape and everything was good to go. 

So far I am very happy with how well this tape sticks to my skin without irritating me. 

Today will be the third day so we will see how it holds up. 

Front:

Back:

The trail pack came with two strips of KT Tape, a yellow and a black peice. From first look I have to say it looks pretty cool. KT Tape Pro is their new 100% synthetic tape and if you sniff the tape you can smell the plastic and glue smell. It is not a strong smell, you can only smell if it you put your nose right on it. So it isn't an issue for me.

In the package it also came with a mini guide for common applications. There is also a link to their website which has a lot of videos on how to put the tape on for different applications.

Battle of the Tapes...Rock vs KT Tape

The Story:

About a month ago my cousin injured his shoulder. When I first saw the bright pink tape on his arm I had to ask what that was. He explained to me that his physical therapist put something called Kinesio Tape on his shoulder. It was there to aid in the recovery. He told me that the way they taped his shoulder also was to help isolate certain muscles of his shoulder so that the other tendons could recover. Seemed pretty cool. I later researched different tapes and came across Rock Tape and KT Tape. There are more but these two companies seemed to be the best. Rock Tape caters towards CrossFitters and has a section on their site about CrossFit, with a photo of Jason Khalipa rocking some Rock Tape. So they do have some reputability with many athletes that support their product. Although KT Tape is endorsed by Kerri Walsh, Olympic Gold Medalist. So they had some pretty legit athletes too.

I am not an elite athlete so I want to know how this will work for me. What works for one does not work for another.

I am going to try out both of the products to determine which one works best for me. Since summer time is here I will be using these both during CrossFit WODs as well as at the beach and freediving. So I will be able to get a very good idea about both products. I have seen videos of KT Tape used in a pool but a pool isn't close to the ocean. I feel that is a truer test or longevity. 

Rock Tape has Three different tapes a 2" and a 4" and Rock Tape H20, made for use in the water. I have both the Rock Tape 2" and Rock Tape H20 on the way as well as some of their Rock Sauce, a topical pain reviler similar to Bio Freeze.

Kinesiology tapes to be reviewed:

KT Tape Pro 

Rock Tape

Rock Tape H20