Belt, sleeves, wraps, chalk. Most lifters have their gear bag dialed in. But there's one piece of kit a lot of powerlifters and strongman athletes still skip, and it goes in your mouth.
This blog will cover where a performance mouthpiece fits among your powerlifting accessories for performance, whether biting down really helps, how to choose between PX1 and PX2, and how to get started.
Where a Mouthpiece Fits in Your Strength Gear Bag
Every accessory in your bag has one job. Here's how the most common powerlifting and strongman training accessories stack up.
|
Accessory |
What it helps with |
|
Lifting belt |
Gives your core something to brace against |
|
Wrist wraps |
Supports your wrists on presses |
|
Knee sleeves |
Keeps your knees warm and supported on squats |
|
Chalk |
Keeps your hands dry for a better grip |
|
Lifting straps |
Helps your grip hold on during heavy pulls |
|
Performance mouthpiece |
Breathing under load, a solid clench, and staying calm |
Most of that kit works from the neck down. A mouthpiece covers what everything else misses: your breathing and your bite.
Does Biting Down Increase Strength?
Short answer: clenching is a natural part of how lifters brace, and research suggests it may help.
Watch anyone grind through a heavy deadlift, and you'll see a locked jaw. Researchers have a name for this: concurrent activation potentiation.
It's the idea that squeezing one muscle, like your jaw, can help other muscles fire harder at the same time. The research is promising, and scientists are still learning exactly how it works.
The catch is that clenching on bare teeth isn't ideal. AIRWAAV does more than give you something solid to bite into. Its patented bite plate helps position your jaw to activate a neuromuscular response that engages more muscles when you clench, while also keeping you from grinding tooth on tooth.
That's the idea behind AIRWAAV's Clench Stronger to Perform Better benefit, built on 15+ years of peer-reviewed research with Dr. Dena Garner, a researcher in muscle physiology and airway performance.
Three Ways a Mouthpiece Helps Under Heavy Load
The AIRWAAV Performance Mouthpiece is built around three benefits. Here's what each one means for strength athletes.
Breathe Better to Endure Longer
Long sets and strongman events test your breathing as much as your muscles. AIRWAAV helps position the jaw to open the airway and support better breathing during training. It also lowers respiratory rate by up to 20% (peer-reviewed). That matters most on high-rep sets, loaded carries, and medleys, when you're working hard for a long stretch.
Clench Stronger to Perform Better
The bite plate gives you a stable, solid clench on every rep. Its design helps position your jaw so that clenching activates a neuromuscular response and engages more muscles. On heavy squats, pulls, and presses, that can help you get more out of the effort you are already putting in.
Stay Calm to Recover Faster
Heavy training puts real stress on your body. AIRWAAV reduces post-exercise cortisol by up to 50% (peer-reviewed). Cortisol is a stress hormone, and that's the science behind the "recover faster" part.
Put all three together, and you get an accessory that works during your sets and after them.
PX1 vs PX2: How to Choose Your Fit
Both mouthpieces deliver the same performance benefits. The only difference is how they feel in your mouth.
PX1: Relaxed and Barely There
PX1 has an open bite channel and a minimal, relaxed fit. Pick it if you want to barely notice it's there.
PX2: Snug and Locked In
PX2 has a material-filled channel for a snug, locked-in fit. Heavy lifters and hard clenchers tend to prefer it.
Can't Decide? Get the Hybrid Pack
The Performance Hybrid Pack gives you both, so you can try each fit and switch between them whenever you like.
Whichever you choose, the benefits are the same. It just comes down to feel.
When to Wear It in Powerlifting and Strongman
Where a mouthpiece earns its spot depends on the lift or event. Here's a quick guide:
|
Lift or event |
Why wear it |
|
Heavy squat, bench and deadlift |
A solid clench as you brace |
|
High-rep sets and volume work |
Controlled breathing when sets get long |
|
Yoke, farmers carry and medleys |
Breathing and pacing over longer efforts |
|
Log press, atlas stones and max pulls |
A locked-in bite for max effort |
Try it in training first, not on meet or competition day. Give yourself a few sessions to get used to breathing and bracing with it in.
How to Get Started With a Performance Mouthpiece
Getting set up is simple. These four steps will have you training with it quickly:
-
Fit it first: Follow the how-to-fit & use guide before your first session.
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Start light: Wear it for warm-ups and lighter sets so it feels natural before heavy attempts.
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Practice your brace: Breathe in, brace your core, then set your clench, all in one smooth routine.
-
Pair it with Nasal Strips: Together they make the Performance System, a dual-airway advantage in training. The Nasal Strips adhesive holds through sweat.
A little practice goes a long way. After a few sessions, reaching for your mouthpiece will feel as normal as grabbing your belt.
FAQs
Is a mouthpiece for strength training the same as a sports mouthguard?
No. Sports mouthguards are built mainly for impact protection in contact sports. AIRWAAV's performance mouthpiece uses a specifically designed bite plate to position the jaw, support the airway, and help activate a neuromuscular response that engages more muscles when you clench, benefits a traditional mouthguard is not designed to provide.
Is PX2 better for heavy lifting?
No. PX1 and PX2 have the same performance benefits. PX2 simply has a snugger fit that heavy lifters and hard clenchers often prefer.
Can I wear it with a lifting belt?
Yes. They work together: the belt gives your core something to brace against, and the mouthpiece gives your jaw something to clench into.
Can I use my HSA or FSA?
Yes. AIRWAAV is HSA/FSA eligible.
Complete Your Strength Kit With AIRWAAV
Your belt, sleeves, and chalk already do their jobs well. A performance mouthpiece covers what they can't: your breathing under load, a solid place to clench, and settling down after a hard session.
Choose PX1 for a relaxed feel, PX2 for a snug, locked-in fit, or the Hybrid Pack to try both. Either way, you get the same benefits, built on 15+ years of peer-reviewed research.
Ready to add it to your kit? Shop AIRWAAV for strongman and powerlifting.