are straps bad for lat pulls, cable rows ,etc...?

[maroZ]

well i see some doing it in the gym and finally tried it. i got like 30 more pounds on each. please explain pros/cons

[stpete]

I only use straps when going heavy. Like in the 3-5 rep range. My hands alone simply wouldn't be able to hold the load for the desired reps.

[maroZ]

yea thats what im talking about like i do 140,150,160 and for the last set i use straps

[wilson9d]

pro's you back will grow fast because it cant lift much heavier weights than your arms.

cons arms can become under developed in contrast to your upperbody.

for now you can use then for just your last set but after using them for awhole you wont ba able to use them past warm up.

eventualy you will grow past straps and have to use hooks.

[maroZ]

thanks, and also to add im 6 foot and have fingers like a hobbit. ( im over exerating) but i cant even put my ring, and pinkey finger around a bar.

[wilson9d]

i use them all the time so i love them. some guys dont. i just make sure to train my forearms and grip.

[maroZ]

another nice thing about using straps is as it acts as gloves and dont mess with hand calisas.

thanks wilson

[green22]

I use them for heavy sets.

[AdamGH]

You can lift more cause you dont have to worry about grip anymore. Just like on smith machine bench presses you can lift a lot heavier becuase you dont have to stabilize the weight.

Wrist straps are good for the last heavy set to squeeze out a few reps that you normally wouldn't be able to.

What I don't understand are these dudes wearing weight belts to barbell bench press.

[testy1975]

well if you dont use them all the time, only when going heavy, i think you will develope death grip wich i think is fine.

[Jakt]

i been using them 4eva, they keep your forearms out of using back, that way u heit your lats way more, i have pretty good lats and u don't get underdevolped arms in anyway, thats nonsense, make sure to train foreamrs though also, its very cool to have shredded forearms!!!!!

[toneloc85]

yea i use straps for all my rows and deads except on warmups i just seem to feel the pump more in the target area and less in bis and forearms. another thing i found out is on back exercises try to keep the weight held by mainly your index and middle fingers and less the last two as this uses more back and incorporates less arms.

[abbot138]

i been using them 4eva, they keep your forearms out of using back, that way u heit your lats way more, i have pretty good lats and u don't get underdevolped arms in anyway, thats nonsense, make sure to train foreamrs though also, its very cool to have shredded forearms!!!!!

Couldnt have said it better myself, takes forearms and grip out of equation, all focus is on pulling those elbows back and isolating your lats...but be sure to hit forearms seperate...hmm guess i just reworded everything you said huh, lol.

[Jakt]

Couldnt have said it better myself, takes forearms and grip out of equation, all focus is on pulling those elbows back and isolating your lats...but be sure to hit forearms seperate...hmm guess i just reworded everything you said huh, lol.

kinda sorta we always need reinforcement, straps def do help u target them more.. some people will always argue against this.. a lot of my friends talk smack, but then i look at all them for proof and their lats suck...

give it a shot and see what happens and you can always do a couple sets w/o them too

the key is always switching up workouts imo

[bmit]

used to use straps and now my grip and my forearms have developed from not using them to the point where i don't need them. though perhaps i could see using them on deadlifts or the last set of any lat pull or row. Looks like i am in minority though here.

[mkrulic]

I wouldnt use them on deads or bent over rows. deads especially. reason is your grip is the weakest link on the dead lift. use straps and your lower back becoms the weakest link

[DSM4Life]

i been using them 4eva, they keep your forearms out of using back, that way u heit your lats way more, i have pretty good lats and u don't get underdevolped arms in anyway, thats nonsense, make sure to train foreamrs though also, its very cool to have shredded forearms!!!!!

BS

I started using straps when i discovered my grip normally gave out at like 230lbs with high reps. Well after a while i told myself instead of using these straps why not back down on the weight and build my grip strength. Well i knocked down the weight on my deads by almost half ! Yeah my deads suffered for a little bit but current today at my weight of a whopping 165lbs i can lift 405+ pounds without any grip problems what-so-ever. People always say "well use straps but work your forearms out" which IMO is bad advise. You tell me a exercise that is going to simulated lifting 405lbs dead weight ? None.

My advice is to back off the weight and allow your forearms to catch up.

[Darksyde]

i use straps for the last set or two of my heavy back exercises.

[Win369]

strappin is the best way for heavy exercise.keep it locked and get more concentration while u're lifting the weight!

[wantmoremass]

i use straps for heavier deads, that's all. i just don't have the grip strength to match the back strength. to dsm's point, gonna think about bringing weight down and letting the forearms catch up.

[sorel_C]

use em,,, aint no way your pulling the most weight your back can handle with out the straps,, if you got small forarms,, then workout your forearms,,,, no point in training you back if your trying to make your forearms grow,, hit em direct

[FireGuy]

Big forearms or Big back.....hmmm I know which one I am choosing. I wrap on nearly every back movement I do. Another thing not mentioned is you should be using a false grip (thumbs on same side of bar as fingers) to help keep your biceps out of all back movements. Straps really assist when using this grip.

[abbot138]

Big forearms or Big back.....hmmm I know which one I am choosing. I wrap on nearly every back movement I do. Another thing not mentioned is you should be using a false grip (thumbs on same side of bar as fingers) to help keep your biceps out of all back movements. Straps really assist when using this grip.

Same here.

[Flex-Appeal]

i personally use them on very heavy sets or if its my last set towards end of workout.
in other words i use them almost all the time for Back, except warm up sets

[Daveskidoof3]

I rarely use them,I do the same if not more weight than my partners on most of our back routine. My back looks good,and my forearms are looking pretty good too. I say trial and error,sometimes that is the best advice.

[biodiversity]

What I don't understand are these dudes wearing weight belts to barbell bench press.

hahaha thats a good point, i only use belt on deadlift and squat and while doing weighte dips to hold the weight and sometime on heavy rows as for traps i only use them for shrugs, i have big long hands.

[biodiversity]

BS

I started using straps when i discovered my grip normally gave out at like 230lbs with high reps. Well after a while i told myself instead of using these straps why not back down on the weight and build my grip strength. Well i knocked down the weight on my deads by almost half ! Yeah my deads suffered for a little bit but current today at my weight of a whopping 165lbs i can lift 405+ pounds without any grip problems what-so-ever. People always say "well use straps but work your forearms out" which IMO is bad advise. You tell me a exercise that is going to simulated lifting 405lbs dead weight ? None.

My advice is to back off the weight and allow your forearms to catch up.

I agree i always use alternative grip on the DL its made my grip very strong, my friend was a powerlifter and he advised me to stop using straps while doing deadlifts.

[sorel_C]

BS

I started using straps when i discovered my grip normally gave out at like 230lbs with high reps. Well after a while i told myself instead of using these straps why not back down on the weight and build my grip strength. Well i knocked down the weight on my deads by almost half ! Yeah my deads suffered for a little bit but current today at my weight of a whopping 165lbs i can lift 405+ pounds without any grip problems what-so-ever. People always say "well use straps but work your forearms out" which IMO is bad advise. You tell me a exercise that is going to simulated lifting 405lbs dead weight ? None.

My advice is to back off the weight and allow your forearms to catch up.

Heavy heavy barbell wrist curls,, guarented the guy doing heavy barbell wrist curls will have bigger forearms within a year vs the guy just using deads for his forarms,,

[DSM4Life]

Heavy heavy barbell wrist curls,, guarented the guy doing heavy barbell wrist curls will have bigger forearms within a year vs the guy just using deads for his forarms,,

Care to explain how since you guarantee it ? And what do you define as "heavy heavy BB curls?" How much weight is heavy heavy ?

[spywizard]

pro's you back will grow fast because it cant lift much heavier weights than your arms.

cons arms can become under developed in contrast to your upperbody.

for now you can use then for just your last set but after using them for awhole you wont ba able to use them past warm up.

eventualy you will grow past straps and have to use hooks.

hooks are the shit, after using them i know one of the reasons i never really ahd a great back..

now my back is one of my best parts..

[sorel_C]

Care to explain how since you guarantee it ? And what do you define as "heavy heavy BB curls?" How much weight is heavy heavy ?

easy,,, do em!!,,, and find out for yourself,direct work IMO is the best way to target a certain muscle to grow, thats like saying relying on barbell rows to build you bicep's because you biceps assist in pulling,,, weight is irrevalent( bodybuilding remeber) but a weight you get get somewhere in the hood of 10-12 reps should do

[sorel_C]

hooks are the shit, after using them i know one of the reasons i never really ahd a great back..

now my back is one of my best parts..

hooks are the sh*t,, except for deads i still neeed my straps,, but any other excersise hooks for me seem to do the trick

[biodiversity]

easy,,, do em!!,,, and find out for yourself,direct work IMO is the best way to target a certain muscle to grow, thats like saying relying on barbell rows to build you bicep's because you biceps assist in pulling,,, weight is irrevalent( bodybuilding remeber) but a weight you get get somewhere in the hood of 10-12 reps should do

some people like me care about practical (everyday actions)power not only muscle size and shape thats why i want a strong grip in propotion to my size

[sorel_C]

some people like me care about practical (everyday actions)power not only muscle size and shape thats why i want a strong grip in propotion to my size

I can see your point,,,

[DSM4Life]

easy,,, do em!!,,, and find out for yourself,direct work IMO is the best way to target a certain muscle to grow, thats like saying relying on barbell rows to build you bicep's because you biceps assist in pulling,,, weight is irrevalent( bodybuilding remeber) but a weight you get get somewhere in the hood of 10-12 reps should do

Well you first said it was "guaranteed" but now you say "in your opinion" which make more sense.

Does direct work work best ? Yes but in my opinion you are using your grip at its max when trying to lift heavy dead weight of the floor without straps. So again when it comes to grip strength and lifting heavy weight during deads i still stand strong on my point that one of the best things you can do to improve your grip strength is to lose the straps. I know because i have done it.

[sorel_C]

Well you first said it was "guaranteed" but now you say "in your opinion" which make more sense.

Does direct work work best ? Yes but in my opinion you are using your grip at its max when trying to lift heavy dead weight of the floor without straps. So again when it comes to grip strength and lifting heavy weight during deads i still stand strong on my point that one of the best things you can do to improve your grip strength is to lose the straps. I know because i have done it.

I COMPLETLY AGREE...to disagree... let me fixed my sentence.........." in my opion it is a guranteed""............

[FireGuy]

Do you guys really think you are gripping the bar that much tighter going without wraps as opposed to with them? I know even with straps I am still gripping as hard as I can. Besides, there is no stretch or contraction in the forearms in your back movements, it is all static reisistance. I do not see how going without straps is working your forearm muscles and basic kinesiology would support this. It might give you a firmer handshake but thats about it.

[Ronnie Rowland]

There are pros and cons to both methods.

If you want the biggest back possible then straps are a good thing. If you are worried about hand grip strength you could sit down and grab a heavy set of dumbells-hold them for as long as possible for 3 sets or so after training back. Also, a strong grip comes more from having large hands than having popeye forearms!

[ray0414]

once i started using straps my back got way more ripped, i cant work back without them cause my hands get sore/tired too fast. for pullups i dont see how anyone could not use straps your grip will tire before your back gets tired, then try adding some weight from a belt and i bet your hands will be sore fast. u work back to work BACK, not forearms, so u can work those doing other things.

[DSM4Life]

once i started using straps my back got way more ripped, i cant work back without them cause my hands get sore/tired too fast. for pullups i dont see how anyone could not use straps your grip will tire before your back gets tired, then try adding some weight from a belt and i bet your hands will be sore fast. u work back to work BACK, not forearms, so u can work those doing other things.

Thats because you have a weak grip. You guys are way too dependent on these straps. Again i could see you using them for maybe your last heavy set but more than that and your just hurting yourself IMO.

There are pros and cons to both methods.

If you want the biggest back possible then straps are a good thing. If you are worried about hand grip strength you could sit down and grab a heavy set of dumbells-hold them for as long as possible for 3 sets or so after training back. Also, a strong grip comes more from having large hands than having popeye forearms!

I have small hands and a strong grip.