Lifting straps well deadlifting

**73rr** · 02-08-2016, 04:33 PM

Do u guys us lifting straps for deadlift?

Y or y not?

**solit1ea** · 02-09-2016, 06:51 AM

Personally, I do not unless I am going over 90% of my max. I feel like deadlifts are great forearm builders and I believe that the straps hinder the ability for them to build in unison with everything else.

My personal opinion, I see guys in the gym all the time using these things: pulldown, pullups, row, curls (yea...), and bench press. I feel like often times it can be a crutch. I also noticed, and I was guilty of it as well, that poor form comes with the use of these. This can be from what I always say "if your hands can't hand the weight, your back/body can't either". It can also be from simply not working on form either.

**DROY** · 02-09-2016, 07:50 AM

The only thing I use normally is chalk, however at the end of a workout when the forearms are toast I will use straps for heavy shrugs. I also have a finger that doesn't work. When I was three or four I peeled the muscle off the finger so I can't do much with it. It bends like the others but there is no force so for some lifts it is difficult. Basically I lift with three fingers on one hand.

**73rr** · 02-09-2016, 10:55 AM

Cool. Thanks for the reply guys.

I'm asking because well doing Deadlifts. Ones I get up to the 405 lbs range my hands just cant grip and hold. (Go ahead with the jokes)

**novastepp** · 02-09-2016, 11:37 AM

If I do them after a back workout I always use straps. I'm not training my grip when I'm doing them for back development.

If I'm doing deads at the beginning of a leg routine or a strength routine, I will not use them.

Decide what you are doing with the deads and prepare accordingly.

**The Deadlifting Dog** · 02-09-2016, 11:42 AM

I am a powerlifter and thus grip strength is important.
I almost never use them.

If my calluses were bloodly and torn I would.
Heavy shrugs I would.

**73rr** · 02-09-2016, 01:37 PM

Originally Posted by novastepp

If I do them after a back workout I always use straps. I'm not training my grip when I'm doing them for back development.

If I'm doing deads at the beginning of a leg routine or a strength routine, I will not use them.

Decide what you are doing with the deads and prepare accordingly.

Very good point. Sometimes the simplest things I just don't think about haha.

**73rr** · 02-09-2016, 01:41 PM

Originally Posted by The Deadlifting Dog

I am a powerlifter and thus grip strength is important.
I almost never use them.

If my calluses were bloodly and torn I would.
Heavy shrugs I would.

My work outs are more for development (bodybuilding)
But for some reason deadlifts are a staple for me! I feel like I get more out of it then almost any other lift.

Can't stand squats though

**bigjohnny1** · 02-12-2016, 08:09 PM

Prefer Chalk for deadlifts.

**45lb** · 02-13-2016, 04:05 PM

I've only ever used them on my heaviest deadlifts, where I just want to focus on the lift, and not feel like I'm cutting my last heaviest set short because I couldn't keep a grip on the bar. I try not to use them unless I need them, to keep my grip strength as strong as possible.

**bigdil511** · 02-13-2016, 10:28 PM

I use straps when the weight I'm using exceeds my grip strength. Usually your back is stronger than your grip, plus i have fvcked up hands due to carpal tunnel and severe nueropathy.

**Xv1d** · 02-17-2016, 02:40 AM

Chalk and mixed grip, alternating per set. And I'm parking the barbell between every rep. Never had any issues when doing it this way.

**45lb** · 02-18-2016, 03:48 PM

Originally Posted by Xv1d

Chalk and mixed grip, alternating per set. And I'm parking the barbell between every rep. Never had any issues when doing it this way.

How much of a difference does using chalk make? I've never tried chalk before

**Alta** · 02-20-2016, 07:58 PM

I never use them, even on 1RM lifts. Grip strength is pretty important to me and I feel straps cheat it.

Learn to hook grip. Hurts like a mother, but your grip won't fail.

**45lb** · 02-21-2016, 02:02 AM

Originally Posted by Alta

I never use them, even on 1RM lifts. Grip strength is pretty important to me and I feel straps cheat it. Learn to hook grip. Hurts like a mother, but your grip won't fail.

Do you hook grip with an alternate grip, or always double overhand?

**Alta** · 02-21-2016, 11:31 AM

Always overhand. Can't say I've ever tried alternating with it.

As I've had it explained to me, the overhand hook grip in the deadlift helps develop grip strength and power for your olympic lifts (snatches, cleans). It takes a while to get used to it, and I really couldn't tell you definitively if it does help, but after switching a few years back I wouldn't do it any other way.

I snatch and clean with a hook grip as well.

**45lb** · 02-21-2016, 02:07 PM

Originally Posted by Alta

Always overhand. Can't say I've ever tried alternating with it. As I've had it explained to me, the overhand hook grip in the deadlift helps develop grip strength and power for your olympic lifts (snatches, cleans). It takes a while to get used to it, and I really couldn't tell you definitively if it does help, but after switching a few years back I wouldn't do it any other way. I snatch and clean with a hook grip as well.

Ok, thanks. I'll have to try it

**Mp859** · 02-21-2016, 02:22 PM

If your goal is to build a big back then straps are necessary. Your grip will give up way before your back.

**Xv1d** · 02-21-2016, 04:01 PM

Originally Posted by 45lb

How much of a difference does using chalk make? I've never tried chalk before

Night and day brother, huge difference.

**hooligans luck** · 03-04-2016, 07:56 PM

Straps are for overloading. I use them when doing things like pause deads were loads are less and Im more focused on working lower back.

**flip888** · 04-15-2016, 12:38 AM

It depends on your goals. If you just want to deadlift as much as you can and you don't care about your forearms then use straps.
I want to have a lot of grip strength so I don't use straps usually but if I find that my grip strength is the limiting factor in my deadlift and I can't get a good workout because of it then I'll start using straps. Not all the time, only when I need to

**mauler** · 04-16-2016, 01:41 AM

when the weight gets t my limit I use straps but I try my best to build my grip strength till that kicks out

**bartman314** · 04-16-2016, 08:40 AM

heavy shrugs, deadlifts and 1 arm rows. i don't want my forearms to hold me back.

**Rozzyrat** · 04-17-2016, 08:50 PM

Originally Posted by 45lb

How much of a difference does using chalk make? I've never tried chalk before

Chalk makes a huge difference on max lifts and AMRAP sets. When I've lifting in gyms that ban chalk, I use a product called liquid grip, but thankfully I'm in a gym where I can use chalk now.

**MuscleScience** · 04-18-2016, 04:20 PM

From a seasoned powerlifter like myself, we have Saying About wrist wraps. If you needed them then you can't really pull the weight anyway.

On its face it seems like an asshole statement, and I thought that for years. But it is actually smart advise.

1. If you can't hold onto the bar at a given weight then you have a hole in you're strength and it needs to be addressed. Imbalances in your physique are an invitation to injury.

2. Not using wraps is your fail safe, if you really do have a hole in your physique. Big weight or fatigue will expose it. If something gives due to either of those two things in your body, your natural reaction is to let go of the bar. In injury prevent milliseconds count.

What I mean is, the difference between injury and no injury or mild verse severe injury can be those 4/10ths of a millisecond that it takes your body to sense and injury then react and unload the weight. That extra 2/10ths of a second it takes for the wraps to release vs no wraps could be all the difference in the world when it comes to the amount of damaged tissue that one could suffer.

At one point my raw deadlift was at 450lbs lifting at 220 or under. In training I was using wraps and belts and so on. I kept getting hurt and not progressing. When I read that a lot of the big PL's don't use wraps and such in training I decided to quit. I had to start from the bottom and it took a solid 6-8 weeks to get back to my 450 raw dead lift. However once I got there I started blowing PB's out of the water because those wrist wraps where Hidding holes in my physique. I eventually was able to lift personal best at lighter comp weights raw, eventually getting up to 600lbs at 208.

Just my 2cents though :-)

**dcycles** · 04-22-2016, 11:12 AM

Originally Posted by novastepp

If I do them after a back workout I always use straps. I'm not training my grip when I'm doing them for back development.

If I'm doing deads at the beginning of a leg routine or a strength routine, I will not use them.

Decide what you are doing with the deads and prepare accordingly.

This^ I agree it helps forearm strength but I wouldn't let it hinder back development etc.