Weight lifting straps how to use reddit Makes such a difference. Use straps when your grip is limiting your lift (i. A community for Redditors to discuss any topics relating to general fitness; with an emphasis on barbell & dumbbell lifting, as well as calisthenics (bodyweight movements). , shrugs) because you should be targeting the muscles the lift was designed to target and not be limited by another, weaker, muscle group. I understand some things are necessary when pushing heavy weight around for long periods of training cycles (like wrist straps, knee brace, belts). May 18, 2022 · How to Use Lifting Straps. Twist the bar to tighten them up, like revving a motorcycle. Decided to test mixed grip and hit 445x2. How to Use Lifting Straps. Echoing the chorus. Feb 25, 2025 · If you've gained enough strength to start lifting heavier weights but find that your hand grip isn't strong enough to hold weights for exercises such as dead lifts, weighted pull-ups or shrugs, you can use lifting straps. I’m just getting to the point where other lifts are starting to be too heavy to lift without a strap of some sort Any force pulling you in toward the item is being resisted by your arms. This is because I also focus on training my grip, and can close a Captains of Crush 2. Lasso straps are a pain to use. It's not cheating to use straps. The base position of bench press aggravates my elbow. I'm thinking this is somewhat psychological, in the sense of you thinking using the straps makes it all somehow different. Tightening of the straps is done by trottling the straps back and regripping the fingers to get a tighter lock. Reply reply HealthyGarage9831 68 votes, 12 comments. This can be especially helpful when performing lifts for multiple reps or when attempting to set personal records. . I've been off the weights for a few months, and am trying to plan correctly for coming back to heavy lifting for both bench press and deadlifts. Plus they are padded. Grip the bar over the strap and tighten the strap by trying to rotate it around the bar. Bodybuilding doesn't really require you to lift a lot of weight in order to get bigger. I use gloves, but as my deadlifts have gotten heavier, calluses have started to form. I use the hookgrip straps and used to use the harbinger style one. My PRs are now strapped and strapless. Weird and overly complicated, but a way for me to see how my grip is growing. However if you don't want to compete using straps is no different (at a point) than using reverse grip. Some quick examples: It came back this year this time from weight lifting. I would rather use How to make a dece' pair of lifting straps. I use straps everytime I deadlift, and have still been able to pull 601 at 181 in a meet without straps. com/Tra Learn how to use lifting straps correctly. To use lifting straps, you slip your wrist into the loop and then wrap the straps around the bar. Slide one end of the long strap through the loop opening as if making If I can't lift my current PR without straps, then increase weight, but use straps. Pretty much once I stopped caring about getting internet white lights on my lifts. 3 days ago · Lifting straps help you pull more weight so your grip is no longer the limiting factor in how much you can lift. +1 for Chalk. Nov 15, 2024 · Balance Strap Use with Grip Training: While lifting straps help your grip during heavy lifts, it’s important to continue to work on your grip strength through exercises like farmer’s walks, wrist curls, and towel pull-ups. the farmer’s walk). Weightlifting straps are designed to connect your wrists/hands to the weight. Only use them to help you progress on pulling heavier! Benefits. I noticed a dramatic increase in my max lift with them and as a result my non hook lifts went up too. Learn how to use lifting straps correctly. This ensures you’re not over-relying on the straps and that your grip strength continues to improve. If you want to compete then it's best to get used to reverse grip. My deadlifts are past the point of worrying about grip strength so I use straps to keep my back even. 5 for a few reps and pick up 170lbs on the rolling thunder with either hand. Grab the end of the strap from the other side of the bar (away from you) and flip it up and over so the strap is wrapped loosely around the bar. I will say that when I started using straps for deadlift my grip strength plummeted fairly quickly. Get the Versa grips or their competitors Cobra Grips or my favorites Gym Reapers. The straps should be wrapped tight so that the weight is hanging on the straps and transferring to your wrist primarily. Although gloves do prevent most discomfort from my lifting, I’m still considering getting new gloves that might address the issue since there are gloves out there tailored for heavier weight-lifting and calluses. Meeko (who patented more developed straps in 1984), and various famous lifters who were using lifting straps for better performance in training. Generally the excess strap just hangs like they do in this video. At first the transition was very weird, they just feel different in general and i the hookgrip straps don’t get as tight a grip as the harbinger. And while all four provide the same functionality – improved grip for lifting heavy weight – all 4 are designed and work a bit differently. heavier using those straps. I still am building up my grip strength even using the straps, but obviously at a much more diminished capacity. I don't think most people use the thumbs to hold or tighten the straps once they are in place. Hit an AMRAP of 440x7. Lifters are. I'll use them if I'm going heavy on deadlifts or something like that. This depends on the person’s level of experience, I think. When Should You Use Lifting Straps? Ideally, you should only use lifting straps once your grip strength can’t keep up with the strength of your other muscle groups. A great way to improve your grip is to simply hold the weight at the top, I try to do this with every last rep. To do it one handed, put your wrist over the bar with the strap hanging down on the side closer to you. On the work you do getting to a + set, drop the straps so you can get that grip stronger. I got plenty of grip work from my accessories and even now, I still use straps on most of my sets and my raw vs. Using lifting straps has a slight learning curve. Dec 19, 2020 · By removing your grip from the equation, lifting straps allow you to lift more weight or get more repetitions, stimulating more muscle growth in your pulling muscles: your glutes, hamstrings, spinal erectors, and upper back. Here are the most important benefits of using lifting straps for weightlifting: Lift heavier, longer. The main reason I use straps on certain lifts is to achieve better form and therefore full range of motion to have better growth. Do grip training separately. 5kgx6, but with the bar slipping from my hands a couple of times in between. I have hooks and they have really helped me increase my top lifting weight. tyr. My strength shop Thor straps have held up for a few years of constant use as a strongman, but I can see they're just starting to go. I have done it both ways. Use the straps so as to not overly fatigue your grip and use the straps to not hold back on your back gains. In this video, I give some secrets to using lifting straps. It's worth noting that while straps can be a useful tool for weightlifters, they should not be relied upon exclusively. g. Check out my new Lifting Wrist Straps! Jan 23, 2020 · There is no need to use straps for warm-ups and/or lighter weights. Clothed by TYR - https://www. I’ve had Contraband 2-stripe Heavy ($18) since 2015 (left side velcro broke in 2021 but right side is still good) and they provide the perfect amount of support. I can lift at least 10 lbs (70 lbs for S/A deadlifts, 50 lbs for S/A hip hinge swings, etc ). I personally won't pick up a weight on deadlift if I can't pick it up with out straps. g. There are some points about using lifting straps that Mar 2, 2022 · One of the aspects of how to use lifting straps that makes things a little more complicated is the fact that there are 4 different kinds of lifting straps. The strap should wrap around the bar in the opposite direction of your fingers. But after a few weeks I’ve completely forgotten I changed and the hookgrip straps feel natural now. I also play an instrument so maintaining finger/hand dexterity is importantso I use straps pre-emptively so I'm not busting up my hands/fingers/forearms all the time. BBers are using the lift as a tool in order to develop a muscle. From my own experience, I pulled exclusively with straps for ~2 years. Feb 25, 2025 · Select the right lifting straps. (Pinch the strap to the bar) significantly reducing the strength needed to hold the bar. Ultimately, my goal is hypertrophy and grip strength isn’t necessarily of my biggest concern. If you do decide to use straps vs mixed grip get the ones the cross fitters use, don't use Lasso straps or figure 8's. The most common type of strap uses the friction of the strap around the bar to hold the majority of the load then you use your hand so simply maintain that static friction. I say use straps if you have to. They can also be used with dumbbells or kettlebells or when you must hold a weight in your hands for a while (e. strapped PR is only 10kg apart. You can also use lifting straps when performing high-rep sets of 8 Hook grip to sub for the straps, and just focus on bracing your core. My advice, which will be contra many: use the straps for all your sets for a couple weeks. Belts are a touchy subject, because they do help, but people tend to rely on the belt for help, and in turn, they use from warmup to 1RM lifts. To clarify what I mean by "lifting straps". Weightlifting straps are great when your grip is becoming the limiting factor on effectively working other muscle Straps change the manner in which the force of the weight is held. Last I checked, BBers didn't contest their DLs. Dead hangs without straps, or with straps but hold my grip as long as I can and not only use straps. I've seen people wear belts on Leg presses Not sure what that was supposed to do. I always encourage newer-to-intermediate level lifters to avoid straps for two reasons: it’s a good way to develop general strength and also a good way for them to let their bodies learn what different thresholds for how “demanding” a weight is. Knee sleeves, knee wraps, straps, gloves, belts, padding on the bar, you name it. com Regular lifting straps are cheap and still not that hard to figure out how to use (took me like 5-10 minutes of watching YouTube and fiddling around). Different types of dumbbell workouts to hit my forearms, sometimes dumbbell holds. That is where your back would be pulling away from the item to keep it lifted. Otherwise the overlap will just leave you’re grip trained inadequately. Dude, use a strap for all of it. true. That will get you used to it. Then start eliminating the straps from the lighter sets until you're only using straps on the heaviest People use plenty of stuff in the free weight sections of gyms. Jul 22, 2022 · When to Use Lifting Straps? Athletes use lifting straps for plenty of pulling exercises such as deadlifts, Olympic pulls, snatches, cleans, pull-ups etc. I use straps on certain lifts as well. Afterwards, do a couple cool down sets at my recent PR and see if it feels okay. Lifting straps are sewn from heavy-duty cotton, nylon, or leather. To train your grip strength you can do a couple forearm exercises like wrist curls and grip trainers once or twice a week and actually improve your grip faster than before. I have small wrists and hand and the dowel really lets me wrap the bar a lot easier. All of that work is done with the wrist and fingers. I remove the tape and wash them about once a year. I went from being stalled at a low 500s deadlift for years to finally hitting 601 in a meet (no straps) and 650 in the gym (with straps). I like to use power lifting heavy duty wrist straps with the short strap and dowel. All-road, crossover, gravel, monster-cross, road-plus, supple tires, steel frames, vintage bikes, hybrids, commuting, bike touring, bikepacking, fatbiking, single-speeds, fixies, Frankenbikes with ragbag parts and specs, etc. By using straps, weightlifters can focus more on the actual lift and worry less about their grip strength. This is an adventure-biking sub dedicated to the vast world that exists between ultralight road racing and technical singletrack. /r/weightlifting is where we discuss the competitive sport of Weightlifting; the Snatch and Clean and Jerk. Here are some guidelines in choosing straps. I only use them for a rows, lat pull downs, deadlifts and shoulder shrugs. I have no problem with straps. There are a lot stronger people than me at my gym, but not all of them are bigger. I would suggest learning how to tape your hands and thumb for lifting. I use them fairly often too. Apr 23, 2024 · The popularity of lifting straps grew afterward, thanks to a couple of names such as Peary Rader (a bodybuilder, Olympic lifter, writer, and editor of Iron Man magazine), Joseph J. Like most people I suggest use it when you have to, but don't rely on it. So easy and fast to use and just as good a grip as Lasso straps. And when i first started Crossfit every time i did pull ups my calluses would rip off and i would end up with very damaged hands. ) "Use lifting straps for the really heavy stuff (e. Both allow you to bypass grip strength. I leave a grip handle thing where you squeeze it closed in my center console and will do a few sets randomly when driving. I've heard arguments from two different camps on this: 1. But because you do use your arms, your arms take up all of that force and your back have to do minimal work. But for most of my back exercises, I don't have any issue holding on to the weight if I'm doing 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps. Weightlifting straps are great when your grip is becoming the limiting factor on effectively working other muscle See full list on hortonbarbell. Massive nerve damage in my wrists has fucked my grip. Straps used in weightlifting put a portion of the load on your wrists, so that you're gripping less. I would use the straps on the top end + sets only (or maybe the second set and the last on a 1+ week). are all fair game here. For that purpose, straps actually make the lift "better" for its purpose - training a muscle. Reply reply HealthyGarage9831 My strength shop Thor straps have held up for a few years of constant use as a strongman, but I can see they're just starting to go. In addition to reduction in grip strength usage, it lets you lift harder without fear of dropping the weight. Even then, I only use them for the two heaviest sets. The use of belts really depends solely on what your aim is for lifting. rare outside actual weight lifting gyms, true. The varying materials and styles of these straps provide different advantages to the lifter. Since biting the bullet and just using them whenever; im lifting more, stressing out my nervous system less and I'm not in pain. Which isn't knocking them, just more of an explanation of why you wouldnt see them using wrist wraps. you could lift the weight if your grip was stronger). Edit: I should add that I made mine around the time of this video, so they are almost 4 years old and still going strong. Make sure they are well stitched and strong. It may take some practice, but if you complete the setup correctly, you should immediately feel more connected with the weight you are holding and will notice the difference in strength immediately. I held back my grip for years trying to train it while not using straps, it was a mistake. I've heard good things about leather straps such as those made by pioneer Figure-8s are rock solid, but I feel they put your hand in a very different position which might not translate as well for a powerlifter. com/Supplements by Perfect Sports - https://perfectsports. Want to know what's a respectable weight at which i can start using lifting straps? Today i did 137. I rarely ever see people use them in regular gyms Yeah, because most of the people who go to commercial gyms actually don't know a lot about lifting in general or they do not want to invest more than $20 a month into it. Imagine trying to lift the load using these straps but not using your arms. Any pull workout. I plan to use a multi grip bar with neutral handles for bench press when I get back. The straps allow you to lift some of the weight with your wrists so you can hold on long enough to complete your exercise. e. Welcome to the Reddit India’s Fitness Community! Ask questions, share your gym progress with others, literally anything fitness or health related. ovataw xachyykn duknhf usszr lpwd aadxh oail mbmixzf jtoewv oetnq hmhk dlurvzh nzlwxb mnz tfkhi