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Tomorrow is Deadlifts. Thinking of using straps,
- Thread starter bruce9241
- Start date
are you kidding? go to (insert name of closet sporting goods store to your home) and buy wraps. or better yet, buy chalk. hell, your gym might sell straps.
So using just any old rag won't do? Hmm I guess I'll have to go buy some then. How does the professional straps benefit more than just a rag? I did tie my wrists together with my t-shirt and it felt stronger. I don't know if it's from the lack of bloodflow to the hand, or that the wrist area is stiffened.
cryptosporidium
New member
personally, i only use the imported hair shaved off the scalps of siberian women for straps. its expensive, but hey its gym couture.
cryptosporidium
New member
takes the strain off of your fingers.
the only thing straps are permitted for is high rep BB shrugs, RDL, rack pulls and rippetoe shrugs!
bruce if your grip is suffering strengthen your hands, wrists and forearms with stuff like bar holds, high rep double overhand shrugs, one arm deadlifts and farmers walk! you would also benefit from some db wrist curls as these are good for hand and wrist strength...
I like farmers best but another good exercise is where you put a bar in a rack and stand sideways in the rack, so the bar is touching one of your hips then grip the bar in the middle with one hand and lift it off the safety bars, the bar wobbles from side to side slightly making it more of a challenge. Only downside is the strain it puts on your obliques which may put you off if your goals are aesthetic
If you have a partner then you can load the bar twice as heavy and stand opposite to eachother at the ends of the bar and grip the thicker part of the bar that the plates attach onto, the thicker bar makes it harder on your grip and with the partner it makes it kind of a competition between the two of you
bruce if your grip is suffering strengthen your hands, wrists and forearms with stuff like bar holds, high rep double overhand shrugs, one arm deadlifts and farmers walk! you would also benefit from some db wrist curls as these are good for hand and wrist strength...
I like farmers best but another good exercise is where you put a bar in a rack and stand sideways in the rack, so the bar is touching one of your hips then grip the bar in the middle with one hand and lift it off the safety bars, the bar wobbles from side to side slightly making it more of a challenge. Only downside is the strain it puts on your obliques which may put you off if your goals are aesthetic
If you have a partner then you can load the bar twice as heavy and stand opposite to eachother at the ends of the bar and grip the thicker part of the bar that the plates attach onto, the thicker bar makes it harder on your grip and with the partner it makes it kind of a competition between the two of you
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i cant get a good grip with straps. chalk all the way.
artificialaspirations
New member
chalk. Has your grip failed already or are you planning on it?
Okay just got back from the gym.
After finishing my 5x5 I decided to max out again. I set a new max today at 300lbs for 1 rep. My previous max was done about 3 weeks ago at 275 and I didn't completely lock out that time. For today's max I wrapped my workout towel around my right wrist and made it very tight. The grip I had from having the towel wrapped around was amazing. Not only did I get the 300lbs, but I locked it out and the grip felt way stronger than before.
My question is, is this whole "towel around my wrist" making my wrist stronger just in my mind? Or did it really strengthen my grip?
I used over under grip. My left hand was undergrip and right hand was over. I beileve the reason my right grip is significantly weaker than my left is because I was born with a condition called "duplicate thumb" a picture of the condition can be seen here I must warn you though, if you're eating or don't want to see something nasty then don't click the link. The link will show you the hand condition I was born with. An operation was performed on it at a very young age so it doesn't look like that anymore, but the hand itself is significantly weaker since the thumb doesn't wrap around a bar like a normal thumb. Here is the link for the picture. http://farm1.static.flickr.com/46/115098307_2bdde0a78d.jpg
Anyways, I think I'm not going to use straps or towel wraps anymore because I really need to work up my grip. I will only wrap my right hand when I'm trying to max out.
After finishing my 5x5 I decided to max out again. I set a new max today at 300lbs for 1 rep. My previous max was done about 3 weeks ago at 275 and I didn't completely lock out that time. For today's max I wrapped my workout towel around my right wrist and made it very tight. The grip I had from having the towel wrapped around was amazing. Not only did I get the 300lbs, but I locked it out and the grip felt way stronger than before.
My question is, is this whole "towel around my wrist" making my wrist stronger just in my mind? Or did it really strengthen my grip?
I used over under grip. My left hand was undergrip and right hand was over. I beileve the reason my right grip is significantly weaker than my left is because I was born with a condition called "duplicate thumb" a picture of the condition can be seen here I must warn you though, if you're eating or don't want to see something nasty then don't click the link. The link will show you the hand condition I was born with. An operation was performed on it at a very young age so it doesn't look like that anymore, but the hand itself is significantly weaker since the thumb doesn't wrap around a bar like a normal thumb. Here is the link for the picture. http://farm1.static.flickr.com/46/115098307_2bdde0a78d.jpg
Anyways, I think I'm not going to use straps or towel wraps anymore because I really need to work up my grip. I will only wrap my right hand when I'm trying to max out.
My grip has failed already on several occasions. My last max at 275 failed since grip slipped before I can lockout.
I think my grip is bad for my right hand due to my hand condition. A picture of what i'm talking about is in the link I provided two posts above this one. My right hand grip even slips when I'm gripping a 35lbs dumbell doing curls....
When I do bent over dumbell rows, my left is signifcantly stronger than right. When I do my right side with right hand the barbell slips out of my hand. It ends up leaning up against the top of my hand while I do the rows.
artificialaspirations
New member
try chalk.
It soiunds like your grip is failing but do you also need wrist support?
Yes straps will give you AMAZING holding power. If you need them to lift max weights then do so, but DO NOT use them as a crutch and neglect the grip. Train up to the point when you fail and then add the straps.
Also, there are wrist strap/support combos out there if you need both.
It soiunds like your grip is failing but do you also need wrist support?
Yes straps will give you AMAZING holding power. If you need them to lift max weights then do so, but DO NOT use them as a crutch and neglect the grip. Train up to the point when you fail and then add the straps.
Also, there are wrist strap/support combos out there if you need both.
Yea I'm totaly just going to train my grip. My grip has been getting stronger over time. It used to be I wouldn't be able to get 225 up without it slipping. Now it's not a problem.
did yuo miss my post about grip training and forearm strength?
You guys notice the polarization on straps? Grip aid or grip crutch. Both sides make good points.
i think the bigger your fingers/hands are, the easier it is to use straps. i find im concentrating too much on the straps and not the weight.
I think they tend to impinge on the carpel nerves more on peeps like me with teeny wrists. The edge of the straps invariably dig into me and I either experience numbness, pain, or both, in my fngers when using them.
Nope I read it and will incorporate some of it into my routine. Thanks.
i couldnt get comfortable enough with them to even get to that point. the weight always felt like it was slipping. with chalk, the only thing that slips is the flesh right off my palm.
oso0960
New member
why not just sneak it in? Before your heaviest set of deads, go to the bathroom and put it on in one of the stalls.
The gym I'm currently going to does not allow chalk either, but none of the personnel care since I am clean with it.
elgenyo
New member
I've used straps before in the past, now I use metal hooks that attach to my wrists. I find I am able to concentrate more on the muscle group being worked rather than the bar slipping out of my hands. Now this is not to say you shouldn't work your hands and wrist/forearm muscles.
bblazer
Banned
WOW! They actually make those?????
I would think they are dangerous as hell. How do you dump the bar if you have to? How do you form any type of grip strength?
B-
MsBeverlyHills
New member
same here. you want to stay away from these-
Bodybuilding.com - Harbinger Cotton Lifting Straps - Heavy Duty! On sale now!
& check out these-
Schiek Power Lifting Straps
neoprene vs. cotton makes a huge difference. personally- i only use straps when im going for PRs & need the grip help.
So I did some of those farmers walk today with 40 pound dumbells. Walked to one end of the stretch area then back and immediately dropped the weights. It was killer. Forearms have never gotten a better workout.
Did this about six times total with about one or two minute rest inbetween. It totally killed my forearms, but I can see how this can strengthen my grip a lot.
Jocques Straap
New member
Sure, your lifts will make a big jump, when you first introduce straps in, but eventually, 6-8 weeks later, these gains will slow, and you will be back to gaining at the same pace, except now your forearms aren't going to be getting the stim that they were before, and now you are dependent on the straps.
In all seriousness, once you start using staps you will have to continue using them if you want to progress. When you stop using them, your just going to take a few steps back.
Is it that important to you to add a quick, easy, 30 lbs to your dead? some record or bet you are trying to win? sport specific training?
Straps aren't the devil and there is definitely a place for them in the gym bag.
But for someone who's forearms are so wimpy he can't even hold on to 300lbs? No way! Not for a few years, anyways.
In all seriousness, once you start using staps you will have to continue using them if you want to progress. When you stop using them, your just going to take a few steps back.
Is it that important to you to add a quick, easy, 30 lbs to your dead? some record or bet you are trying to win? sport specific training?
Straps aren't the devil and there is definitely a place for them in the gym bag.
But for someone who's forearms are so wimpy he can't even hold on to 300lbs? No way! Not for a few years, anyways.
captainahole
New member
This is an age old debate.
I use wraps for lots of things pull downs, curls, shrugs, pulley rows whatever.
and I use hooks for deads.
why? I can dead 510 for 1 rep without hooks but 5 times with hooks and so on for many other execises.
It's all about reps when trying to get big how you do it with or without wraps is your choice.
I use anything that can give me an edge when training that's what it's all about. f#@#k ego, results is what counts.
I use wraps for lots of things pull downs, curls, shrugs, pulley rows whatever.
and I use hooks for deads.
why? I can dead 510 for 1 rep without hooks but 5 times with hooks and so on for many other execises.
It's all about reps when trying to get big how you do it with or without wraps is your choice.
I use anything that can give me an edge when training that's what it's all about. f#@#k ego, results is what counts.
Do you juice too to give yourself an edge?
captainahole
New member
Only my gynecologyst knows for sure
do you?
artificialaspirations
New member
i use straps for rack shrugs or rack pulls ONLY. DL are all grip, rows, pulldowns, etc. I feel as long as I DL and can grip the weight I'll be ok using straps on the pulls. I don't add the straps until grip fails on the rack pulls.
I don't. At 17 i feel like i can still make some good progress while staying natural
captainahole
New member
Same here and they continue to grow in proportion to my arms. But I still us wraps etc religiously along with the fact they look like a train yard.Veins going in ever directions even off season.
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