USE YOUR STRAPS and WORK FOREARMS. END of STORY!

[punch]

I laugh every time I hear people say not to use straps. WHY? If your doing forearms as you should be you are getting plenty of grip and forearm work.

My workout partner and I had this argument last year. He never used straps and did little forearm work, so I challenged him. We did bent over barbell rows. Me w/straps and him w/ out at 225 he only got 6 reps, I got 15, His back did not give out, his grip did.

Also my forearms are twice as big as his. The moral of the story is: Use your straps and concentrate on the movement at hand, not your grip. Do your forearms twice to three times a week( it should only take 15 min). Keep it real boys!!

 

[Exodus]

this is a debate that could get ugly fast on this board, so let me try to mediate.

you have a good point i agree. from your statement i take it that your a bodybuilder, or at least not a powerlifter.

but a lot of the people on this board are into powerlifting, which means you cant use straps in contest, so there is no advantage to training with a heavier weight that they cant do in competition.

me, im a bodybuilder....... so i use straps. but, i train WSB club style in the offseason, then i dont use straps. i just like knowing when i can get a weight, completely unassisted. but for me during bodybuilding season...... oh yeah i strap it up.

so whats the moral??????..........to each their own

X

 

[punch]

You have a good point, so let me rephrase the statement to all NON powerlifters.

 

[Exodus]

good..........

ok then, if your not a powerlifter and you dont use straps when your targeted bodypart would benefit from it....... well that just crazy.

now even if you do use straps, doesnt mean you shouldnt train forearms and grip work. just a word of advice. im not saying be lazy use straps. train the problem, just dont let the problem become a problem for your other bodyparts as well.

X

 

[needsize]

I completely disagree. If you never use straps, you should never need them. I've never used them, and my grip is phenominal. I easily deadlift arounf 550lbs for sets of 5, and have pulled over 600 for a single, all with absolutely no signs of grip failure. I even lock out with the weight for 20-30 seconds at the end of the set, and still have no problem with grip.
The best part is that I NEVER train forearms outside of the work they get from heavy deads, and they are probably my strongest bodypart.
Straps are a crutch, same as belts, wraps etc, and personally I dont see the point of relying on a crutch that will cause a weakness to get worse

 

[Exodus]

The best part is that I NEVER train forearms outside of the work they get from heavy deads, and they are probably my strongest bodypart.
Straps are a crutch, same as belts, wraps etc, and personally I dont see the point of relying on a crutch that will cause a weakness to get worse

needsize...... good to talk to you, i havent heard from you in a while.

ok........i agree with everything you said. i dont use knee wraps or a belt.......... but........ i have a lagging back and traps and erectors........ i can handle good weight with these bodyparts, i just have a bad grip. i do a ton of grip work too, but i have really short fingers compared to my palms, plus on top of that im still recovering from 2 broken bones on my left hand ring finger. i dont agree with relying on a crutch to make the weakness worse. thats why i dont wear a belt, i train my core...... but i just cant not give a workout my all, in terms of the targeted muscle to be worked...... so i cant afford to half heartedly go through a workout, just because i cant hold on to the weight..... i know that wont make too much sense to you, ( i have seen your forarms and i have seen you dead 600 strapless) you have no problem with forearm size or grip....... im just saying think about it from my point of view. my situation, not just a maxim of, if you have a weak grip wear straps, but my want to not wear them, but just wear them untill i dont have too?

seriously, what do you think.

X

 

[punch]

I use straps frequently and my forearm developement is phenomenal. From a psychological point of view when I do shrugs w/ 450lb I want to think of that movement ONLY, no distractions. Forearms are a bodypart just as shoulders, Bis and back and should be trained as such!!

 

[needsize]

exodus, I hear what you're saying, and I agree to a point. I would never let another muscle suffer because my grip kept failing first, I would use straps if I needed to. But I would think the goal would be to eventually not need them anymore, but it sounds like thats kinda the track that you are on anyway. This was targetted more to the original post, that just blanket stated that you should use them all the time, and count on direct forearm work for growth. That I disagree with, as I would love to see what type of wrist curls that could equal the growth I get from the heavy deads.

 

[Exodus]

ok then we agree.

yeah i see your point about the original post. yes i want to not use them, i have gotten away from the knee wraps and the belt and the straps are next. your right about my point, straps are bad in this senario:

"dude, my grip sucks what kinda exerices do i need to do?"
"Dude, dont train grip when you can just use straps."

thats baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaad.

using them is fine if you have to, but train hard in the mean time so you will not have to use them long.

and that goes for everyone too!!!!!

X

 

[gymtime]

I think this comes down to a matter of styles, which are often dictated by goals. A powerlifters results come primarily from the plates, whereas a bodybuilders results come primarily from the mirror. And basically, as a bodybuilder, I can't see my grip in the mirror. As stupid and narcissistic as that sounds, the fact remains.

I do the best I can to avoid the straps as much as possible. However, a strong grip is simply not a priority for me in the gym. The second I feel that the grip is hindering a deadlift or shrug, on go the straps.