Your grip will always be weak lifting straps are your only friend
I have a question what do you think will give out first your grip or your hamstrings and glutes during a deadlift?
Obviously, your grip!
Every time I see a deadlift video where they use straps, there are always comments saying their grip sucks and they’re using straps as a clutch. These people are stupid and are not educated enough to talk about this topic! To put it simply, bigger muscles are stronger than smaller ones. So your legs and back will outwork your grip. By not using straps, you are limiting yourself and shooting your own progress in the foot.
Take it from me, I have been deadlifting since I was a sophomore in high school, almost 15 years. At the beginning, I was sold on the fact that I should be training my grip and not using straps. I was limiting myself being an idiot. I think I would’ve been way stronger than I am today. So then I grew up and realized my grip will always be weaker than everything else.
Using straps is a must!
Especially if I am trying to grow my muscles. I truly don’t care about my grip strength unless I am preparing to play a sport. Your grip will naturally get Stronger over time just by picking up heavy stuff.
If you are trying to grow your glutes, you’ll be doing a lot of exercises that involve your grip. So having a pair is worth the investment. Not only will your grip fail as the weight gets heavier but if you are doing a lot of reps, you’ll lose your grip. Other exercises will also interfere with your grip strength such as pull-ups. Adding straps prevents the interference effect caused by other exercises.
I use straps for several exercises. The number #1 exercise I use them on other than deadlifting, is walking lunges. Which I usually do them at the end of my workout, when my grip is already fried. So by using straps they help take the pain away from gripping the bar. This allows me to focus on the mind-muscle connection. I can actually feel my glutes working when I think about using my hips to move the bar rather than thinking about it slipping out of my hands.
Of course I use them when I go too heavy. Most of the time I can go without them. Remember, I am there to train my muscles properly, not grip strength or my deadlift strength. When I am performing exercises where I am trying to work on my hypertrophy, and I know that my form is good enough to produce the training stimulus I want to achieve, I focus on moving the weight with my target muscles. Using that area to move the weight.
When I am power/strength training, I focus more on getting the weight up and using whatever muscles help me efficiently get the weight up. Straps help with any style of training they give you one less thing to think about and make your training better. There are different types of straps to choose from so you’ll have no problem figuring out which ones best suit you.
Types of straps
There are four types of straps: lasso, figure 8, single loop, versa.
Lasso straps
These are the ones that I have the most experience with. They work for me the best. I have had the same pair for more than 10 years. I need to buy some new ones. But you know what they say “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”. I have recently pulled 405lbs/184kg deadlift for 2 reps with these straps, so they are long-lasting. These things are amazing. I couldn’t have done it without them. Best purchase money could buy.
Figure 8 Straps
These are the heavy-duty big boy/girl straps. I use these when my grip is completely gone but I can still lift. They’re thicc, tough, and can hold a lot of weight. If your grip gives out completely then these are your last line of defense
Single Loop Straps
I don’t have much experience with these they are more geared towards the Olympic lifts, which I am terrible at. They are designed for you to be able to release and catch the barbell.
Versa Grips
These are the most popular straps at the moment. Most straps require you to wrap them around the bar, but these don’t. You put them on your wrist and go. The major benefit of these straps is that you can do any exercise with them on and your grip will never be the limiting factor. Like imagine trying to put the lasso straps on a pull-up bar impossible challenge. They are kind of expensive compared to the other but I believe you get what you pay for.
Different Materials straps are made of
Straps usually come in cotton, nylon, or leather. I would see if I could try them out for free. If you go to a gym, they usually have a pair you can borrow. These are personal preferences; I use cotton ones because they are softer on the hands.
Frequently Asked Questions About Lifting Straps
What are the best times to use lifting straps
Whenever you feel your grip is failing, like you literally can’t hold the weight anymore. Especially use them if you are not able to focus on moving the weight with your target muscle.
Will lifting straps give me calluses
Straps will distribute the friction generated between your hands and the bar. Prevent the hardening of the skin in certain areas of your hand, but it’s not 100%. Calluses are a natural part of resistance it indicate the strength of your skin where pressure is most placed when lifting. Like mentioned in this article you want your skin to develop calluses in the area where there’s great force applied. You want them to be neither too soft nor too hard, somewhere in the middle to help protect your hands.
What are the best straps for women?
There is no difference between women’s and men’s choice of straps, although you can get different sizes. I would recommend using a strap made from cotton they are less harsh on the hands. Those are the ones I always use. Mine have lasted for the past 10 years. Most of the time new straps you buy need to be broken in, so give them time and train with them regularly
Buy Some lifting Straps!
Regardless of what type of strap you decide to buy. They are worth the investment. Probably the number one item you can buy in my opinion. These will help you with any hinge movement and help overload your glutes more efficiently. I would just get a cheap pair to try it out for a while and see how you like it. Give them a minute to break in because a lot of them come in very stiff, depending on the material. So don’t let your grip ruin your glute training.