In the event you’ve ever felt your grip power give out earlier than your again, glutes, and arms throughout a exercise, you’re not alone. It is probably the most irritating elements of power coaching for rookies and folk lifting heavy to hit a one-rep max. That’s the place lifting straps come into play. These easy however highly effective instruments imply the distinction between hitting a brand new private report or strolling away from the bar early.
Whether or not you are perfecting your Romanian deadlift or knocking out a pull day exercise, figuring out the way to use lifting straps can take your coaching to the following degree.
On this information, I’ll break down the whole lot you’ll want to learn about lifting straps—from understanding what lifting straps are and when to make use of them to the way to use weightlifting straps correctly. We’ll discover the advantages and disadvantages, evaluate lifting straps to wrist wraps, and even spotlight among the greatest lifting straps available on the market. Whether or not you’re new to weightlifting or a seasoned lifter in search of an edge, this information will arm you with all of the instruments you’ll want to maximize your efficiency and stop grip failure from holding you again.
Editor’s word: New lifters ought to keep away from utilizing lifting straps till they’ve wrapped up their first yr of coaching.
Associated: What Zone 2 Coronary heart Fee Is and Tips on how to Calculate Yours
What Are Lifting Straps?
Lifting straps are sturdy, looped material (typically product of cotton, nylon, or leather-based) designed that will help you grip the barbell throughout heavy lifts. They wrap round your wrists and the bar, rising your grip power and permitting you to give attention to the goal muscle tissues with out worrying about your fingers slipping.
Males’s Journal goals to characteristic solely the very best services. We replace when doable, however offers expire and costs can change. In the event you purchase one thing by way of one among our hyperlinks, we could earn a fee.
Sorts of Lifting Straps and Greatest Lifting Straps to Purchase Now
In the event you’re prepared so as to add lifting straps to your health club bag, right here’s a listing of 5 widespread choices that cater to totally different preferences and lifting types.
Loop Straps
The most typical sort includes a loop on one finish that the strap threads by way of to create a safe match round your wrist. The free finish wraps across the bar.
Courtesy Picture
Harbinger Padded Cotton Lifting Straps
The additional padding on Harbinger Padded Cotton Lifting Straps makes them excellent for lengthy exercises, and the cotton materials offers a powerful but snug grip.
IronMind Robust-Sufficient Lifting Straps
Courtesy Picture
These nylon IronMind Robust-Sufficient Lifting Straps are constructed to resist the heaviest of lifts and are trusted by skilled strongmen worldwide.
Gymreapers Lifting Straps
Courtesy Picture
The Gymreapers Lifting Straps are made with sturdy cotton, provide glorious grip and luxury, and have strengthened stitching for longevity. Use these in your subsequent deadlift day for added grip power.
Determine 8 Straps
These straps type a figure-eight form, offering most safety by looping across the wrist and the bar for a rock-solid grip.
Rogue Determine 8 Lifting Straps
Courtesy Picture
The Rogue Determine 8 Lifting Straps are excellent for heavy deadlifts. They provide most safety by looping totally across the bar and your wrist.
Hook Straps
These include a steel or plastic hook that takes the place of wrapping the strap across the bar, making them a fast and simple choice, although they’ll really feel much less pure.
Grip Energy Pads Lifting Straps with Neoprene Padded Wrist
Courtesy Picture
The neoprene padding on these Grip Energy Pads Lifting Straps gives additional wrist safety, and the cotton straps present a agency grip on barbells or dumbbells. No matter what lifts you are doing, these are a terrific addition to your exercise if you wish to actually push your self.
Professional Tip: Make sure you use the right lifting straps for Olympic weightlifting, significantly snatches. Deadlift straps received’t safely launch throughout overhead actions!
Associated: The Greatest Units to Improve Grip Energy
Tips on how to Use Lifting Straps
Understanding the way to use weightlifting straps correctly can considerably improve your lifting efficiency. Right here’s a step-by-step information to mastering them.
Step 1: Place the Straps
Slip your hand by way of the loop of the burden lifting strap so it sits on the base of your palm. Tighten the strap round your wrist, leaving sufficient slack for it to succeed in the barbell. Repeat on the opposite wrist.
Step 2: Wrap the Strap Across the Bar
As soon as the strap is safe in your wrist, loop the surplus material across the barbell. Wrap it tightly, guaranteeing it doesn’t slip. For heavier lifts, you could want to do that two or thrice.
Step 3: Grip and Twist
After wrapping, grip the barbell as ordinary. For added safety, twist the bar barely so the lifting straps tighten additional, making a lock-tight grip.
Professional Tip: Apply tightening and loosening your lifting straps earlier than your heaviest units.
Associated: Greatest Full-Physique Exercise to Shed Fats and Acquire Muscle
When Ought to You Use Lifting Straps?
Lifting straps are useful for pulling workouts the place grip power tends to be a limiting issue. Nonetheless, it’s vital to not depend on straps for each elevate. Use them sparingly and strategically—primarily to your heaviest units and when grip turns into a limiting issue. This ensures you’re nonetheless constructing grip power over time. Under are some examples of when you could wish to use lifting straps:
Deadlifts and Rack Pulls
As you progress in power, your grip may give out earlier than your again and leg muscle tissues fatigue. Deadlift straps remedy this by reinforcing your grip, permitting you to elevate heavier weights.
Rows
For barbell or dumbbell rows, straps assist keep a safe maintain on the bar, permitting you to focus on your higher again and lats extra successfully.
Pullups or Shrugs
Use straps to forestall grip failure throughout high-rep units of pullups or shrugs.
Excessive-Quantity Drop Units
Throughout high-volume drop units, the place you cut back the burden and proceed performing reps after reaching muscle failure, lifting straps can forestall grip power from limiting your potential to push by way of these last, intense reps. Additional grip helps maximize time below rigidity, particularly for back- and bicep-focused workouts.
Associated: Sissy Squats: The Secret Weapon for Leg Energy and Mobility
Professionals and Cons of Lifting Straps
Lifting straps is usually a game-changer within the health club, however they’ve drawbacks. Let’s break down the professionals and cons:
Professionals
Elevated Grip Energy: The first advantage of lifting straps is their potential to safe your grip, permitting you to elevate heavier weights, particularly on pulling workouts.Lowered Forearm Fatigue: Your forearms will fatigue a lot slower, enabling you to keep up give attention to the goal muscle tissues somewhat than worrying about your grip.Prevents Hand Calluses: Straps can even shield your fingers from tough barbell knurling, minimizing the formation of calluses.Helps Break Via Plateaus: In the event you’ve hit a power plateau due to grip points, weightlifting straps might help you push previous it.Enhanced Focused Coaching: Utilizing lifting straps permits you to give attention to focused muscle teams with out your grip giving out prematurely. That is particularly helpful for bodybuilders or these aiming to isolate particular muscle tissues, just like the lats or traps, throughout heavy pulling workouts.
Cons
Reliance on Straps: Overusing lifting straps will weaken grip power over time, as you’re not permitting your fingers and forearms to work as onerous.Not Allowed in Competitions: Sanctioned aggressive powerlifting and Olympic weightlifting competitions don’t enable lifting straps. Counting on them in coaching might hinder your efficiency when you plan to compete.Doesn’t Enhance Grip Energy: Whereas weightlifting straps assist you elevate heavier, they don’t contribute to bettering your pure grip power. Be certain to at all times toss in grip power workouts twice per week.Improper Use: If lifting straps aren’t used appropriately, they’ll trigger uneven rigidity on the bar, resulting in imbalanced lifts or poor type. Novices ought to take the time to study the right strategies earlier than utilizing them on heavy weights.
Pekic/Getty Pictures
Lifting Straps vs. Wrist Wraps
It’s simple to confuse lifting straps with wrist wraps, however they serve totally different functions. Lifting straps improve your grip by securing your maintain on the barbell, making them excellent for pulling workouts like deadlifts and rows.
Then again, wrist wraps stabilize and assist the wrist joint, primarily throughout urgent actions like bench presses or overhead presses. They don’t help with grip however present additional assist when lifting heavy weights to forestall wrist pressure.
In brief, use lifting straps when your grip is the limiting issue and wrist wraps if you want added wrist stability for pushing workouts.
Ultimate Verdict on Lifting Straps
Lifting straps are a game-changer, particularly for lifters trying to push past their grip limits and hit these private data. However keep in mind, they’re a software—not a crutch. Use them to your heaviest units, like deadlifts and rows, the place grip failure is an actual difficulty, however don’t neglect to maintain working in your uncooked grip power. When used strategically, lifting straps can unlock new ranges of power and assist you give attention to what actually issues—hitting your goal muscle tissues and smashing by way of plateaus.
