Weight lifting straps

[brikis98]

i need to buy myself some straps for weight lifting. i don't want to get into an argument over whether i need them or not, but just in case, the reasons are:

1. my grip is becoming the limiting factor in certain exercises, especially deadlifts
2. i work my grip separately, but while i'll be able to deadlift 500lbs some day, i don't think my grip will ever be able to hold that
3. the girlfriend hates the feel of my calluses on her skin

can any1 recommend some straps and more importantly, where to buy them?

i think i used to use straps similar to these, although I don't think they were made by the same company, so I'm not sure on quality: Versa Gripps. Anyone tried these before? Are they any good? Is there some other company that makes very similar ones?

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Well, to address the callouses, buy some gloves while you're at it if you're gonna have straps anyway.

 

[ja1484]

Only as strong as your weakest link. Work your grip more.

You think lifting straps are going to help you lift items in the real world?

 

[brikis98]

Originally posted by: ja1484

Only as strong as your weakest link. Work your grip more.

You think lifting straps are going to help you lift items in the real world?

exactly the kind of reply i was hoping to avoid.

look, when i am working out my back with deadlifts, my goal is to build up my lower back (and surrounding muscles), NOT my grip. when i'm doing shrugs, i want to be able to do them real slow and not be thinking about the crushing pain in my finger joints. that's because i'm working my traps and NOT my grip. and when i get home to my girlfriend and give her a back rub, i want to be able to focus on the massage and NOT the fact that my calluses are slicing up her back.

finally, i work my grip plenty, but back muscles grow a hell of a lot faster than forearms, so i don't want it to hold me back.

 

[brikis98]

updated the first post with a set of straps i used to use... any opinions are appreciated, comments telling me to not use straps are not...

 

[ja1484]

Originally posted by: brikis98

Originally posted by: ja1484

Only as strong as your weakest link. Work your grip more.

You think lifting straps are going to help you lift items in the real world?

exactly the kind of reply i was hoping to avoid.

look, when i am working out my back with deadlifts, my goal is to build up my lower back (and surrounding muscles), NOT my grip. when i'm doing shrugs, i want to be able to do them real slow and not be thinking about the crushing pain in my finger joints. that's because i'm working my traps and NOT my grip. and when i get home to my girlfriend and give her a back rub, i want to be able to focus on the massage and NOT the fact that my calluses are slicing up her back.

finally, i work my grip plenty, but back muscles grow a hell of a lot faster than forearms, so i don't want it to hold me back.

So you want to work out, you just don't want to be inconvenienced?

If you want to rid yourself of callouses, fingerless gloves are the easy option.

I've never understood the point of working out for non-functional purposes. Just seems like vanity/ego engineering to me. Easier to get surgery if you just want to look different.

 

[brikis98]

Originally posted by: ja1484

Originally posted by: brikis98

Originally posted by: ja1484

Only as strong as your weakest link. Work your grip more.

You think lifting straps are going to help you lift items in the real world?

exactly the kind of reply i was hoping to avoid.

look, when i am working out my back with deadlifts, my goal is to build up my lower back (and surrounding muscles), NOT my grip. when i'm doing shrugs, i want to be able to do them real slow and not be thinking about the crushing pain in my finger joints. that's because i'm working my traps and NOT my grip. and when i get home to my girlfriend and give her a back rub, i want to be able to focus on the massage and NOT the fact that my calluses are slicing up her back.

finally, i work my grip plenty, but back muscles grow a hell of a lot faster than forearms, so i don't want it to hold me back.

So you want to work out, you just don't want to be inconvenienced?

If you want to rid yourself of callouses, fingerless gloves are the easy option.

I've never understood the point of working out for non-functional purposes. Just seems like vanity/ego engineering to me. Easier to get surgery if you just want to look different.

you seem to be a little slow on the pick up, so let me break it down real easy for you:

1. i do a workout split, where i exercise different parts of my body on different days: back on one day, chest on another, grip on another, legs on another and so on
2. on the days I do back, I want the limiting factor to always be my back
3. however, the weight is getting heavy enough that the limiting factor is becoming my grip
4. despite dedicating time to strengthening my grip, my back grows stronger at a much faster rate than my grip, so the only way to catch up is to severely limit my back workouts, which is dumb
5. this is why MANY serious weight lifters use straps
6. as an added bonus, i don't have to worry about calluses
7. you are not macho or more manly because you have torn up hands or popeye forearms
8. weight lifting is hardly the way to "practical" strength: i suppose if some day, i'm lying on my back and a 315lbs tree, with its weight evenly distributed, falls on me, i'll be sufficiently prepared to get it off. for all other life scenarios, you're much better off doing cardio, sports, martial arts, etc.
9. weight lifting has tons of benefits besides the "practical" application of your l33t dead lift skills, including better health, weight management, better sleeping, more self confidence, injury prevention, and yes, better looks.
10. if you don't have a recommendation for straps to get, please stop posting

 

[KoolDrew]

Buy chalk.

With that said, there is a time and a place to use straps and it's not always a bad thing. Just make sure you don't rely on them too much. For example, only using it on ME deadlifts. Whatever you do, don't buy gloves though.

 

[ja1484]

Originally posted by: brikis98
you seem to be a little slow on the pick up, so let me break it down real easy for you:

1. i do a workout split, where i exercise different parts of my body on different days: back on one day, chest on another, grip on another, legs on another and so on
2. on the days I do back, I want the limiting factor to always be my back
3. however, the weight is getting heavy enough that the limiting factor is becoming my grip

Sir, I believe it is you who's having the pickup issues.

The entire point I have been getting at is:

What is the point of being able to lift a heavier weight under specialized conditions if it confers no functional benefits to you in the field? In other words, if you can only lift said resistance in a gym environment with straps, what improvement have you made, other than to be able to spank about your weight totals to like minded in-gym-wonders?

4. despite dedicating time to strengthening my grip, my back grows stronger at a much faster rate than my grip, so the only way to catch up is to severely limit my back workouts, which is dumb

Not really. What's dumb is advancing only parts of your body through exercise such that you have a functional imbalance, which is what you're describing here. That's how people get injured. Since putting orthopaedically injured people back together is what I do, you can run with me on this one pretty reliably.

5. this is why MANY serious weight lifters use straps

Well, yes, and like you, they seem to be more intent on moving the bar for ego rather than to improve their abilities or health. Remember: If you have to use straps to lift you, you aren't lifting it unassisted...to put it more basically, you aren't lifting the weight.

6. as an added bonus, i don't have to worry about calluses

Can't really argue with that one.

7. you are not macho or more manly because you have torn up hands or popeye forearms.

The last thing I'm worried about here is manliness my friend. You're the one pushing for higher weights regardless of your body's actual ability, not me.

8. weight lifting is hardly the way to "practical" strength: i suppose if some day, i'm lying on my back and a 315lbs tree, with its weight evenly distributed, falls on me, i'll be sufficiently prepared to get it off. for all other life scenarios, you're much better off doing cardio, sports, martial arts, etc.

While it's true that functional training is superior to all others for a given activity, it's hardly accurate to say that weightlifting doesn't result in practical strength when done properly. Proper resistance over the course of the proper volume and with multijoint, load bearing exercises shows wonderful results in improving people's functional abilities overall.

What you're trying to say is that a split system of training, more favored by bodybuilders and power lifters, is not the best method to build practical strength, and on that I agree with you.

9. weight lifting has tons of benefits besides the "practical" application... , including better health, weight management, better sleeping, more self confidence, injury prevention, and yes, better looks.

It's a component to all these, debatably. "Better sleeping" and "Self Confidence" are still highly debated in the literature, and injury prevention only really applies when muscle groups are kept in proportion to one another. Imbalances, especially of antagonistic muscle groups, are a huge source of arthritic, inflammatory, and other forms of orthopaedic pain.

If you can't lift a given weight without the help of another device, nature is trying to tell you you've got a weak link in the chain.

10. if you don't have a recommendation for straps to get, please stop posting

Buy chalk, as KoolDrew said. Or don't. But deadlift without straps is a wonderful addition to your grip training regimen, and you really should consider it.

Remember: Training with straps, braces, or other assistive equipment is pretty much just accepting a weakness rather than working to improve it.

Your call.

 

[Kev]

Originally posted by: brikis98

Originally posted by: ja1484

Only as strong as your weakest link. Work your grip more.

You think lifting straps are going to help you lift items in the real world?

exactly the kind of reply i was hoping to avoid.

look, when i am working out my back with deadlifts, my goal is to build up my lower back (and surrounding muscles), NOT my grip. when i'm doing shrugs, i want to be able to do them real slow and not be thinking about the crushing pain in my finger joints. that's because i'm working my traps and NOT my grip. and when i get home to my girlfriend and give her a back rub, i want to be able to focus on the massage and NOT the fact that my calluses are slicing up her back.

finally, i work my grip plenty, but back muscles grow a hell of a lot faster than forearms, so i don't want it to hold me back.

But what if you need to lift a refrigerator by yourself??? Don't use straps!11!!!11

 

[jiggahertz]

Sorry you had to get in a flame war looking for strap recommendations, OP - at least you saw it coming. ja's ramblings are in line with a GPP (general physical preparedness) style of training. GPP may include plate throws, tire flipping, sledge work, etc. If your goal is functional strength, go for it. From your OP and subsequent posts it doesn't sound like the case. For hypertrophy, you want to overload your muscles to promote growth. If you're back isn't failing due to your grip, get some straps and work your grip (which it sounds like you're doing).

I'm not a huge strap guy, but have used them in the past. Do your farmer's carries or whatever you're doing to strengthen your grip and pick up a pair to try them out. With that being said, the ones I used were the longer canvas style ones with a loop on the end. There was enough material on the end to wrap around the bar ~3 times. I would think those would give you a better hold on the bar, but slightly harder to wrap. Just speculating since I've never tried the style you have in your OP.

 

[alexeikgb]

When I use straps I use the normal straps since they are cheap and do a good job. Sample: http://i.b5z.net/i/u/230085/i/...lifting_Exercise_p.jpg
I'm not a fan of the cuff-type since they don't seem as reliable or comfortable.

For deads, def get some chalk, works much better. I use straps for some back exercises and always try to do some with and without the straps to keep the grip strength up.

 

[purbeast0]

you can get one of those pummice stones to rub on your callices to wear them down. they work great.

 

[brikis98]

Originally posted by: ja1484
The entire point I have been getting at is:

What is the point of being able to lift a heavier weight under specialized conditions if it confers no functional benefits to you in the field? In other words, if you can only lift said resistance in a gym environment with straps, what improvement have you made, other than to be able to spank about your weight totals to like minded in-gym-wonders?

why, if you claim to be so knowledgeable about lifting, can you not accept that there are other motivations for lifting besides "practical" uses of strength? let me list them again:

1. improved health
2. weight loss
3. better sleep (dunno about research, but i sleep like a baby on days i lift)
4. better looks
5. self confidence
6. stress relief
7. injury prevention (yes, obviously this only applies if you have proper form)

and even if we *are* discussing "practicality", you do realize that there are many "functional" benefits from a stronger back, even if the grip lags behind? two simple examples:

1. many of the motions (blocking, for example) in football involve back strength, but have little to no bearing on grip strength.
2. same argument applies boxing, where most of your power comes from your core, and a strong back is essential, while a strong grip is irrelevant

i'm sure you can come up with MANY more where a stronger back is very useful and grip strength is not necessary. Having said that, i AM NOT saying that grip strength isn't important or useful. Moreover, I've mentioned several times that I AM improving my grip strength. but it will be a LONG time before it catches up to my back (if ever) and i don't want to halt my back workouts because of that.

Originally posted by: ja1484
Well, yes, and like you, they seem to be more intent on moving the bar for ego rather than to improve their abilities or health.

yes, you're absolutely right. i'm so glad you could share your divine analysis of me based on your deep understanding of my psyche. :roll:

of all the rubbish you've posted in this thread, this is the most unnecessary, unfounded and discrediting to any "expertise" you may claim.

Originally posted by: ja1484
Remember: If you have to use straps to lift you, you aren't lifting it unassisted...to put it more basically, you aren't lifting the weight.

you're right! the straps are also fitted with magical anti-gravity devices that lift that weight for me! and when i wear boxing gloves to protect my knuckles, i'm not really actually the one hitting the bag, the gloves are!

Originally posted by: ja1484
While it's true that functional training is superior to all others for a given activity, it's hardly accurate to say that weightlifting doesn't result in practical strength when done properly. Proper resistance over the course of the proper volume and with multijoint, load bearing exercises shows wonderful results in improving people's functional abilities overall.

What you're trying to say is that a split system of training, more favored by bodybuilders and power lifters, is not the best method to build practical strength, and on that I agree with you.

well, obviously being stronger, healthier, etc is going to have practical benefits. but as i said before:

1. practical ability is not the only motivation for weight lifting
2. if practical ability is your motivation, there are far better ways of achieving it
3. you can gain practical abilities from weight lifting even if your grip is weaker than your deadlift

Originally posted by: ja1484
It's a component to all these, debatably. "Better sleeping" and "Self Confidence" are still highly debated in the literature, and injury prevention only really applies when muscle groups are kept in proportion to one another. Imbalances, especially of antagonistic muscle groups, are a huge source of arthritic, inflammatory, and other forms of orthopaedic pain.

i hope you're not dumb enough to be arguing that the *only* benefit of weight lifting is "practical" strength. it's like saying the *only* benefit of jogging is that it allows you to run away from the cops better.

as for injury prevention, there are two sides to it:

1. preventing injury WHILE lifting. this involves proper form/technique and straps, IMO, have no bearing on my deadlift.
2. preventing injury BECAUSE you lift. this means that your back doesn't get injured when you lift that refrigerator because your muscles are well trained.

Originally posted by: ja1484
If you can't lift a given weight without the help of another device, nature is trying to tell you you've got a weak link in the chain.

you know, i can't run very far without shoes either, because my feet get torn up and my knees start to hurt. i suppose you could say nature is telling me i shouldn't run until my feet callous over and my knees explode... but of course, i could also get a good pair of running shoes that absorb all the impact...

Originally posted by: ja1484
Buy chalk, as KoolDrew said. Or don't. But deadlift without straps is a wonderful addition to your grip training regimen, and you really should consider it.

Remember: Training with straps, braces, or other assistive equipment is pretty much just accepting a weakness rather than working to improve it.

Your call.

again, you are refusing to read. let me try again, really slowly, just for you:

1. i currently deadlift without straps, so don't talk about it being a "wonderful addition"
2. i have reached a weight where this is becoming too much for my grip
3. despite training my grip, i think this trend will only become more extreme - that is, my back will continue to outpace my grip
4. i AM working on this weakness but i don't want it to limit development in other areas