For those who deadlift

[ergie]

Straps or no straps?

[Mr.Freeze]

With straps when i go really heavy.

[ergie]

I'm trying not to use them, its a good for your grip strength. On my last set where I go heavy I do use them though

[InsulinShock]

Straps on my worksets. IMHO, if you don't need them on your worksets then you must have some serious grip strength or not training heavy enough.

[TeamT3]

Never use them. But I was trained by powerlifters and they are a sin in that field...lol...Talk about grip strength. Shaking hands with my trainer the day we met almost sent me to the emergency room...lol...

Okay you got me, on heavy shrugs I use them. But not for pulls.
Even most PLers use them on heavy shrugs or rack pulls. But that would be it.

[Tayousei]

I agree with what has been said. When you're starting out, don't use straps. It will help your grip strength. However, you will eventually come to a point where your grip doesn't keep up to your back strength and this will hardly help you in deadlifting gains. At this point, you sorta have to give in and use straps. Also, try working on oil rigs in alberta, that'll help your grip. Strapless I can only pick up like 200 for a few reps before my fingers give out. With straps I can do 300 for full sets and my back actually gets a workout.

[pseclint]

chalk for me...

[Shortdave]

with chalk I can hold around 600, and I don't have that great of grip strength, IMO straps should only be used when you are really trying to hit the a muscle group HARD without having to worry about anything else.

[TheBigStink]

i use straps when heavy.....and a double over hand grip. alt grip torques me right out of balance.

[ergie]

I've been deathlifting without straps for awhile now and my forearms have blown up, or maybe thats all the whacking....... thought I'd throw that in before somebody else

[Realist]

I use straps only once my grip strength starts to give. I find the straps help hit the back harder.

[Flex_m]

Only use straps at 400+

Anything less usually just chalk. Sometimes if I'm feeling like a pussy I'll use straps at 3 plates if I'm doing really high reps

[slick rick]

I haven't been able to do deads for close to a year. I fuked my back up doing them actually, L4-5 disk bulge and an L5-S1 protrusion . I think my form was off and i hadn't warmed up properly. It's feeling not too bad now finally but I'm reluctant to do them again. I do rack deads but they don't hit all the same muscles.

[savage]

No straps....I go overhand until I get too heavy, and then I go staggered (alternate) grip. You need to develop your grip strength and it works awesome. I only use wraps for pulldowns, and seatd rows...so I can really go heavy.

[O-Train]

I used a over/under grip for a while and didn't need to use Straps. Now Ive switched to a double overhand grip so when I go heavy I need to use straps.

[mandarb11]

Well once I get over 400lbs I use straps, I rep with 545 right now I can't imagine holding that for 6 reps. I know alot of people with tendon problems from doing lots of grip exercises, especially farmer walks. I don't use them for anything else though.

[Juicy_brucy]

Something Ronnie coleman said that stuck in my head...
"I always use straps. Do you think my tiny forearm muscles can handle the same weight as my huge lats?" I thought about it. My tiny wrists can't handle the weight that my lats can... Ever since then, I lift more, and always use straps for more than 3 plates a side, but that is just me...

[ergie]

True, also when your doing deadlifts for the most part your training your back not your forearms.

[Smoke Eater]

Anybody ever use the hook-grip? Using that grip and a little chalk I've never had to use straps even doing heavy singles. I always use a double overhand grip too.

[SorelC]

chalk seems to work better then staps for me, but ill use either OR

[ergie]

Anybody ever use the hook-grip? Using that grip and a little chalk I've never had to use straps even doing heavy singles. I always use a double overhand grip too.

You've got some killer grip strength then, I can only uses a double overhand without straps to about 250 then I have to use straps.

[Smoke Eater]

Using a regular grip I fail relatively light too with the double overhand. It is the hook-grip that is what allows me to hold on to heavier loads. Is that what you are using?

[ergie]

I use double overhand until about 250 then I go to 1 overhand and 1 underhand.

[SorelC]

both overhands, i find it build me forearms as well as strecth my bicep out a bit,, but i wouldt be able to do it without the chalk or straps

[ergie]

The only way it works my forearms is if I dont use straps, with the straps they dont really get pumped at all.

[bigdaddydrew123]

i use straps im training back not forearms,theres no way your grip can keep up with back strength plus it helps me pull more with my back, just to add over under grip places tremendous stress on your bicep. i train all my back exercises with straps i find they help keep my arms out of the pull &i can concentrate on pulling more with my back

[Houstonbc]

chalk it up for popeye forearms! until the weight gets too heavy and you cant hold on for your last few reps

[liquidfire]

Haha listen to all you bodybuilders!!!

Get some chalk and ditch those wrist straps! Grip should NOT be a limiting factor. How are you gonna build massive forearms if you're not holding massive weights with them?

[D-S]

I like straps, they keep the skin from ripping on my hands when I go heavy

[Hobo4hire]

no straps for sure

[rbehniwal]

Use a over/under grip. I don't think I've reached a weight yet at which I would need straps.

[tephlon]

,.

[ManInTheBox]

Straps (or chalk if i can sneak it from a buddy - gym doesn't allow it). Screw grip strength, I do deads for the back and full body workout, not so I can prove the strength of my grip to people who really couldn't care less.

[styler]

i'm a welder, and now because of that i have Carple Tunnel Syndrome, if i dont use straps for anything i pull, my hands will weaken too fast and i will drop the weight. so i absolutely need straps. and i feel i can still lift pretty heavy with them.

[crush100]

Chalk and over under grip for me :) ...