Rules for Using Lifting Straps

It is common to see lifting straps being used in the weight room. But, these useful training tools are often used at inappropriate times or abused all together. Lifting straps are used to help increase grip on a bar. Well, lets look at this statement a little closer. "lifting straps are used to help increase grip on a bar." Well, if grip strength is a limiting factor for an exercise then it should be trained and one way to train it is to lift weights that stress grip strength. Take the Deadlift exercise. This exercise requires optimal grip strength. If you are training the Deadlift for competition you are not going to be allowed to use straps in competition so why use them during training. If you are trianing with the deadlift for sports then one of the benefits of the lift is the improvement of grip strength. With the deadlift the only time grip strength will become an issue is if one of two things happens. One, the load being lifted is unable to be lifted because the back is not strong enough to lift it. If this is the case then YOU SHOULD NOT BE LIFTING IT. Second, your grip strength is not strong enough to handle the weight. If this is the case straps are indicated. So, with the deadlift example here are the rules for useing lifting straps.

1. DO NOT use straps for any warm up sets.

2. DO NOT use straps if you are trying to improve your grip because your hands are sweaty. If this is the case DO USE chaulk. If your gym does not allow the use of chaulk then you should find a gym that does.

3. DO use straps when you are training heavy lifts that are near max effort.

Using straps comes down to common sense most of the time. Look at your goal of training, look at the weight you are lifting, and know if using straps is needed. If you have to question useing straps or not to then your desicion is made don't use straps.