Double overhand grip gave away during deadlifting

misnomer1

filbo132 wrote: »

Hook grip is my favorite although it takes awhile to master it. Mark Rippletoe is against mixed grip, he explains why in one of his YouTube videos.

Yeah i found lots of articles too on why mixed grip could be dangerous for elbow/bicep/shoulder. Didnt give much thought to it, now I do. I tried hook grip for 1 rep once, thumbs didnt like it one bit.

Jordan Feigenbaums 4000 word article on deadlift grip:
https://startingstrength.com/article/the-grip-problem

His advice in short:
"Use a double-overhand grip on all your sets for as long as possible. When this grip is no longer reliably secure, try the hook grip and really try to train it. If this is not a viable option for you or your equipment, use an alternate grip to train your deadlift. Make sure you’re using chalk. If you have no aspirations of ever competing, you can use lifting straps in place of the alternate grip."

I guess I will also buy straps.

canadianlbs

i was going to say about hook grip that if you want to try it, work up from lighter weights so you can tweak how to arrange it for your own hands, without dumping a whole bunch of weight straight onto your poor unsuspecting thumbs.

misnomer1 wrote: »

Tried 200lbs again. Hook grip - 1 rep and I knew it isn't for me lol.

but i see that you beat me to it dead hangs are good, and if you weigh a lot less than the deadlift weight that you're trying to grip then add weight to the hangs.

rybo

misnomer1 wrote: »

Tried 200lbs again. Hook grip - 1 rep and I knew it isn't for me lol.

I squeezed the bar like a mofo and this time it didn't even fall to my fingers for any of the 5 reps. So I'm good till 220 I think.

You can't decide on a hook grip after one rep...or even one set. If that was the case, no one would ever use it. It's not comfortable, especially the 1st few times. But once you get used to it, it fine and you'll never wonder how you got along without it.

misnomer1

rybo wrote: »

misnomer1 wrote: »

Tried 200lbs again. Hook grip - 1 rep and I knew it isn't for me lol.

I squeezed the bar like a mofo and this time it didn't even fall to my fingers for any of the 5 reps. So I'm good till 220 I think.

You can't decide on a hook grip after one rep...or even one set. If that was the case, no one would ever use it. It's not comfortable, especially the 1st few times. But once you get used to it, it fine and you'll never wonder how you got along without it.

yeah im trying it again next session. I didnt practice hook more because at that time mixed grip was a better option which i had not yet tried. But now that im seeing issues withe the mixed grip, I have no option but to practice hook grip, or straps.

CSARdiver

I'm coming in from years of rock climbing and keep a ball of "squeeze putty" in my office to help with positive muscle movement. I also incorporate this with isometric hangs & farmer carries to increase grip strength.

I use chalk and keep a chalk ball with me when lifting along with a towel to clean up.

I use mixed when over 400 lbs - a little strange at first, but experiment with various grip styles and see what you prefer.

Chieflrg

rybo wrote: »

misnomer1 wrote: »

Tried 200lbs again. Hook grip - 1 rep and I knew it isn't for me lol.

I squeezed the bar like a mofo and this time it didn't even fall to my fingers for any of the 5 reps. So I'm good till 220 I think.

You can't decide on a hook grip after one rep...or even one set. If that was the case, no one would ever use it. It's not comfortable, especially the 1st few times. But once you get used to it, it fine and you'll never wonder how you got along without it.

Agreed. My hands are in pain 24/7 from a progressive joint disease and I thought it wouldn't be for me. Steady progressive build up of practicing made it worth well worth it. It feels very natural now to grab and go.

billkansas

Since your grip failed- you are working on your grip. Maybe just be content with that and keep pushing your deadlifts to grip (or other) failure.

jseams1234

Are you doing deads to train your grip? If not, don't let your grip strength sabotage your workout. When your grip starts to fail just use straps. I used to have to use them for the last couple of sets on my shrugs with only 275# - by the fourth set I started slipping and alternate grip felt kinda strange for shrugs. After a couple of months I can get through all my sets (I do shrugs almost last) no problem and with heavier weight.

Don't use them if you don't absolutely need them and your grip strength should eventually catch up... unless you aren't doing a lot of other pull exercises that will build that strength.

benchismybff

What my coach has directed me to do, and what I love, is hook. I used to go over/under, but felt I was putting unneeded stress on my bicep, and was worried about a tear.

So now, I train hook. I warmup with standard double overhead to get the highest I can (I'm up to about 385x3 with no issues now), then I switch to hook. I've hook gripped over 500lbs so far, but I'm still training it up. It's a million times more secure than over/under, and when I do any more than two reps I just throw on the straps.

You can also look into some Captains of Crush grippers, those things are amazing for grip strength.

psuLemon

Since my gym doesn't allow chalk, I have gone with straps. I love them. But I also try to lift as many as I can without the straps to help with grip strength.

Silentpadna

Chalk was the ticket for me. I had started mixed grip at around 250 because the bar would slip. After getting to 275 a guy recommended chalk. Completely changed everything. Now at 315 about ready to re-try the hook grip after immediately going back to overhand when I introduced chalk. I can definitely say that chalk allowed me to keep overhand for much longer.

Keladelphia

rybo wrote: »

misnomer1 wrote: »

Tried 200lbs again. Hook grip - 1 rep and I knew it isn't for me lol.

I squeezed the bar like a mofo and this time it didn't even fall to my fingers for any of the 5 reps. So I'm good till 220 I think.

You can't decide on a hook grip after one rep...or even one set. If that was the case, no one would ever use it. It's not comfortable, especially the 1st few times. But once you get used to it, it fine and you'll never wonder how you got along without it.

I second this. Hook grip took me MONTHS of consistent use (everyday) to get used to it. I hated it so much but it's kind of critical for Oly lifting. I honestly never pick up a barbell without it now and wonder how I ever did thats how much more secure it feels once you really get used to it. I will note I still go mixed grip for max attempt singles deadlifts or high volume heavy deadlifts (>5reps over approximately 85%)

cs2thecox

I'm trying to get to grips (literally!) with hook at the moment...
How long before it stops feeling like you're going to dislocate your thumbs?!

I guess I'm heading in the right direction... warm up sets are fully hook grip now, and I try and get through 2 or 3 reps in my main sets before giving up, but the stretchy thumb feeling freaks me out.

gym4life64

Hook grip hurts too much, so I use mixed grip. To avoid imbalances I switch which hand is over/under. My best deadlift is 565lbs and I haven't had any bicep issue. The issue is caused by trying to curl the bar.

Inspirationalwaterjug

Keladelphia wrote: »

rybo wrote: »

misnomer1 wrote: »

Tried 200lbs again. Hook grip - 1 rep and I knew it isn't for me lol.

I squeezed the bar like a mofo and this time it didn't even fall to my fingers for any of the 5 reps. So I'm good till 220 I think.

You can't decide on a hook grip after one rep...or even one set. If that was the case, no one would ever use it. It's not comfortable, especially the 1st few times. But once you get used to it, it fine and you'll never wonder how you got along without it.

I second this. Hook grip took me MONTHS of consistent use (everyday) to get used to it. I hated it so much but it's kind of critical for Oly lifting. I honestly never pick up a barbell without it now and wonder how I ever did thats how much more secure it feels once you really get used to it. I will note I still go mixed grip for max attempt singles deadlifts or high volume heavy deadlifts (>5reps over approximately 85%)

Had my thumb skin ripped off when we got a new bar was pretty metal though. Shins bleeding , hands bleeding, pr's set.

Unknown

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LiftHeavyThings27105

I have been working with mixed grip. Like I said before, at about 285lbs my "normal" grip starts to fail me. I continue to work on that, though. And, switching hands - when doing the mixed grip - seems to be a good idea. It does feel really weird, though! I guess that is normal. I mean, one way feels so natural and the other way feels just wrong. Anyway, have not messed with hook grip since I tried one time. Having my thumbs chopped off at the knuckle would feel better. LOL! But, I am sure that it is a matter of getting comfortable - like everything else. Gonna stick with working on my grip strength and mixed grip. Anyway, not trying to hijack this post. And, the Man from Montreal is dead on correct! I am just not at that point (yet - I am too stubborn to accept that my grip strength is not there!)