Lifters: I need your thoughts...

JNick77

I don't switch- and I don't over hand. i'm sure I'll pop my right bicep one day- but my left wrist is crooked- underhand ANYTHING is a huge pain.

it's straight down 'angle'- so it might not be too tragic for me- I should give it a whirl tonight. I just hate the thought of starting lower (because I know I'll have to just to adjust) LOL

but yes- alternating- is good.
I couldn't double overhand- I'd die. I was terrible with double overhand.

Yeah, I've been DL'ing for 3-years straight with the same mixed grip. LOL! Why do I have a problem...? Funny enough, it's not my under-hand grip though. But the guy from EliteFTS that answered my question about it pretty much felt that it was my mixed grip and pulling too much with my right-arm.

sluggz

I am still generally an opponent of lifting straps. From what I read people switch to them too soon in their training and they become a crutch instead of a tool. I mean hell, I'm at 410lbs on my DL and I'm just now using them and I don't NEED to use them it's just a choice because I'm getting old, don't care to take any more of a break from lifting, but don't want to exaggerate what I have going on.

Edit: I've also made the mistake of not rotating my over/under hand from cycle-to-cycle which is why I'm guessing that I've developed this issue. Although I will say since I stopped curling, switched to double-overhand with straps on the heavier sets it is going away. I can see myself going back to a mixed grip in the future but being smarter about rotating my grip.

I went to them too soon. I thought grip strength was limiting how much I could pull, which it was, but using straps allowed me to "progress" faster than my form could handle.

There's a difference between pulling big weight and pulling weight correctly. Straps allowed me to learn that the hard way.

I think it was Chad Wesley Smith from Juggernaut Training System that said, "if your grip isn't strong enough to hold the weight, then your body isn't ready to lift it yet." Generally I would agree with him.

You need to rotate your grip? Wow, every day I realize more and more how little I know about lifting and how much there is to learn. Is there a book or website that talks about or explains all this to you? I'm talking about everything from the lifts, belts, gloves, etc...

If you deadlift with a mixed grip you should probably switch every so often. It's easier with some of the better programs because they have shorter cycles, 5/3/1 & Cube you can switch every 4th week or new training cycle, Westside after every Pendulum, etc. StrongLifts... not really sure, maybe every two weeks you could switch?

Juggernaut's website advocates using them for overload. Corey Hayes, Pete Rubish, Brandon Lilly and Sam Byrd have incorporated straps for the very reason that you can get a few extra reps in that you couldn't get without them. Say 8 reps at 85% instead of 5. This can be a huge benefit! I know I've set down AMRAP sets because my grip gave out before my body did.
I'm not saying always use them, but they can be a useful tool.

JoRocka

Yeah, I've been DL'ing for 3-years straight with the same mixed grip. LOL! Why do I have a problem...? Funny enough, it's not my under-hand grip though. But the guy from EliteFTS that answered my question about it pretty much felt that it was my mixed grip and pulling too much with my right-arm.

I have noticed a LOT of people pull crooked as soon as they go to a mix grip- my friend I lift with hasn't said anything and he watches fairly closely (to be fair I suspect more the T and A but that's another story).. I imagine he would have said something had I been super crooked.

JNick77

Juggernaut's website advocates using them for overload. Corey Hayes, Pete Rubish, Brandon Lilly and Sam Byrd have incorporated straps for the very reason that you can get a few extra reps in that you couldn't get without them. Say 8 reps at 85% instead of 5. This can be a huge benefit! I know I've set down AMRAP sets because my grip gave out before my body did.
I'm not saying always use them, but they can be a useful tool.

Very true. But don't forget that the typical MFP beginner starting with SL5x5 is not the audience of weight lifter addressed by JTS in most cases. They're great as a tool but too often people make them a crutch, inadvertently maybe, but nevertheless they become a crutch. A healthy man let's say 50 or younger that can't grip and hold 225lbs definitely should not be using straps.

I would say that I honestly hate seeing straps more with men that do barbell shrugs than anything. That is probably why I'm mostly not a fan of them. All too often I see a guy load up 315, 405 or more on a BB for shrugs, strap-up and then they don't even do a full shrug. They engage their calves to get some momentum and maybe lift their shoulders a quarter-inch and nowhere near a full shrug and then act all bad-*kitten*. It's like DUDE, all you did was a calf-raise at best because that's what probably got the most work. Now if you use straps and can do shrugs with 405lbs AND good form, then more power to you but I have yet to see it.

_noob_

always remember adding weight/more reps IS changing "your workout".

sluggz

Juggernaut's website advocates using them for overload. Corey Hayes, Pete Rubish, Brandon Lilly and Sam Byrd have incorporated straps for the very reason that you can get a few extra reps in that you couldn't get without them. Say 8 reps at 85% instead of 5. This can be a huge benefit! I know I've set down AMRAP sets because my grip gave out before my body did.
I'm not saying always use them, but they can be a useful tool.

Very true. But don't forget that the typical MFP beginner starting with SL5x5 is not the audience of weight lifter addressed by JTS in most cases. They're great as a tool but too often people make them a crutch, inadvertently maybe, but nevertheless they become a crutch. A healthy man let's say 50 or younger that can't grip and hold 225lbs definitely should not be using straps.

I would say that I honestly hate seeing straps more with men that do barbell shrugs than anything. That is probably why I'm most not a fan of them. All to often I see a guy load up 315, 405 or more on a BB for shrugs, strap-up and then they don't even do a full shrug. They engage their calves to get some momentum and maybe lift their shoulders a quarter-inch and nowhere near a full shrug and then act all bad-*kitten*. It's like DUDE, all you did was a calf-raise at best because that's what probably got the most work. Now if you use straps and can do shrugs with 405lbs AND good form, then more power to you but I have yet to see it.

on all points I agree 100%! lower the weight and do them right = more benefit

KANGOOJUMPS

as long as you can lift a beer to your mouth, you are good to go

Habeeebs

Maybe this info will help:

Power: 2-5 reps // 2-5 minutes between sets
Strength: 4-8 reps // 30 - 120 seconds between sets
Hypertrophy: 6-12 reps // 30-90 seconds between sets
Endurance: 12-20 reps // <30 seconds between sets

It all depends on what you hope to get out of your exercise program.

Additionally, the American Council of Exercise suggests every weight training program incorporate progressive resistance and progressive overload:

Do an exercise with a weight that you can reach the end desired rep range - when you can do this with proper from for two sets in a row, on two different workout days, increase the resistance by 5-10%

Honestly, as long as you feel like you're getting a solid workout, that's really all that matters. Just keep the intensity up and keep challenging yourself. Let me know if I can help you with anything.

-Eric
B.S. Exercise Science, Certified Personal Trainer

JNick77

Maybe this info will help:

Power: 2-5 reps // 2-5 minutes between sets
Strength: 4-8 reps // 30 - 120 seconds between sets
Hypertrophy: 6-12 reps // 30-90 seconds between sets
Endurance: 12-20 reps // <30 seconds between sets

It all depends on what you hope to get out of your exercise program.

Additionally, the American Council of Exercise suggests every weight training program incorporate progressive resistance and progressive overload:

Do an exercise with a weight that you can reach the end desired rep range - when you can do this with proper from for two sets in a row, on two different workout days, increase the resistance by 5-10%

Honestly, as long as you feel like you're getting a solid workout, that's really all that matters. Just keep the intensity up and keep challenging yourself. Let me know if I can help you with anything.

-Eric
B.S. Exercise Science, Certified Personal Trainer

Nice post. I was wondering when somebody was going to post a reference like that or Prilepin's table.

FrnkLft

Maybe this info will help:

Power: 2-5 reps // 2-5 minutes between sets
Strength: 4-8 reps // 30 - 120 seconds between sets
Hypertrophy: 6-12 reps // 30-90 seconds between sets
Endurance: 12-20 reps // <30 seconds between sets

It all depends on what you hope to get out of your exercise program.

Additionally, the American Council of Exercise suggests every weight training program incorporate progressive resistance and progressive overload:

Do an exercise with a weight that you can reach the end desired rep range - when you can do this with proper from for two sets in a row, on two different workout days, increase the resistance by 5-10%

Honestly, as long as you feel like you're getting a solid workout, that's really all that matters. Just keep the intensity up and keep challenging yourself. Let me know if I can help you with anything.

-Eric
B.S. Exercise Science, Certified Personal Trainer

This kind of table is helpful for the larger movements, but have you ever tried doing isolation accessory work in the lower ranges? Especially doing movements that require things like elbow extension, higher weights just overly stress out the elbow and shoulder joints. Hell, one time I mixed up my numbers (<-- dumbass) and shrugged my calf raise weight. My neck was screwed up for a few days trying to do 12 reps with almost twice what I normally do. Even if I had gone for just 5 reps, it was too much weight for my structure to handle, doing such a short movement.

JNick77

Maybe this info will help:

Power: 2-5 reps // 2-5 minutes between sets
Strength: 4-8 reps // 30 - 120 seconds between sets
Hypertrophy: 6-12 reps // 30-90 seconds between sets
Endurance: 12-20 reps // <30 seconds between sets

It all depends on what you hope to get out of your exercise program.

Additionally, the American Council of Exercise suggests every weight training program incorporate progressive resistance and progressive overload:

Do an exercise with a weight that you can reach the end desired rep range - when you can do this with proper from for two sets in a row, on two different workout days, increase the resistance by 5-10%

Honestly, as long as you feel like you're getting a solid workout, that's really all that matters. Just keep the intensity up and keep challenging yourself. Let me know if I can help you with anything.

-Eric
B.S. Exercise Science, Certified Personal Trainer

This kind of table is helpful for the larger movements, but have you ever tried doing isolation accessory work in the lower ranges? Especially doing movements that require things like elbow extension, higher weights just overly stress out the elbow and shoulder joints. Hell, one time I mixed up my numbers (<-- dumbass) and shrugged my calf raise weight. My neck was screwed up for a few days trying to do 12 reps with almost twice what I normally do. Even if I had gone for just 5 reps, it was too much weight for my structure to handle, doing such a short movement.

True but isolation exercises in terms of strength training or powerlifting are used to help build strength, especially strength to improve a particular movement. You're not going to use the "power" range for improving small muscle groups at the very least you'd use 4-8 reps or 6-12. "Power" ranges or "Maximal Strength" range is intended more for compound and Olympic lifts.

tracieangeletti

Yes, thank you, this chart does help!