Deadlifts :(

2

Replies

  • LolaDeeDaisy23
    LolaDeeDaisy23 Posts: 383 Member
    Thank you everyone for your answers! I went & got some lifting straps & THEY WORK :0
    I'm doing wide grip deadlifts & was able to do 110 for a full set of 10.
    I still want to improve my grip so I think I'll try the farmers walk. Honestly I had to google farmers walk to see if it's a real term lol I'm such a noob :( I've never seen anyone do this at my gym so hopefully I don't get too many weird looks.
  • MisterDerpington
    MisterDerpington Posts: 604 Member
    Gloves. Not even once.
  • MisterDerpington
    MisterDerpington Posts: 604 Member
    Thank you everyone for your answers! I went & got some lifting straps & THEY WORK :0
    I'm doing wide grip deadlifts & was able to do 110 for a full set of 10.
    I still want to improve my grip so I think I'll try the farmers walk. Honestly I had to google farmers walk to see if it's a real term lol I'm such a noob :( I've never seen anyone do this at my gym so hopefully I don't get too many weird looks.

    There are also those hand grippers. Captain of Crush is the best brand for them.
    Also, look up "Rice Digs". I haven't tried them personally, but I've read they can really help grip and wrist strength.
  • ktsimons
    ktsimons Posts: 294 Member
    I love deadlifts, what works for me as I go heavier is a mixed grip (hands facing opposite directions), gloves, and not having the bar up high in your hand. Like, having it lower towards your fingers.

    This. Gloves especially help with avoiding sore hands and make you look like a serious badass lifter :tongue:

    If you insist on wearing gloves in the gym, make sure they match your purse. - Mark Rippetoe

    and off to sports authority i go!!! Guess they have pale yellow patent leather...that matches my purse! YAY!
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    mixed grip, chalk...work on your grip with some farmer's carries...if you don't care about grip strength then get some straps. I'm not into gloves.
  • bcf7683
    bcf7683 Posts: 1,653 Member
    I love deadlifts, what works for me as I go heavier is a mixed grip (hands facing opposite directions), gloves, and not having the bar up high in your hand. Like, having it lower towards your fingers.

    This. Gloves especially help with avoiding sore hands and make you look like a serious badass lifter :tongue:

    If you insist on wearing gloves in the gym, make sure they match your purse. - Mark Rippetoe

    GET OUT OF MY HEAD.
  • darrensurrey
    darrensurrey Posts: 3,942 Member
    Try picking up a weight that's close to your usual training size and hold it in the highest deadlift position (ie legs straight) for as long as you can. The more you do it the worse your eyesight gets... er... I mean the better you get at it.

    Or just hang from a Smith machine bar until you can no longer hold on. Then try to hold for a few seconds more.
  • AFAIK women perform way better using sumo deadlift on average due to their much shorter average height.
    Try it out.
  • DeadliftAddict
    DeadliftAddict Posts: 746 Member
    My favorite thing to do. Don't be afraid to use straps or hooks. Puts a good amount of the weight on your wrist. Work on your grip strength. Don't listen to the hippies who say don't used straps.
  • jhc7324
    jhc7324 Posts: 200 Member
    Thank you everyone for your answers! I went & got some lifting straps & THEY WORK :0
    I'm doing wide grip deadlifts & was able to do 110 for a full set of 10.
    I still want to improve my grip so I think I'll try the farmers walk. Honestly I had to google farmers walk to see if it's a real term lol I'm such a noob :( I've never seen anyone do this at my gym so hopefully I don't get too many weird looks.
    You'll probably get some weird looks... I always did. My wife's trainer actually asked her why I was walking around with those dumbbells like that, and suggested I should just get some straps... Luckily I'm not too self conscious and am confident in wheat I'm doing at the gym or I'd probably end up doing a lot of less than effective things.

    Since I started doing that, I've only seen 2 other guys doing them and have ended up getting into conversations with them about how they've helped out with other lifts.
  • Leadfoot_Lewis
    Leadfoot_Lewis Posts: 1,623 Member
    The problem I've personally found with straps is it messes up my setup. The only thing I use them for now is working sets of RDLs. For Deadlifts, I ditched the straps and switched to mixed grip about 4 months and it has helped out tremendously. I always thought I had a weak grip but it's because I've always used straps as a crutch. I was pleasantly surprised how much I can lift with mixed grip.

    So...try mixed grip and chalk for work sets. Keep your overhand grip for warm up sets to work on your grip strength.
  • david_swinstead
    david_swinstead Posts: 271 Member
    Used a mixed grip (meaning one hand over and one under the bar) alternating between sets. Chalk is also good. I would not go the route of listing straps IMO... Dont try to handle more weight then what your bod can naturally handle. Straps would be a crutch.

    There is a time and a place for straps. Most people have a way stronger back and legs than they do hands. So if your goal is purely to train the major muscles in the deadlift, strap away and more power to you. There are benefits to training strapped on occasion even for powerlifters. Train until your grip fails, and then keep going with straps to get the most out of the training session. Just don't expect to rely on them completely.

    Exactly this.

    Gloves will chafe. Chalk is messy. Straps are the best option.

    In the long term you'll want to work on your grip. for now, straps will help you get more out of your deadlifts.
  • jimmmer
    jimmmer Posts: 3,515 Member
    I still want to improve my grip so I think I'll try the farmers walk. Honestly I had to google farmers walk to see if it's a real term lol I'm such a noob :( I've never seen anyone do this at my gym so hopefully I don't get too many weird looks.

    Farmer's walks. High rep kettlebell swings. Kroc rows.

    But not all at once!
  • Huffdogg
    Huffdogg Posts: 1,934 Member
    Chalk is messy.

    If this is really something that bothers you, there are several liquid chalk products out there that work nicely with much less mess than regular chalk. I use it because my gym gets their panties in a bunch about chalk, but it's a convenient side effect.
  • Lleldiranne
    Lleldiranne Posts: 5,516 Member
    I was having the same problem. I switched to an alternating grip (one hand over, one hand under) and it made a big difference! Have you tried that yet?
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    I love deadlifts, what works for me as I go heavier is a mixed grip (hands facing opposite directions), gloves, and not having the bar up high in your hand. Like, having it lower towards your fingers.

    [b[This. Gloves especially help with avoiding sore hands and make you look like a serious badass lifter :tongue:[/b]

    said no one ever.

    Seriously.

    skip the gloves- learn to work with it- farmers walk (helpful) use alternate grip- and or straps. it'll come as you keep lifting. seriously. I ONLY use straps for my super heavy like 80-100% 1 RPM lifts. and I'll lift till I drop it- no sense not to.
  • Mischievous_Rascal
    Mischievous_Rascal Posts: 1,791 Member
    I love deadlifts, what works for me as I go heavier is a mixed grip (hands facing opposite directions), gloves, and not having the bar up high in your hand. Like, having it lower towards your fingers.

    This. Gloves especially help with avoiding sore hands and make you look like a serious badass lifter :tongue:

    If you insist on wearing gloves in the gym, make sure they match your purse. - Mark Rippetoe

    I am sure that VB is mortified that you are insinuating that lifting wearing gloves is girly, considering she is female.

    LOL! Of course my gloves match my purse, you've gotta have style. Plus my husband doesn't want me to develop callouses on my palms - not sure why

    Well I could tell you why my hubby prefers no callouses, but I'd probably get a strike from the mods...

    OP - try an alternating grip. :)
  • Snow3y
    Snow3y Posts: 1,412 Member
    So I recently started lifting heavy & I really love it. I love being able to up my weights & seeing that itty bitty me is moving x amount of pounds.
    But as of lately, even though I'm able to lift the weight on deadlifts, it's hard for me to hold my grip. I end up trying to finish my set faster &I lose good form because of this. It sucks not being able to finish a set bc your grip is weak. What to do?

    Use straps for the time being, but ONLY for the exercises and sets that you can't lift.. Do strength exercises for your grip during this time though!
  • Huffdogg
    Huffdogg Posts: 1,934 Member
    I ONLY use straps for my super heavy like 80-100% 1 RPM lifts. and I'll lift till I drop it- no sense not to.

    I only use straps personally for things like shrugs or wide grip pull-ups as a finisher when my hands are already shot. I go double overhand until I can't anymore, then go mixed grip for the rest of my deadlift work. If I can't pull my 1RM without straps, it's not my 1RM IMO. But that mindset likely comes as a function of being PL-oriented.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    I ONLY use straps for my super heavy like 80-100% 1 RPM lifts. and I'll lift till I drop it- no sense not to.

    I only use straps personally for things like shrugs or wide grip pull-ups as a finisher when my hands are already shot. I go double overhand until I can't anymore, then go mixed grip for the rest of my deadlift work. If I can't pull my 1RM without straps, it's not my 1RM IMO. But that mindset likely comes as a function of being PL-oriented.

    I was fine up till 10 lbs off my 1RPM. I hit the next 10 lbs and was really struggling. Every time I've maxed I haven't- but when I'm doing working sets- I use them for the top.

    I stopped lifting deads for like 2 weeks- and my grip completely left me :( so I KNOW I can pull XXX weight- but I'm having a hard time- so I'll sneak them in there for the top of the workout- then take them off when I back down on weight (so that means I'm typically doing 2-3 single rep sets.. then back to regular grip.

    I'm not sure if it's helping or not. Maybe placebo affect? my deads have been REALLY off lately so i might just abandon them entirely I know I can pull a certain weight without them- but I've been struggling getting that weight off the floor at all- much less with straps. Its' depressing.
  • tedrickp
    tedrickp Posts: 1,229 Member
    You can also consider Fat Gripz to help train your grip.

    I found they helped train my grip - and I didn't have to add in any special exercises, just use the Fat Gripz on my dumbbells for exercises I already did.

    I got mine semi cheap as well - less than $30.
  • abbyrae1
    abbyrae1 Posts: 265 Member
    mixed grip has worked great for me, I also try to "set" my grip by pulling up on the bar quickly (without lifting the bar off the ground) but it helps get my hands in place for the lift and I don't have to worry about slipping or an uncomfortable grip.
  • homeyjosey
    homeyjosey Posts: 138 Member
    chalk, hook grip, mixed grip
  • Seriously, no one is going to suggest a hook grip?
  • jimmmer
    jimmmer Posts: 3,515 Member
    Seriously, no one is going to suggest a hook grip?

    Only the dude right above you!
  • Huffdogg
    Huffdogg Posts: 1,934 Member
    Seriously, no one is going to suggest a hook grip?

    Not for someone who isn't planning on getting into competition.
  • cmira5ol
    cmira5ol Posts: 1,246 Member
    I suggest using straps, check your local Sports Authority.

    Today I'm sore from yesterday's dead lifts.
  • danimalkeys
    danimalkeys Posts: 982 Member
    chalk, mixed grip. Straps if you really need them with a conventional grip.

    the best thing I found for improving your deadlift grip is static holds (as was already mentioned). Take a heavy weight in the squat cage and set the pins so the weight is right at your lockout height, pick it up and hold it as long as you can. Repeat this a few times every deadlift day.

    Personally I never did the gloves thing. They get wet with sweat and can get slippery. I'll use straps on shrugs or other high rep/heavy weight lifts that I use a conventional grip on.

    Hook grip- ouch! :) At least when you get to heavy weights....
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    chalk, mixed grip. Straps if you really need them with a conventional grip.

    the best thing I found for improving your deadlift grip is static holds (as was already mentioned). Take a heavy weight in the squat cage and set the pins so the weight is right at your lockout height, pick it up and hold it as long as you can. Repeat this a few times every deadlift day.

    Personally I never did the gloves thing. They get wet with sweat and can get slippery. I'll use straps on shrugs or other high rep/heavy weight lifts that I use a conventional grip on.

    Hook grip- ouch! :) At least when you get to heavy weights....

    yeah the idea of hook grip makes me cry.. yuck- not thanks!
  • homeyjosey
    homeyjosey Posts: 138 Member
    love the hook grip!
    2.75 times body weight 4 times but I cant maintain it if I'm doing a high rep workout. I'll usually start out hook grip and switch to mixed if my thumbs feel like they're going to fall off

    ya i guess straps if you truly need it but i find straps and belts not a true measurement of what a person can lift