Strength Training PR's - Brag About Your Success

nz_deevaa

Oh and I am assuming that you've both tried reversing one hand on your deads?

I do this.

The last few weeks my grip has increased I think.

I only really do farmers walks and I have a lacrosse ball which I use for massage, I have it down the side of my arm chair, and when I'm watching TV, I squeeze it with my weaker hand.

chrisdavey

Well, I've been on a bit of a hiatus to do some health issues, but I was doing Stronglifts 5x5 which I had just started doing with only the bar. I was up to 60/65 pounds on all of the lifts. 65 was easy on the deadlifts, but I figured I would just follow the program and go up in the 5 pound increments. One day my husband left the bar sitting on the floor w/ 45 pound plates on it. I jokingly said, "Let's see if I can deadlift this!" I actually did 3 reps at 135 pounds, thinking I was only capable of maybe going up to 70 that week!

The thing is the linear progression model is designed so that you can progress for as long as possible and as a beginner you don't actually need to be up above 80% of 1rm to make strength gains. (and it appears that hypertrophy gains can be had with a lot less than that)

So if you stick to the small increases then you can make gains in strength and hopefully it will then take longer to actually plateau. As well as that obviously more practice at lighter weights to practice the form is a good idea.

Lynxie83

Oh and I am assuming that you've both tried reversing one hand on your deads?

I currently don't do deads or any of those lifting lifts... PT and I are mostly focusing on all round strength at the moment, so doing more body weight stuff with leg press, bench, curls, lat pull down etc.

I think I'll look at the other things down the track, but at the moment I'm happy with what I'm doing, but I do need to fix the grip issues.

I'll use everyone's suggestions too thanks guys!! :bigsmile:

chrisdavey

a deadlift is like all of those exercise in one :happy:

Nataliaho

Oh and I am assuming that you've both tried reversing one hand on your deads?

I currently don't do deads or any of those lifting lifts... PT and I are mostly focusing on all round strength at the moment, so doing more body weight stuff with leg press, bench, curls, lat pull down etc.

I think I'll look at the other things down the track, but at the moment I'm happy with what I'm doing, but I do need to fix the grip issues.

I'll use everyone's suggestions too thanks guys!! :bigsmile:

What do you mean by "all those lifting lifts"? I'm kinda confused, what are you have grip issues on if you're not lifting?

Lynxie83

I don't do dead lifts, goblet lifts or squats (mainly no squatting coz of my knee), I have grip issues with my pull ups/dips mostly, but I am finding it's becoming an issue as I get heavier weights with my bench press and even sometimes with my lat pull down.

I was looking into gloves/grips to help, but I figure if I fix the problem straight up I don't need to buy anything to 'assist'

if that makes sense?!

MoreBean13

I don't do dead lifts, goblet lifts or squats (mainly no squatting coz of my knee), I have grip issues with my pull ups/dips mostly, but I am finding it's becoming an issue as I get heavier weights with my bench press and even sometimes with my lat pull down.

I was looking into gloves/grips to help, but I figure if I fix the problem straight up I don't need to buy anything to 'assist'

if that makes sense?!

Gloves are bad. They interfere with your grip rather than helping it. The grip exercises will help with everything except bench and dips- I'm surprised you're having issues with that. Usually it's pulling lifts that are grip trouble.

Lynxie83

I don't do dead lifts, goblet lifts or squats (mainly no squatting coz of my knee), I have grip issues with my pull ups/dips mostly, but I am finding it's becoming an issue as I get heavier weights with my bench press and even sometimes with my lat pull down.

I was looking into gloves/grips to help, but I figure if I fix the problem straight up I don't need to buy anything to 'assist'

if that makes sense?!

Gloves are bad. They interfere with your grip rather than helping it. The grip exercises will help with everything except bench and dips- I'm surprised you're having issues with that. Usually it's pulling lifts that are grip trouble.

I have a feeling that the problem with my dips is all over arm weakness (especially wrists) so hopefully all the grip exercises will help with that too.

Nataliaho

I don't do dead lifts, goblet lifts or squats (mainly no squatting coz of my knee), I have grip issues with my pull ups/dips mostly, but I am finding it's becoming an issue as I get heavier weights with my bench press and even sometimes with my lat pull down.

I was looking into gloves/grips to help, but I figure if I fix the problem straight up I don't need to buy anything to 'assist'

if that makes sense?!

So with the bench, in what way do you think your grip is failing? Is it like the bar might roll back towards your head? If so you need to make sure that your wrist is straight. You want your arm and the top of your hand to be a continuous straight line so that the weight of the bar is not being concentrated onto your wrists.

As for the lat pulldows, I don't do them but I imagine that chin/pull-ups would be helpful.

I think there is a place for gloves, but not as a tool to help with grip.

Nataliaho

I don't do dead lifts, goblet lifts or squats (mainly no squatting coz of my knee), I have grip issues with my pull ups/dips mostly, but I am finding it's becoming an issue as I get heavier weights with my bench press and even sometimes with my lat pull down.

I was looking into gloves/grips to help, but I figure if I fix the problem straight up I don't need to buy anything to 'assist'

if that makes sense?!

Gloves are bad. They interfere with your grip rather than helping it. The grip exercises will help with everything except bench and dips- I'm surprised you're having issues with that. Usually it's pulling lifts that are grip trouble.

I have a feeling that the problem with my dips is all over arm weakness (especially wrists) so hopefully all the grip exercises will help with that too.

Wrist weakness is a different thing and is reasonably common. I don't think there's anything wrong with using wrist wraps on bench. I have really weak and flexible wrists and I have to wear wraps for bench and squat.

Lynxie83

I have experienced that issue Nataliaho, but I also notice with heavier weights (particularly when doing the pulling type things) my grip actually failing, like my fingers can't keep the bar against my hand (if that makes sense) so I end up holding the weight with my fingers more than with the whole hand...

Gee that kinda sucks as a description. Maybe when I get home I can find some pics to illustrate what I mean.

amy1612

Deadlifted 75kg yesterday, 3 reps

ChrisGoldn

Well, I've been on a bit of a hiatus to do some health issues, but I was doing Stronglifts 5x5 which I had just started doing with only the bar. I was up to 60/65 pounds on all of the lifts. 65 was easy on the deadlifts, but I figured I would just follow the program and go up in the 5 pound increments. One day my husband left the bar sitting on the floor w/ 45 pound plates on it. I jokingly said, "Let's see if I can deadlift this!" I actually did 3 reps at 135 pounds, thinking I was only capable of maybe going up to 70 that week!

With Stronglift 5x5 program, because you only do 1 working set of DL's if you make the 5 reps the next workout is suppose to increase 10lbs. All the rest are 5lb increments. Just FYI

porffor

It was a little ugly, but I finally got it - 500 lb deadlift! I just feel so pumped right now.

Fantastic! You deserve to be pumped!!

porffor

I rocked 85kg squats on Wednesday and I'm up to 82.5kg deads - without wraps Slowly sorting my grip issues out.

If your squats are that heavy, you have great potential to go much higher on your deads so its great you are getting your grip issues sorted out. Go you!!

Yeah, my trainer agree's.

Our current goal for deads is 100kgs and we are making great progress.

I'm doing farmers walks and some other grip stuff ... it's mostly my left hand, my right seems better.

Can I ask what else you're doing? And what you use for farmers walk? I've seen it on WSM etc but need to work on my left grip too as am finding it slipping. Was considering gloves but reading what is said here about them and given the fact I have really small hands (child sized) I could do without them stopping my hand going round as much as possible. Would be nice to do some work on this as I go along.

porffor

Must say, what a great thread this is! Well done everyone posting here, I'm new to gym weight / strength training but am loving the vibe here.

nz_deevaa

I rocked 85kg squats on Wednesday and I'm up to 82.5kg deads - without wraps Slowly sorting my grip issues out.

If your squats are that heavy, you have great potential to go much higher on your deads so its great you are getting your grip issues sorted out. Go you!!

Yeah, my trainer agree's.

Our current goal for deads is 100kgs and we are making great progress.

I'm doing farmers walks and some other grip stuff ... it's mostly my left hand, my right seems better.

Can I ask what else you're doing? And what you use for farmers walk? I've seen it on WSM etc but need to work on my left grip too as am finding it slipping. Was considering gloves but reading what is said here about them and given the fact I have really small hands (child sized) I could do without them stopping my hand going round as much as possible. Would be nice to do some work on this as I go along.

What else I'm doing in regards to lifts or to help my grip? I have really small hands too, not slender, but short fingers.

kazzari

Well, I've been on a bit of a hiatus to do some health issues, but I was doing Stronglifts 5x5 which I had just started doing with only the bar. I was up to 60/65 pounds on all of the lifts. 65 was easy on the deadlifts, but I figured I would just follow the program and go up in the 5 pound increments. One day my husband left the bar sitting on the floor w/ 45 pound plates on it. I jokingly said, "Let's see if I can deadlift this!" I actually did 3 reps at 135 pounds, thinking I was only capable of maybe going up to 70 that week!

With Stronglift 5x5 program, because you only do 1 working set of DL's if you make the 5 reps the next workout is suppose to increase 10lbs. All the rest are 5lb increments. Just FYI

Well, true. But that doesn't really apply to women. Although starting with the bar, most women should be able to add ten lbs. In the beginning. Once I reached 160 lbs. I started moving up in 2 lb. increments. Mehdi doesn't really address women doing this program, whereas Rippetoe does for Starting Strength and he does say women will add less to the bar and need fractional weights to continue seeing progress.

porffor

I rocked 85kg squats on Wednesday and I'm up to 82.5kg deads - without wraps Slowly sorting my grip issues out.

If your squats are that heavy, you have great potential to go much higher on your deads so its great you are getting your grip issues sorted out. Go you!!

Yeah, my trainer agree's.

Our current goal for deads is 100kgs and we are making great progress.

I'm doing farmers walks and some other grip stuff ... it's mostly my left hand, my right seems better.

Can I ask what else you're doing? And what you use for farmers walk? I've seen it on WSM etc but need to work on my left grip too as am finding it slipping. Was considering gloves but reading what is said here about them and given the fact I have really small hands (child sized) I could do without them stopping my hand going round as much as possible. Would be nice to do some work on this as I go along.

What else I'm doing in regards to lifts or to help my grip? I have really small hands too, not slender, but short fingers.

Yes sorry for confusing. I find it hard to put my thumb under my fingers like you see the professionals do.. and find my left hand is slipping and causing me to have to re-grip after a few reps. My right is fine but left is def weaker.

kiachu

For grip I don't use over under because of symmetry issues but I use straps. I maxed out on that because my fingers are really small and lame. Hook grip is superior to all I noticed but I wasn't willing to deal with the pain that comes with it.