did barbell dead lifts for the first time

vsetter
vsetter Posts: 558 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I got a barbell not that long ago and have recently added dead lifts to my P90X legs day. Tonight I lifted about 77 pounds (I weigh 130). I am finding that weight hard to hold with my hands.

Is that common? Does that improve with time? Do I need to do anything special?

Thanks!

Replies

  • shorty35565
    shorty35565 Posts: 1,425 Member
    OMG, ur so flipping strong!
    Wear gloves. It hurts my hands too.
  • dad106
    dad106 Posts: 4,868 Member
    It's common.. Just need to get stronger.

    Maybe lighten the load until you get used to it, and then add weight.. Cause 77 pound dead lift off the bat, is kind of heavy... considering that the bar alone weighs 45 pounds.
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,329 Member
    yes your grip strength will improve, just keep at it.

    i remember when i could barely grip 95 pounds and now i'm currently repping at 215 pounds and my hands are ready for some recovery time :laugh:
  • Mighty_Rabite
    Mighty_Rabite Posts: 581 Member
    Just keep at those deadlifts, maybe drop the weight a tad if you need to - you will definitely get stronger, especially the first few weeks of doing them as the body makes the neuromuscular adaptations to deadlifting.
  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
    It's common.. Just need to get stronger.

    Maybe lighten the load until you get used to it, and then add weight.. Cause 77 pound dead lift off the bat, is kind of heavy... considering that the bar alone weighs 45 pounds.

    You always include the weight of the bar in your measurement.
  • zombilishious
    zombilishious Posts: 1,250 Member
    Wear gloves

    Also hold your hands on the bar so one palm is facing you and one is facing away. They also sell straps for about $10 that you can use to help when your grip strength doesn't match that of your larger muscles.
  • vsetter
    vsetter Posts: 558 Member
    Wear gloves

    Also hold your hands on the bar so one palm is facing you and one is facing away. They also sell straps for about $10 that you can use to help when your grip strength doesn't match that of your larger muscles.

    Maybe a stupid question --- but how does the strap work?

    Thanks for the feedback on the hand grip. I will try that.
  • hesn92
    hesn92 Posts: 5,966 Member
    Just keep doing it. I don't use gloves or a strap... the weights do kind of hurt my hands a little but then they form calluses so that kind of protects them.

    I dead lift 100 pounds right now, which isn't much, but I don't have issues holding on to the bar. My grip is fine. I think when I first started doing dead lifts I had trouble holding on to and it when I would be in the standing position of the dead lift, the bar would kind of just be held up with my fingers because i couldn't get the bar up in my hand all the way. My grip apparently got stronger.
  • wellbert
    wellbert Posts: 3,924 Member
    dont use gloves, don't use straps (yet)
    make sure you are holdin the bar correctly. Most people try to hold it in the palm-- which is wrong.

    You can also try an alternating grip.
  • bokodasu
    bokodasu Posts: 629 Member
    I've never found a pair of gloves that wasn't worse than just going barehanded, but I do like the lifting straps - here's a good guide to using them: http://www.aworkoutroutine.com/weight-lifting-straps/
  • mrsmustgetmuscles1
    mrsmustgetmuscles1 Posts: 57 Member
    I wear gloves for anything that I'm holding a bar or a dumbbell for, it just helps cushion a bit My hands still get sore from gripping around the bar, but that goes away soon after I'm done. Deadlifts can hurt if you don't lift them correctly, so maybe lower the weight until you're sure you have the correct form down. I've been doing them for only a few weeks and have worked up to 95lbs for multiple sets.
  • Yanicka1
    Yanicka1 Posts: 4,564 Member
    The muscles in you hands is like any other muscles....they need training. Try to hold heavy weight as long as possible. It will get better.
  • stephl81
    stephl81 Posts: 122 Member
    Switch your grip. or use a mixed grip, one palm facing towards you, the other facing the opposite direction. I find that helpful. I use gloves but find they dig into my fingers but keep wearing them cuz I find them helpful with other exercises and it helps with blistering (a bit), my friend uses chalks and loves it. I find that the straps didnt help much. Im currently dead lifting 115 and its PAINFUL but effective. Keep it up!
  • vsetter
    vsetter Posts: 558 Member
    Thanks for all of the feedback. I think that I am going to drop the weight back a tad, maybe drop it 10 pounds (to also ensure that my form is perfect) and use the alternating grip (without my gloves, until my hand strength increases). That's the plan for the next few weeks....we will see what happens :)
  • Hendrix7
    Hendrix7 Posts: 1,903 Member
    Get some chalk.

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