Stronglifts 5x5 for Women

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Weak Grip?

HeatherOltmans
HeatherOltmans Posts: 14 Member
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I am wondering if anyone has any advice for me..today I did (well attempted to do) the 135lb deadlift. I ended up having to drop back down to 125 not because of my hamstrings but because of my weak grip. I had gloves and thought that would help, but once I picked up the 135lb, my grip was just not gonna hold it.

Should I try to use straps? Is this weird at this weight to already have this problem? Anyone else?

Thanks!

Replies

  • tracieangeletti
    tracieangeletti Posts: 432 Member
    I'm up to 125 lbs on deads and I recently started gripping with my left hand under the bar so it rests in my palm and in the right hand I grip it over the bar. Seems to be working for now but I'm not sure if at heavier weights I'll need to use straps. I really don't know much about them. If switching grips doesn't work I guess straps are the next step. Good luck!! :smile:
  • kerricolby
    kerricolby Posts: 232 Member
    It's hard to strengthen your grip is you are wearing gloves. Use chalk instead. At the top of your deadlift hold the bar for an extra second or two, this helped my grip strength tremendously.
  • emjaycazz
    emjaycazz Posts: 330 Member
    It's hard to strengthen your grip is you are wearing gloves. Use chalk instead. At the top of your deadlift hold the bar for an extra second or two, this helped my grip strength tremendously.

    I have nothing to add, but kerri--I just read your post above and I imagined your (adorable) daughter (?) deadlifting 135 lbs because she's your profile picture. It made me happy.
  • kerricolby
    kerricolby Posts: 232 Member
    It's hard to strengthen your grip is you are wearing gloves. Use chalk instead. At the top of your deadlift hold the bar for an extra second or two, this helped my grip strength tremendously.

    I have nothing to add, but kerri--I just read your post above and I imagined your (adorable) daughter (?) deadlifting 135 lbs because she's your profile picture. It made me happy.

    One day she will be deadlifting twice that!
  • chubby_checkers
    chubby_checkers Posts: 2,352 Member
    Are you using a mixed grip?

    You can do farmer's walk http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0i6N7Ozi7c. Video shows the lady using dumbbells.
  • bumblebums
    bumblebums Posts: 2,181 Member
    It's hard to strengthen your grip is you are wearing gloves. Use chalk instead. At the top of your deadlift hold the bar for an extra second or two, this helped my grip strength tremendously.

    Yep, this. For women especially, gloves can be a hindrance because they increase the width of whatever you are gripping, and women's hands tend to be smaller to begin with. Chalk is the way to go.
  • booyainyoface
    booyainyoface Posts: 409 Member
    all of these are great- ditch the gloves, use chalk, DO FARMERS CARRIES!!!, hold onto the pull up bar for as long as you can (dont do the pull up, just hold your body weight), do plate pinch carries... your grip will get stronger. hold off on mixed grip as long as you can so your hands/forearms get stronger. i promise it will happen. i am currently DLing 210 with just chalk and your normal grip up from 135 back in february :)
  • HeatherOltmans
    HeatherOltmans Posts: 14 Member
    Thanks for the advice everyone!
  • cats847
    cats847 Posts: 131
    My advice is: use a mixed grip on your work sets, but an overhand grip during your warm-up sets. That way you're progressing, with weight, while still training grip strength during your warm-up. This is the method advised by Mark Rippetoe. It's been working fine for me, and my grip has gotten stronger.

    A pull-up bar will also train your grip, even if you just hang there for as long as possible.
  • Leadfoot_Lewis
    Leadfoot_Lewis Posts: 1,623 Member
    My advice is: use a mixed grip on your work sets, but an overhand grip during your warm-up sets. That way you're progressing, with weight, while still training grip strength during your warm-up. This is the method advised by Mark Rippetoe. It's been working fine for me, and my grip has gotten stronger.

    ^Agree 100%. Used to use gloves and straps and have moved on to chalk (but admitted still use gloves for non-compound lifts simply because I like them :) ) Anyway, I've found that messing around with straps just messed up my setup for some unknown reason. Not a big fan of mixed grip but only use it for work sets, and it has been very helpful for my grip.
  • HeatherOltmans
    HeatherOltmans Posts: 14 Member
    Just wanted to update that I did deadlift the 135 this week, using the mixed grip it was so much better! I will continue to use the regular grip on my warm ups, but the mixed grip helped tremendously and I was able to complete my 5 reps. :) Thanks for the advice!

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