Deadlifts :(

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24

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  • timbrom
    timbrom Posts: 303 Member
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    Start with checking your grip technique. Are you really squeezing the bar on every rep, including warm-ups and accessory work on every lift? Trying to crush the bar with your grip every time you take hold will increase your grip strength dramatically.

    Next step: chalk. It seems like a small detail, but can make an amazing difference. I use a liquid chalk hand drying solution I got on amazon for <$10. Use it from the beginning of your workout. It will help you fatigue less quickly. Train with a regular pronated (overhand) grip for as long as you can with just chalk, and when that grip starts to fail, switch to...

    Mixed grip: one hand pronated and the other supinated. You'll need to fiddle with your grip position on the supinated hand a little bit; the bone insertion into the wrist is a little different from one side to the other, which means that to stay balanced you'll probably need to take that hand just a bit wider. This will give you a dramatic increase.

    I advise avoiding gloves and straps if what you're after is actual powerlifting type strength, in which case you need to be able to lift the weight without the accessories. If you don't have any plans on competing and don't actually care about your grip strength, feel free to strap up, but I'd still say gloves are more of a detriment than a benefit. They put another layer of something that can twist and bunch in between your hands and the bar, which wastes energy as you attempt to perform the lift, and in some cases makes callus form improperly (no, it will not always prevent calluses).

    I was getting ready for a big long post, and was going to say exactly that, so I won't bother.
  • thistimewillbedifferent
    thistimewillbedifferent Posts: 217 Member
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    I second the posters who said mixed grip and gloves!
  • GetSoda
    GetSoda Posts: 1,267 Member
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    do NOT get gloves.

    mixed grip
    chalk
    grip work
    done
  • PetulantOne
    PetulantOne Posts: 2,131 Member
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    Mixed grip.

    Farmer's carry.

    Also dumbbell work in general, seemed to really improve my grip strength.
  • sabified
    sabified Posts: 1,051 Member
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    bump to save :)
  • RachelRuns9
    RachelRuns9 Posts: 585 Member
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    I use FABULOUS gloves (femme fetale fitness) and also just keep going - each week my grip gets better :)
  • skeo
    skeo Posts: 471 Member
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    I agree with most, I'm not a huge fan of gloves, they bunch and actually hinder more than help.

    You can reset your grip after each lift
    Reverse grip
    Chalk
    I've never tried straps, but I hear they help.

    But like some have suggested, I've started doing farmer's carry with 2x 45lb plates and walk around the gym for at least 50 yards to work on my grip, and it has helped me personally.
  • HarolDean
    HarolDean Posts: 8 Member
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    Wrist curls and Rock Grip pull-ups are some other options to strengthen your grip
  • jhc7324
    jhc7324 Posts: 200 Member
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    I had a similar issue with my deads (even with mixed grip and chalk), so I started a grip focused deadlift workout. Normally I deadlift once a week, and deadlift and do a handful of assistance exercises. For a couple of months I was using assistance exercises that really hit the grip, and now I'm back at a point where grip isn't an issue so I'm back to normal accessory work.

    Basically, after my deads, I would superset Farmer Walks, Snatch Grip deadlifts and hanging leg raises.

    Farmer Walks - pick up the biggest dumbells you can handle and take a walk around the gym. Every week/time you do this, try to increase the weight you're carrying or walk further than last time.

    Snatch Grip Deadlifts - You'll use a lower weight for this than your normal deads. Its basically just a much wider grip than a normal deadlift. Its a good lift on its own, but it'll really work your grip to hold onto the bar.

    Hanging leg raises - Grab the pullup bar, and lift your toes up until they touch the bar. Its mostly an ab workout, but you're supporting your whole weight with your grip while you're doing it.

    I was doing 3x sets of those and it definitely made a difference.
  • Huffdogg
    Huffdogg Posts: 1,934 Member
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    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.
  • LolaDeeDaisy23
    LolaDeeDaisy23 Posts: 383 Member
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    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
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    Gloves. Not even once.
  • MisterDerpington
    MisterDerpington Posts: 604 Member
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    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
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    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: 41,874 Member
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    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
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    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
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    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.
  • peachcats
    peachcats Posts: 99
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    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
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    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
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    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.

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