Which grip do you use for dead lifts?

For a workout, double overhand until grip strength fails, then straps.

I save alternate grip for PRs as it can strain the bicep in the arm with the flipped hand, or build imbalances if over-used. I've tried hook grip as well, and pulled some fairly heavy weights with it, but it is somewhat painful at heavier weights.

This exactly. If you're not training to powerlift competitively though, and have no actual practical need for your grip to be especially strong, you could switch to straps instead of mixed grip.

Yeah I love the mixed grip, I think it looks awesome and I like how it's a clever solution to the bar slipping out.

Problem is it puts significant strain on the bicep of the supponated arm, and that can lead to injury. Since I'm not competing, I just use a double pronated grip until my hands fail, then use straps.

For all the other stress I have to put on my biceps, there's not need to screw around with a mix grip on heavy deads.

It's mostly a bicep issue if you are trying to pull at ALL with the upper- if you have a slightly curl- you're straining it- or snapping it. (which is a really crazy thing to see apparently) but it's one of the reasons why you shouldn't be doing it unless you know what you are doing.

I've never even felt bicep pressure and I have had some sketchy shakey PR's.

The pressure is on the distal biceps tendon, not on the muscle really. I'm surprised you've never felt it at all, holding the mix grip in different ways hasn't gotten rid of it completely for me, though to be clear it isn't a very noticible sensation anyways.

By the way, YouTube it, it's absolutely terrifying.

Yeah I love the mixed grip, I think it looks awesome and I like how it's a clever solution to the bar slipping out.

Problem is it puts significant strain on the bicep of the supponated arm, and that can lead to injury. Since I'm not competing, I just use a double pronated grip until my hands fail, then use straps.

For all the other stress I have to put on my biceps, there's not need to screw around with a mix grip on heavy deads.

It's mostly a bicep issue if you are trying to pull at ALL with the upper- if you have a slightly curl- you're straining it- or snapping it. (which is a really crazy thing to see apparently) but it's one of the reasons why you shouldn't be doing it unless you know what you are doing.

I've never even felt bicep pressure and I have had some sketchy shakey PR's.

The pressure is on the distal biceps tendon, not on the muscle really. I'm surprised you've never felt it at all, holding the mix grip in different ways hasn't gotten rid of it completely for me, though to be clear it isn't a very noticible sensation anyways.

By the way, YouTube it, it's absolutely terrifying.

Just want to say I've never felt a thing in my bicep either, and it's never sore, tight, or anything afterward, and doesn't really tense even during the lift.

I use mixed grip. I make sure my thumbs overlap my fingers or they will start slipping due to not amazing hand strength or sweat.

Watch if you dare.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wjq82nYPUeo

I saw someone's leg do it once - that sounded like a metal cable snapping and could be heard across the other side of the pitch

I use the one where you grab the bar with your hands!! HAHA, sorry was just too easy not too! :laugh:

I've used mixed grip for years and never failed a lift due to grip. I've been considering hook grip for a while though so I don't get muscle imbalances from mixed grip.

It works for me. Makes it easier

I train with the knuckles of both hands facing forward until my grip fails, then I switch to mixed grip.

This...and when I deload I try with it facing forward to try and increase my grip strength....

eg. when I first started lifting, I found I was switching to mixed grip at 90 pounds

I'm now switching to mixed grip at 165.

I switch grip. I used to be able with regular grip but no way in hell I can do that anymore lol

I used to do plain-jane double overhand for the lighter stuff, and mixed for the heavier.

Then I became very frightened that someday I would snap my distal bicep tendon if I continued using mixed grip. I am not sure how rational my fear was, but it's just not a fun thought.

So, I recently have been using hook grip, and it's been working out well, without all that much pain for my thumbs. It's a very solid grip. Last time I DLed, I was doing 310 and was able to hold it fine with hook.

There is probably still a risk of the dreaded snap, but I have some peace of mind knowing that my chances with hook are way less than with mixed.

Mixed for me, too. I've never considered alternating between sets, but I'm going to try that out.

Hook grip for everything else. My trainer started me out with hook grip, so it doesn't feel awkward at all to me.