Improving Deadlift Grip

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  • BigT555
    BigT555 Posts: 2,067 Member
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    i just thought of another exercise that will help, use a wrist roller. i used these when i played hockey to improve my wrist shot
  • rf1583
    rf1583 Posts: 65
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    Thanks for all the replies! Ok I'll try those exercises to help strengthen. I do have a pullup bar so I can try hanging and I'll try holding the plates too. I think part of my problem could be a bit of carpal tunnel too. Sometimes I get the carpal tunnely feeling even when I'm gripping my steering wheel. Hopefully these exercises will help.
  • levitateme
    levitateme Posts: 999 Member
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    Building up calluses really helped my grip.

    Heavy shrugs and BOR are also helpful.
  • biddysaurus
    biddysaurus Posts: 160 Member
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    Just keep doing the dead lifts and your grip will come. chalk will only increase friction, that's it.

    This is what helped me. Just keep at it... even if it's not heavy enough to truly work your hamstrings, it'll strength your forearms. I really don't think I lifted heavy enough to work hamstrings well for the first month I lifted! But I kept doing it and slowly increased the weight. I can hold on now. Whoa sore hamstrings!

    I also use a mixed grip. But even with the mixed grip when I first started, I couldn't do much. Now I can do most of my lifts with a normal grip and the mixed grip is enough to get me through the heavier lifts. I've noticed a big difference in my forearm strength for deadlifts in just 2-3 months of consistent lifting. :)
  • Kaimana94
    Kaimana94 Posts: 165 Member
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    Being a female your grip will take time to buildup. You can use weight lifting straps until you buildup your grip. I used them when I was dead lifting heavey back when I was young. http://www.amazon.com/Neoprene-Padded-Weight-Lifting-Straps/dp/B00DCGO6LS/ie=UTF8?&keywords=Lifting+Straps&gclid=CIvnn7Cqi8ACFa5AMgodrxwA6w
  • 1911JR
    1911JR Posts: 276
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    Use a hook grip. Google or youtube it.
  • darrensurrey
    darrensurrey Posts: 3,942 Member
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    I think part of my problem could be a bit of carpal tunnel too. Sometimes I get the carpal tunnely feeling even when I'm gripping my steering wheel. Hopefully these exercises will help.

    Hm. I'd rest until that feeling goes away. Or at least make sure you warm up the wrist joints by making circles with your hands while keeping the forearms still and then also flapping the hands back and forth like you're playing the bongos.

    TBH sounds like you've damaged the wrists or something and deadlifts are just highlighting the problem. Do you use a wrist rest when typing on a keyboard or using a mouse? That could help, too.
  • darrensurrey
    darrensurrey Posts: 3,942 Member
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    I've noticed a big difference in my forearm strength for deadlifts in just 2-3 months of lifiting. :)

    So much so that you can pick up boats... canoe believe it?
  • rogerOb1
    rogerOb1 Posts: 318 Member
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    As for gloves, chalk, mixed grip etc - I would personally avoid using aids until you're approaching double bodyweight deads. I am pushing double BW and still do standard grip.

    I don't see why? If someone can lift more with mixed grip, why not just do that?
  • rf1583
    rf1583 Posts: 65
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    I think part of my problem could be a bit of carpal tunnel too. Sometimes I get the carpal tunnely feeling even when I'm gripping my steering wheel. Hopefully these exercises will help.

    Hm. I'd rest until that feeling goes away. Or at least make sure you warm up the wrist joints by making circles with your hands while keeping the forearms still and then also flapping the hands back and forth like you're playing the bongos.

    TBH sounds like you've damaged the wrists or something and deadlifts are just highlighting the problem. Do you use a wrist rest when typing on a keyboard or using a mouse? That could help, too.

    Well it's not an every day issue and it's not real bad. I've had jobs where I do a lot of typing for the past 13 years but I do use the wrist rest.
  • rf1583
    rf1583 Posts: 65
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    I don't know what it is but I've tried the mixed grip and I feel more comfortable with the regular grip. Hopefully over time my grip will improve with these suggestions.
  • darrensurrey
    darrensurrey Posts: 3,942 Member
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    As for gloves, chalk, mixed grip etc - I would personally avoid using aids until you're approaching double bodyweight deads. I am pushing double BW and still do standard grip.

    I don't see why? If someone can lift more with mixed grip, why not just do that?

    My only reason is that you've then used up your options when you can't lift with mixed grip. Maybe it doesn't quite work like that. :D

    I guess it also depends on how eager you are to push forward. As someone mentioned, you could go down the route of using hooks as deads are primarily about the back. I guess I just prefer to improve everything in a more balanced fashion and am in no rush.
  • rogerOb1
    rogerOb1 Posts: 318 Member
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    My only reason is that you've then used up your options when you can't lift with mixed grip. Maybe it doesn't quite work like that. :D

    I guess it also depends on how eager you are to push forward. As someone mentioned, you could go down the route of using hooks as deads are primarily about the back. I guess I just prefer to improve everything in a more balanced fashion and am in no rush.

    Ah OK, that's fair enough. For me, I wouldn't want to start changing things when things get heavy for me - I guess I stick to a routine that Im comfortable with.

    I doubt Id use straps...
  • darrensurrey
    darrensurrey Posts: 3,942 Member
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    My only reason is that you've then used up your options when you can't lift with mixed grip. Maybe it doesn't quite work like that. :D

    I guess it also depends on how eager you are to push forward. As someone mentioned, you could go down the route of using hooks as deads are primarily about the back. I guess I just prefer to improve everything in a more balanced fashion and am in no rush.

    Ah OK, that's fair enough. For me, I wouldn't want to start changing things when things get heavy for me - I guess I stick to a routine that Im comfortable with.

    I doubt Id use straps...

    Ah, I guess that makes sense, too!
  • jimmmer
    jimmmer Posts: 3,515 Member
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    Everyone's already mentioned loaded carries, so there's that.

    You can also try grip dependant stuff like BOR and RDL in the 8-10 rep range.

    Another great grip enhancer is to combine aspects of all of these ideas by doing barbell complexes. You get some good conditioning and it's fantastic grip work. Bung it in as a finisher at the end of your routine. Grip'll soon improve. I suggest reading someone like Dan John on complexes.
  • 47Jacqueline
    47Jacqueline Posts: 6,993 Member
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    I just got a vial of liquid chalk that is pretty usseful. It doesn't leave any residue on your hands or the bar. I also have a pair of men's small gloves. (Men's are more useful than women's and don't get the Nike brand - you'll pay for the name) that I paid about 4.50 for.

    Both work well.
  • rxstronger
    rxstronger Posts: 4
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    I generally utilize crossfit gloves amid deadlifting in light of the fact that it issue me a firm grip.And I generally prescribed gloves not chalk.If you need to know insights about crossfit gloves then see the audit (glove review).
  • Larissa_NY
    Larissa_NY Posts: 495 Member
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    Other than the great ideas already mentioned, heavy kettlebell swings will work your grip like nobody's business. Also doing rack pulls and just holding onto the bar for a few seconds at lockout. The rack pulls are particularly good if you're like me and can rack-pull a hundred pounds more than you can deadlift.
  • rick_po
    rick_po Posts: 449 Member
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    Hood-Grip.jpg
  • Lofteren
    Lofteren Posts: 960 Member
    edited March 2015
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    Kaimana94 wrote: »
    Being a female your grip will take time to buildup. You can use weight lifting straps until you buildup your grip. I used them when I was dead lifting heavey back when I was young. http://www.amazon.com/Neoprene-Padded-Weight-Lifting-Straps/dp/B00DCGO6LS/ie=UTF8?&keywords=Lifting+Straps&gclid=CIvnn7Cqi8ACFa5AMgodrxwA6w

    If you use weightlifting straps you will never build up your grip.

    OP, your grip can be trained almost everyday. Just end each training session with something grip specific and try to use a lot of lifts that exhaust your grip during your lifting (dumbbell rows, barbell rows, shrugs, deadlifts, Romanian deadlifts, Pull ups, etc...)

    Cycle your grip specific work as well. One day you can do plate pinches, the next day do dumbbell holds (hold the big part at the end, not the handle), the next day do heavy dumbbell farmers walks, the next day use a lever bar (you can use a hand sledge for this) hold the very tip of the handle on the hand sledge and rotate the head of it in a circle, if you have access to them, you can use grippers, etc...

    You don't have to spend a ton of time doing your grip work at the end if you do it frequently. You'll notice a big change in your grip strength after just a week or two.

    When I first started strongman I had issues with my grip but after doing this for a couple months I was able to do a double overhand deadlift with 605lbs. It's easy to get massively strong hands, you just have to put some work in.

    As far as using an over/under or hook grip, it is always beneficial to have stronger hands. So when you are working up in weight, use a double overhand grip until you no longer can, then switch to an over/under or hook grip for the sets that are too heavy to use a double overhand grip. Hook gripping sucks btw. By that I don't mean that it is ineffective, I mean that it is really uncomfortable and a lot of people can't do it without getting ingrown thumbnails so learn how to do it properly and take it slowly if you decide to go that route.

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