DeadLifting and Wraps
erojoy
Posts: 554 Member
I have gotten up to 185 and its not hard for me to lift the weight, its hard for me to hold onto it so I'm incapable of progressing. Do you use wraps? Are wraps cheating?
Also I've tried with and without a hook grip. Hook grip actually hurts, but I can bring my weight up a little. I've also worked my lifts with the straight grip and then with a switch grip where one palm is facing the opposite way, but I'm just at the point where its slipping. My legs and core can pull the weight up without issue, its just holding onto it that is a struggle.
Any help or suggestion would be appreciated.
Also I've tried with and without a hook grip. Hook grip actually hurts, but I can bring my weight up a little. I've also worked my lifts with the straight grip and then with a switch grip where one palm is facing the opposite way, but I'm just at the point where its slipping. My legs and core can pull the weight up without issue, its just holding onto it that is a struggle.
Any help or suggestion would be appreciated.
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Replies
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Improving your grip strength is an option as well. Dead hangs and farmer's walks will do that. Straps will help with getting the weight up in the meantime, but it's a good idea to bring up your grip strength to match what the rest of your body can do.0
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Are you losing grip because the weight is too heavy or is it just slipping out of your hand? That may sound weird but I hope you can figure out what I mean.
If it is the latter, if your gym allows it, try some lifting chalk. That will help your grip some.
Long term solution would be grip training as mentioned above. Besides the methods mentioned, you can hold the last rep of each set for a 10 count and that will help your grip. Also, when pulling warm ups, use a double overhand grip. This should help you in the grip department as well.0 -
I use wraps. I'm not training for powerlifting so have no issue using them - I'd rather do the lift than not!0
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My gripping strength is average so I use straps on deadlifts and all heavy rows. I'm for working out the muscle I intend to exercise and not fret whether or not my grip strength matches the amount I can actually lift. Is it cheating? Eh, it's a tool for lifting. No different to me than a runner with great running shoes, a rider with padded pants for riding, or a swimmer wearing goggles. If it improves the performance of what you're trying to do, then I don't see it as cheating if you're not breaking any rules.
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I'm assuming if you tried hook grip then you have tried an over/under switch grip set up? But just needs asking.
Train your grip- to improve your grip- but don't let grip strength hold back a major lift.0 -
natecooper75 wrote: »Are you losing grip because the weight is too heavy or is it just slipping out of your hand? That may sound weird but I hope you can figure out what I mean.
If it is the latter, if your gym allows it, try some lifting chalk. That will help your grip some.
It is slipping out of my hand, but my fingers really hurt trying to hold it in place, and the weight is more on my fingers than the pad of my palm. I'm holding on for dear life. haha. People do use chalk at my gym, I am just worried about drying out my hands. I see people with cracked palms and such.0 -
52cardpickup wrote: »Improving your grip strength is an option as well. Dead hangs and farmer's walks will do that. Straps will help with getting the weight up in the meantime, but it's a good idea to bring up your grip strength to match what the rest of your body can do.
Thanks for those ideas. I hate hanging. I can only make it for like 20 seconds, but you are right it needs to be practiced.
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I'm assuming if you tried hook grip then you have tried an over/under switch grip set up? But just needs asking.
Train your grip- to improve your grip- but don't let grip strength hold back a major lift.
Yes I did them at different times. I was trying to see what would help me hold on longer. I'm doing MadCow so I'm not doing more than 8 reps at once, most are 5. It's just by 3 or 4 it starts slipping so bad that I begin rushing to complete the set instead of doing it properly. It's frustrating because I know form is important, and I want to do my lifts properly. Sometimes I will have to stop and reset my hands mid set.0 -
Part of it could be that your gym has really crappy bars. I can pull a lot more with no chalk on my bar at home than most gyms because the knurling is much better.
Work on your grip and use straps when you need to. Give chalk a try. I've used it for years and have no problem with cracking or dryness. I wouldn't worry too much about using straps. I train singles with my grip but use straps on work sets to save my hands and I haven't had my grip fail me in competition yet.0 -
Work on your grip like others have said but don't let that be what is limiting you from deadlifting. If I'm ramping weight on dl then tyically on my heaviest set I'll switch to an over/under or use straps, but will try to stay with a conventional grip as long as possible.0
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Do as much as you can without and then if you are still able to do more weight effectively, use straps. Most people will be able to DL more weight than they can hang on to. The exception is very low rep...its easy to hold on to 225 for one...but not for 5 as an example.0
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I strained a tendon as my deads got heavier. Straps definitely help. Def work on grip strength but sometimes your ability to lift may surpass your ability to grip0
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52cardpickup wrote: »Improving your grip strength is an option as well. Dead hangs and farmer's walks will do that. Straps will help with getting the weight up in the meantime, but it's a good idea to bring up your grip strength to match what the rest of your body can do.
I definitely agree with using these tools to improve grip strength though I wouldn't feel bad about using straps in the meantime.
A note on hook grip though, it used to hurt my hands/fingers badly. I hated it for the longest time. If you use it consistiently that pain does go away, it's super effective and becomes second nature eventually.0 -
I'm assuming if you tried hook grip then you have tried an over/under switch grip set up? But just needs asking.
Train your grip- to improve your grip- but don't let grip strength hold back a major lift.
I agree with Jo. Try over/under (also called alternate grip) before you start using stuff like straps. You would be surprised how much easier it is on your forearms with this type of grip, and you will still be improving your grip strength this way. If you hit a point where even this grip doesn't help, try straps.
Also, some people hate gloves, and some people like them. I pretty much only use them for deads, because nothing is worse than trying to grip and lift a bar that is more than your own bodyweight and having it be slippery.0 -
Another thing to think about is where you are placing the bar in your hand. Are you getting calluses around the point where you fingers and palms connect? It sounds like you may be trying to grip it at the bottom of our fingers and then hooking the rest of your finger around the bar. If you push the bar back to where you are setting up your grip at the base of the fingers/top of the palm, you have more area in contact with the bar which should in turn give you a more solid grip.0
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I skip the wraps while warming up (for me that's up to about 225) but once I go past that point, for heavier lifting I use wraps.
I do enough other exercises throughout the week using dumbbells that my grip gets plenty of work without relying on the dead lift to build it.0 -
I generally skip straps on deads. The only exception is when my grip is failing and I still have work sets left. As this happens rarely I don't worry about it.
Shrugs/Romanians/stiff legged deads the straps come out frequently0 -
Great advice on improving grip strength. I use Captains of Crush grippers from IronMind. Also be careful how you use lifting straps as they can cause injury if not worn properly. The more you deadlift the more your hands will get used to it. It's okay for ladies to wear lifting gloves in my opinion.0
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Thank you for all of the great advice. I am definitely going to work on how I grip the bar as well as work on some grip strengthening exercises. I think I may have to pull the bar back into my palms more. My calluses are showing up at the middle of my fingers(just above the proximal phalange).
I'm going to reevaluate in a month and see if I'll purchase straps. Really really appreciate your help.
p.s. @CrumCPT its ok for ANYONE to wear lifting gloves. Women are not the exception
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I use mixed grip after 150lbs.
no straps yet...did 195 yesterday and the mixed grip worked great.0 -
You can do the alternating hands grip and switch direction every few sets, or the hook grip. Hook grip can be brutal, on your thumbs though once you get to higher weight and higher reps. I DL raw
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If it's an issue with the bar crunching up your skin, roll the bar into your fingers instead of the palm. When lifting the bar, the bar rolls down and puts pressure on your fingers, so starting off with the bar on your fingers and rolling it into your palms can prevent the squished skin.Thank you for all of the great advice. I am definitely going to work on how I grip the bar as well as work on some grip strengthening exercises. I think I may have to pull the bar back into my palms more. My calluses are showing up at the middle of my fingers(just above the proximal phalange).
I'm going to reevaluate in a month and see if I'll purchase straps. Really really appreciate your help.
p.s. @CrumCPT its ok for ANYONE to wear lifting gloves. Women are not the exception
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You can do the alternating hands grip and switch direction every few sets, or the hook grip. Hook grip can be brutal, on your thumbs though once you get to higher weight and higher reps. I DL raw
yes- definitely switch hands on the over under- I wasn't DLing that often 2 years ago- and I only got comfortable on one side- now I deadlift more sets and with more frequency that I need the over under- and I actually pinched a nerve because I over developed one side of my traps. Been 6-8 months trying to even it back out.0 -
reverse grip, and use lots of chalk0
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I have loads of arthritis in my fingers that reduces my grip. I switched to and over/under grip. I also use chalk when I get to where I'm having to really work (above maybe 200). I also bought one of those grip trainers that rock climbers use. I keep it in my car and if I am stuck at a light I get in a quick 10 reps.0
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start getting in the habit of squeezing the bar as hard as you can, dont just hold it, squeeze it. That will help your grip and also increase your grip strength. Do that on every lift you do, not just deads.0
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Thank you all of you. I'm seriously taking in all of this advice. I can't wait to get back in for a good DL set now.0
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My thighs are much stronger than my grip strength.
So I don't see it as cheating to use wraps after 225 lbs. I like doing deadlifts and stiff leg deadlifts on the same day so I get lots of time holding the bar.
I can't hold the bar for 4 reps of 315 as I am working my way up. So I use straps to get the best full body workout.
My grip strength does no hold back my leg or back strength growth.
YMMV.0 -
professionalHobbyist wrote: »My thighs are much stronger than my grip strength.
So I don't see it as cheating to use wraps after 225 lbs. I like doing deadlifts and stiff leg deadlifts on the same day so I get lots of time holding the bar.
I can't hold the bar for 4 reps of 315 as I am working my way up. So I use straps to get the best full body workout.
My grip strength does no hold back my leg or back strength growth.
YMMV.
I am sure the bold is true for most people.
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