HOW TO USE LIFTING STRAPS AND GET STRONGER FASTER

August 25, 2019

Whether you’re new to lifting, or have been living in the gym for ten years, we all pursue one thing: more.

More reps, more pounds, more intensity. The pursuit of strength, and the pursuit of growth, culminates in the pursuit of more.

Lift more weight, get more strong. Pretty simple stuff.

But, it never is that simple, is it?

Eventually, you plateau.

So you switch up the program. Get some of that “muscle confusion” -- and it works! Well, you’re sore again, at least. But, in a few months, you’re right back on top of that plateau.

Now you try everything: forced reps, training partners, mass-gainers of questionable taste, and the even the dreaded high-volume German squat program.

These work better.

You actually bust through! Hitting not one, but two or three PR’s in a row.

Then you notice something: you’re out-training your own limits.

You know your legs can go for a few more reps, but your back gives out before you get there.

You know you can do a few more pullups, but your hands already look (and feel) like someone took a cheese grater to them.

You know you can swing a few more deadlifts, but you just can’t hold onto the bar.

At this point, you might want to start using lifting gear.

Lifting Gear

No, not the type of gear you carry in a fanny back.

The kind you carry in a duffel bag.

Lifting Shoes, belts, straps, and pads are all part of the serious lifter’s arsenal.

Your own arsenal will need to be personalized to your own strengths and weaknesses, but having the right stuff can be invaluable in taking the next step in the pursuit of more.

Gear can help you protect weak joints, train through specific weaknesses, and overtrain without the help of a training partner -- who may or may not show up in the first place.

However, knowing what gear to use, and how to use it, can be as daunting as knowing how to train when you first step into a gym.

So we’re going to break it down for you, starting with the deadlifter’s best friend: the lifting strap.

Lifting Straps

Lifting straps are small, durable strips of cloth that in no way look like they could help men the size of mountains lift small cars.

But they do.

These straps not only protect your hands from the knurling on the bar, but transfer much of the weight from your fingers to your arms.

For the grip -- a typical weak point even in experienced lifters -- this is like the golden goose. You can hold on to much more weight for much longer than you can without them. This could result in a 10 - 20 pound jump on your deadlift!

How to Wear Them

If you’re new to them, lifting straps can be a bit… funky.

Once you get it down, though, it’ll feel like second nature.

Step 1: Put Them On

This sounds easy enough, until you actually have the thing in front of you.

Slip the loose end through the loop on the other side. Then put your hand through the resulting hole so that the strap sticks out between your thumb and forefinger. Tighten it, but not so much as to cut off the circulation.

Repeat on the other side.

Step 2: Wrap It Around The Bar

The strap should go under the bar, and wrap around it several times.

Do Not tie the strap on.

Do Not overlap the straps.

Step 3: Tighten

Twist the bar towards you until there is little to no slack lefto in the bar.

At this point, the strap should be wrapped around the bar just under your thumb and forefinger.

Now lift.

Great Exercises to do With Straps

Not every lift will be aided with lifting straps: however these ones will be helped a lot:

Deadlifts

This is a great way to really overtrain your back past the point where your fingers can’t keep up.

Olympic Lifts

Some purists will scoff at the thought of a clean and jerk performed with straps, preferring the thumb-breaking hook grip. However, with a little practice, you’ll be pulling like klokov in no time.

Shrugs

Dumbell and Barbell shrugs can be a great way to work through sticking points in a bigger movement, but it can often be hard to hold the weight for shrugs at the end of the workout.

Pullups

When it comes to holding your own weight in the air while working on pullups or chins, it’s common for the smaller muscles of the wrist to fail before your back and arms do. Wrap up the straps and pull away!

Rows

Wraps give you many of the same advantages here as they do for the rest of these exercises.

Tips and Tricks

Use lifting straps as a way to overtrain, not as a crutch for your regular training
Quality: on top of saving you money in the long term, these straps will be holding a lot of weight for you. Quality material ensures they last and last comfortably.
Be careful when you first start using them - the jump in weight lifted is nice, but don’t throw out your back throwing around a bunch of weight you’re not used to. Ease into it and you’ll slide right past your PR without even noticing.