Find out how to use lifting straps with our step-by-step illustrated guide…
Does your grip give out before your legs do when you deadlift? It can be frustrating to know you’re capable of lifting more weight, only to have it slip out your hands before your target muscles are worked effectively.
It’s well worth doing targeted exercises to improve your grip (think farmer’s carries and shrugs – anything that involves holding heavy weights in each hand), but everyone, no matter their grip strength, can also benefit from using lifting straps.
Lifting straps have a loop on one end that you feed the other end through. They’re then placed around your wrist, with the long end of the strap going around the handle – usually a barbell – you would normally hold. This takes a lot of the strain off your forearms and helps you to keep holding on, so you can execute your desired number of reps.
What are lifting straps made of?
Lifting straps are usually made of cotton nylon, or leather, and they are applied on pulling movements such as the deadlift, bent-over rows, pull-ups, and even shrugs.
Some lifters also used them for biceps curls – though we’d recommend saving them for your heaviest lifts. Most lifting straps are 12-18 inches long, and some may have padding on the wrist portion for extra comfort.
Follow instructions on how to wash or care for the straps so they last you as long as possible. Many straps require hand washing, so you can clean them gently without damaging them.
When should you use lifting straps?
If you want to work on your grip strength and train muscles effectively, use your natural grip for warm-up sets. Save the straps for the heaviest weight that you feel may require straps for support. Straps should only be used when your grip is hampering your ability to progress in a certain lift – usually barbell exercises like deadlifts, Romanian deadlifts and bent-over rows.
How to use lifting straps
Step 1:
Hold the strap at both ends.
Step 2:
Slide the non-looped end of the strap through the loop on the other end to make the hole that your hand goes through.
Step 3:
Slide your hand into that hole, with the palm up so the remaining portion of the strap can go over the palm. That portion should be in the direction of your thumb. If the strap is going in the same direction as your left thumb, it should go in the left hand, and vice versa. Repeat with the other strap for the right hand.
Step 4:
Take the strap of the working hand and wrap it around the handle of the object you intend to lift.
Step 5:
You can wrap the strap around the bar as much as you like, but just one loop is fine.
Step 6:
Now take a grip of the looped strap, so it sits between your hand and the bar. Make sure the strap is secured before you begin the lift. Do not attempt to lift with a loose strap.
Illustrations: Peter Liddiard
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