Lifting Straps: What They Are, Why and When to Use Them, and How to Use Them Properly

What to do with lifting straps?

Lifting straps are supplementary gym equipment designed to enhance grip strength, allowing lifters to handle heavier weights and perform more repetitions on pulling exercises by bypassing grip fatigue, thereby maximizing the training stimulus for the target muscle groups.

What Are Lifting Straps? An Overview

Lifting straps are simple yet highly effective pieces of equipment, typically made from durable materials like cotton, nylon, or leather. They consist of a loop that goes around the wrist and a longer tail that wraps around a barbell, dumbbell, or machine handle. Their fundamental purpose is to create a stronger, more secure connection between the lifter and the weight, effectively taking the strain off the hands and forearms.

Why Use Lifting Straps? The Biomechanics and Physiology

The strategic use of lifting straps is rooted in sound exercise science and biomechanics. Here's why they can be a valuable addition to your training arsenal:

• Bypassing Grip as a Limiting Factor: For many multi-joint pulling movements, such as deadlifts, rows, or pull-downs, the smaller muscles of the forearms responsible for grip often fatigue long before the larger, primary movers (e.g., back, glutes, hamstrings). Straps effectively "outsource" the grip, allowing the target muscles to be pushed to their true limits.
• Enhanced Progressive Overload: By enabling you to lift heavier weights or perform more repetitions, straps facilitate greater progressive overload. This increased mechanical tension and metabolic stress are critical drivers of muscle hypertrophy (growth) and strength adaptations in the primary muscle groups.
• Improved Form and Focus: When grip strength isn't a concern, lifters can dedicate more mental and physical energy to maintaining proper form and achieving a stronger mind-muscle connection with the intended target muscles. This can lead to more efficient and safer training.
• Reduced Risk of Early Failure: In heavy lifts, a sudden grip failure can compromise technique or lead to an aborted lift, potentially increasing the risk of injury. Straps provide a more stable connection, offering a safety net that allows for controlled execution.

When to Use Lifting Straps: Strategic Application

Lifting straps are tools, not crutches, and should be used judiciously. Here are the primary scenarios where their use is most beneficial:

• Heavy Pulling Movements: This is their most common application.
  • Deadlifts (Conventional, Sumo, Romanian Deadlifts): When moving maximal or near-maximal loads, or during high-volume sets.
  • Barbell Rows, Dumbbell Rows, T-Bar Rows: To ensure the back muscles are fully fatigued before grip gives out.
  • Shrugs: Especially with heavy weight, to isolate the trapezius muscles.
  • Heavy Lat Pulldowns/Cable Rows: When performing heavy sets where grip might otherwise limit the number of reps.
• High-Volume Training: During phases of training that involve a high number of sets and repetitions, straps can prevent premature grip fatigue from impacting overall training volume for larger muscle groups.
• Grip Recovery: On days when your grip is already fatigued from previous training sessions (e.g., after a dedicated grip workout or a heavy deadlift day), straps can allow you to still effectively train other muscle groups without overstressing your forearms.
• Specific Populations: Individuals recovering from hand/forearm injuries, or those with naturally weaker grip due to anatomical factors, may find straps essential for performing certain exercises safely and effectively.

How to Properly Use Lifting Straps

Correct application is key to maximizing the benefits and ensuring safety.

1. Thread the Strap: If your straps have a loop, thread the loose end through it to create a larger loop.
2. Wrist Placement: Insert your hand through the loop. The strap should hang down the palm side of your hand, with the loose end pointing away from your body.
3. Wrap the Bar: Position your hand on the bar. Take the loose end of the strap and wrap it under the bar, then over the bar, continuing to wrap it around the bar until it's snug. The strap should be wrapping in the direction away from your body (e.g., if gripping with an overhand grip, wrap towards your fingers).
4. Tighten the Grip: Once wrapped, rotate your hand forward (like revving a motorcycle throttle) or pull the loose end of the strap to tighten the connection between your wrist, the strap, and the bar. The goal is a secure, tight wrap that feels like an extension of your hand.
5. Test the Grip: Before lifting, give the bar a tug to ensure the straps are firmly attached and you feel a solid connection.

Safety Note: Always ensure you can quickly release the straps in an emergency. While rare, getting stuck under a heavy weight due to an inability to release can be dangerous. Most standard loop straps allow for quick release by simply opening your hand.

Potential Downsides and When to Avoid Them

While beneficial, over-reliance on lifting straps can have drawbacks:

• Neglected Grip Development: The most significant downside. If you always use straps, your natural grip strength will not develop optimally, potentially becoming a weakness in other lifts or real-world activities.
• Reduced Proprioception: Straps can slightly reduce the direct tactile feedback from the bar, which can be important for some lifters in feeling the weight and engaging muscles.
• False Sense of Security: Continuously lifting weights with straps that you couldn't otherwise hold might lead to an overestimation of your true strength, potentially leading to injury if you attempt similar weights without them.

When to Avoid Straps:

• Warm-up Sets: Use lighter warm-up sets to build grip strength and prepare your forearms.
• Lighter Working Sets: If grip is not a limiting factor for a particular set, challenge your natural grip.
• Grip-Specific Training: For exercises like farmer's walks, plate pinches, or heavy carries, the goal is specifically to train grip, so straps should be avoided.
• Developing Foundational Strength: Beginners should prioritize developing their natural grip strength before incorporating straps.

Types of Lifting Straps

While the function is similar, there are a few common types:

• Loop/Closed-Loop Straps: The most common and versatile type, featuring a sewn loop through which the other end is threaded.
• Single-Loop/Olympic Straps: These feature a single loop that goes around the wrist, with the tail wrapped around the bar. They allow for quicker release, often favored by Olympic lifters, but offer slightly less security than closed-loop straps.
• Figure-8 Straps: These form two loops, creating a figure-8 shape. One loop goes around the wrist, the other around the bar. They offer the most secure connection and are often used by strongmen for extremely heavy deadlifts, though they can be harder to release quickly.

Integrating Straps into Your Training: A Balanced Approach

To get the most out of lifting straps without hindering your grip development, adopt a balanced strategy:

• Prioritize Grip Strength: Make a conscious effort to train your grip. Incorporate exercises like farmer's walks, dead hangs, and plate pinches into your routine.
• Use Straps Strategically: Reserve straps for your heaviest working sets on pulling movements where grip is genuinely the limiting factor. For example, use them for your top 1-2 sets of deadlifts, but perform your warm-ups and lighter back exercises without them.
• Vary Your Grip: Regularly switch between a double-overhand grip (without straps), a mixed grip (one hand overhand, one underhand), and a hook grip (thumb tucked under fingers) to challenge your grip in different ways.

Conclusion: Tools, Not Crutches

Lifting straps are a valuable tool for any serious lifter looking to maximize muscle and strength gains in major pulling movements. By intelligently bypassing grip fatigue, they enable greater progressive overload and improved focus on the target muscles. However, their use must be strategic and balanced with dedicated grip training to ensure holistic strength development. Understand when and how to use them, and they will undoubtedly contribute positively to your long-term training success.