Starting Strength: Using Lifting Straps for Deadlifts and Rows

How Do You Use Lifting Straps in Starting Strength?

Lifting straps can be strategically employed in the Starting Strength program primarily for the deadlift, and occasionally rows, when grip strength becomes the sole limiting factor to continued progress on the primary lifts, ensuring that the larger muscle groups targeted by the exercise can still be adequately overloaded.

Understanding Lifting Straps

Lifting straps are an accessory designed to enhance your grip on a barbell, dumbbell, or other lifting implement. Typically made of cotton, nylon, or leather, they wrap around the wrist and then around the bar, effectively creating a mechanical link that bypasses the limitations of your hand and forearm strength. This allows lifters to hold onto heavier weights than their raw grip might otherwise permit, enabling the development of strength in the larger, primary muscle groups involved in compound movements.

The Starting Strength Philosophy on Grip

Starting Strength, a foundational strength training program developed by Mark Rippetoe, places a strong emphasis on developing comprehensive, balanced strength. A core tenet of the program is that grip strength is fundamental and should be developed concurrently with overall body strength. For this reason, the program generally advocates against the routine use of lifting straps, particularly for novice lifters, as it can hinder the natural progression of grip strength. The double overhand grip, followed by the mixed grip for deadlifts, is the preferred method to ensure grip development keeps pace with increasing loads.

When to Consider Using Straps in Starting Strength

While not a standard component for beginners, there are specific, limited scenarios within the Starting Strength framework where the strategic use of lifting straps may be justified to continue progressive overload:

• Deadlifts When Grip is the Sole Limiting Factor: This is the most common and justified use. Once a lifter has exhausted the efficacy of the double overhand grip and the mixed grip, and their grip strength genuinely fails before their back or legs on a heavy deadlift set, straps can be introduced. This allows the lifter to continue adding weight to the bar and strengthen the large muscle groups (glutes, hamstrings, back) that the deadlift primarily targets, without being prematurely bottlenecked by forearm fatigue. It is crucial, however, that the lifter has genuinely reached this point and is not simply avoiding the discomfort of a challenging grip.
• Heavy Barbell Rows: Similar to deadlifts, if your grip is failing before your lats and upper back during heavy barbell rows, straps can be used to ensure the targeted muscles receive adequate stimulus.
• Injury or Recovery: In rare cases, a hand, wrist, or forearm injury may necessitate the temporary use of straps to continue training other body parts while allowing the injured area to heal, provided it is cleared by a medical professional.
• High-Volume Assistance Work (Advanced Trainees): For more advanced lifters who have moved beyond the novice phase and are incorporating higher-volume assistance exercises, straps might be used occasionally to accumulate more volume on pulling movements without excessive grip fatigue impacting subsequent main lifts. This is less common within the pure Starting Strength novice template.

Crucial Note: Straps are never recommended for squats, overhead presses, or bench presses in Starting Strength, as these lifts do not tax grip in the same manner and using straps would be unnecessary and potentially dangerous (e.g., losing proprioception on a squat).

How to Properly Use Lifting Straps

Effective use of lifting straps requires correct technique to maximize their benefit and prevent injury:

1. Prepare the Bar: Place the barbell on the floor, ready for your lift.
2. Strap Placement on Wrist: Thread one end of the strap through the loop on the other end, creating an opening. Slide your hand through this opening, ensuring the strap sits comfortably and securely around your wrist, just below the base of your hand. The loose end of the strap should hang down the inside of your palm, ready to wrap around the bar.
3. Wrap Around the Bar:
   • Position your hand over the bar in your intended grip (e.g., pronated/overhand for deadlifts).
   • Take the loose end of the strap and feed it under the bar, then over the top.
   • Continue wrapping the strap tightly around the bar, going in the same direction as your fingers would wrap (e.g., towards your thumb if using an overhand grip).
   • Aim for 1-2 wraps, ensuring there's no slack.
4. Secure the Grip: Once wrapped, grab the strap and the bar together with your hand. Rotate your hand into the bar (as if revving a motorcycle throttle) to tighten the strap around the bar and your wrist. This creates a secure, non-slip connection.
5. Maintain Active Grip: Even with straps, do not completely disengage your hand. Maintain a firm, active grip on the bar and straps. While the straps take the primary load, keeping an active grip helps maintain proprioception and prevents over-reliance.

Common Misconceptions and Warnings

• Over-reliance Hinders Grip Development: The primary drawback of straps is that they can prevent your natural grip strength from developing. If you use them too early or too often, your grip will lag behind your pulling strength, creating a long-term weakness.
• Not a Substitute for Proper Form: Straps do not fix poor lifting technique. They only assist with grip. Ensure your deadlift and row form is solid before relying on straps for heavier weights.
• Risk of Trapping: While rare, improper use or an emergency situation could potentially trap your hand to the bar. Always be mindful of your ability to release the bar if necessary.
• Diminished Proprioception: Constant use can reduce the sensory feedback your hands receive from the bar, potentially affecting your feel for the lift.

Integrating Straps Strategically

For a Starting Strength lifter, the integration of straps should be a carefully considered, limited intervention, not a default.

1. Prioritize Raw Grip: Always strive to lift with a double overhand grip for as long as possible.
2. Transition to Mixed Grip: Once the double overhand grip fails, transition to a mixed grip (one hand overhand, one hand underhand) for deadlifts. This will allow you to continue progressing for a significant period.
3. Introduce Straps Judiciously: Only when both the double overhand and mixed grips are consistently failing on your heaviest sets, and your larger muscle groups are clearly capable of more, should straps be considered for those specific sets.
4. Vary Grip Training: Even when using straps for heavy working sets, consider incorporating grip-specific accessory work (e.g., farmer's walks, plate pinches, static holds) on non-deadlift days to ensure continued grip development.

Conclusion and Key Takeaways

Lifting straps, when used judiciously and strategically, can be a valuable tool in the advanced stages of a Starting Strength lifter's journey, particularly for the deadlift. They enable continued progressive overload on the primary movers when grip strength becomes the sole limiting factor, preventing stagnation. However, their use should be a last resort, not a first choice, to ensure that the fundamental and critical aspect of grip strength is developed alongside overall body strength, aligning with the core principles of the Starting Strength methodology. Prioritize raw grip, progress through grip variations, and only then consider straps to break through genuine plateaus.