Who all uses straps anyway? I use straps on rows, deads and mat pulls. Use them on pulldowns whenever I get the chance. I get better lat activation with them than without.
^I use straps on heavy rows, weighted pullups or rack pulls. The only thing I will never use them on are deadlifts. I just like to rely on my grip for that. I dont personally think anything is wrong with wearing them on deadlifts, I just dont do it myself.
[quote]T3hPwnisher wrote:
Who all uses straps anyway? I use straps on rows, deads and mat pulls. Use them on pulldowns whenever I get the chance. I get better lat activation with them than without.[/quote]
I used straps when I needed them. The goal was always to get strong enough to not need them.
chalk + straps is an awesome combo
I like them for shrugs, rows, and pulldowns as well. I’m capable of doing all my sets for back without them at all, but I use them as much as possible. The less you use your forearms and biceps, the more you use your back. My deads haven’t gotten near the level of yours pwnisher so I haven’t needed them yet, but I won’t hesitate to use them when I do need them.
I have started doing some extra forearm work for vanity.
[quote]browndisaster wrote:
chalk + straps is an awesome combo
I like them for shrugs, rows, and pulldowns as well. I’m capable of doing all my sets for back without them at all, but I use them as much as possible. The less you use your forearms and biceps, the more you use your back. My deads haven’t gotten near the level of yours pwnisher so I haven’t needed them yet, but I won’t hesitate to use them when I do need them.
I have started doing some extra forearm work for vanity.[/quote]
I think you’re actually looking at it backwards. I was able to build up to such weight on deads via my strap use, rather than needing straps because of the weights I used on deads. Straps allow me to pull double overhand and never let the bar drop, which means more of my focus is on the actual mechanics of the pull rather than worrying about holding onto the bar. Once I started using straps, my technique and strength really took off.
Definitely gotta hammer the grip work though.
[quote]T3hPwnisher wrote:
Definitely gotta hammer the grip work though.[/quote]
What sort of grip work do you do that you find specifically helps you in strengthening your deadlift grip?
I never looked at it that way. I haven’t had trouble with grip on deads as I’m not pulling huge numbers. I’ll try that out next session. I think my grip will keep up as long as I do some grip work every week.
[quote]Sparty. wrote:
[quote]T3hPwnisher wrote:
Definitely gotta hammer the grip work though.[/quote]
What sort of grip work do you do that you find specifically helps you in strengthening your deadlift grip?[/quote]
Big on Captains of Crush grippers. Timed holds and reps work well. I can close the 2 for reps, and get a few closes out of the 2.5.
[quote]Mike__Madden wrote:
I always over looked the saying “big back big bench” but reading the article posted yesterday " Tips from an 800 pound bencher" or something like that, I realized my back is a weak point on me. On monday’s I do barbell rows and friday I do lat pull down and sitting cable rows. Are they good ones to get a huge strong back? If not let me know some exercises and a ball park range of sets/reps.[/quote]
My back has gotten so much stronger since changing the way I train. Replace lat pulldowns with chin ups, it doesn’t matter if you can’t do many, just do more sets instead (6-10x3 ect…). Also try high rep dumbbell rows (30x2-3), some people call them kroc rows. They seemed to put on alot of size and strength in a short space of time.
After reading these 6 pages and seeing the various back pictures (good work everybody) and training tips, I have come to the conlcusion that my back is pathetically weak and small, and that should be the focus of my training once my lower back heals and I finish up this conditioining phase.
I’m thinking high rep lat pulldowns (really feeling the pump), BW pullups, Weight pullups for low reps to get stronger, and high rep DB rows. BB and T-Bar rows put too much torque on my lower back, unfortunately.
[quote]Bailey H wrote:
[quote]Mike__Madden wrote:
I always over looked the saying “big back big bench” but reading the article posted yesterday " Tips from an 800 pound bencher" or something like that, I realized my back is a weak point on me. On monday’s I do barbell rows and friday I do lat pull down and sitting cable rows. Are they good ones to get a huge strong back? If not let me know some exercises and a ball park range of sets/reps.[/quote]
My back has gotten so much stronger since changing the way I train. Replace lat pulldowns with chin ups, it doesn’t matter if you can’t do many, just do more sets instead (6-10x3 ect…). Also try high rep dumbbell rows (30x2-3), some people call them kroc rows. They seemed to put on alot of size and strength in a short space of time. [/quote]
Nice to see someone else on the pull up/chin up side. Since everyone seems to be on board with this high rep dumbbell row deal, I’ve started trying it out; I guess we’ll see how my gains go! I definitely enjoy the feeling I get from grinding out a high rep set.
[quote]MattyXL wrote:
[quote]Aragorn wrote:
MattyXL–You do dumbbell rows for 15-20…I’m surprised that you haven’t trying to run up the weight on those high rep rows Kroc style (or maybe you had and decided against it, since you mentioned heavy rows ~140+ didn’t help, but it sounded like you were low repping those??). I friggin love Kroc rows, they made my back a lot thicker. I’m not doing them currently, but I do love to go back to them. Anyway, you’re a thick bastard so awesome job you roid monkey (Joking joking…for anybody with sarcasm fail)[/quote]
Sooo what your saying is stop being a pussy and rep out the heavier DBs LOL! Your right bro, I will definitely revisit Kroc Rows.[/quote]
Yes. Cowboy the fuck up and get the 150’s for 25. 
my all time best was 150s for 35-37 i believe. Btw, if you’ve got trap envy i have shoulder envy. Your avatar has fucking boulders.
[quote]AnytimeJake wrote:
The insurance won’t change unless someone hurts themself, I worry about the kid that has to lift the biggest DB he see’s, the handle seems like a good solution, but guys will want two for pressing, and if they’re pressing, I’d rather they were fixed DB’s, this is the debate I have, for two years I have been putting this off, out of 700 members, mabey 4-5 could really handle over 100lb properly, but everyone will try.
Myself I just grab the end of the T Bar with one hand (Meadow Row) works fine, but the guys that want them bug me everyday,can’t please em all[/quote]
One arm t bar rows are epic. I started doing them when my gym ran out of heavy dumbbells for me. As for your internal debate, the best compromise is a pair of dumbbell handles. They work just fine if you clip them and a pair is something like 140 buvks plus shipping if you shop around. I really don’t think there’s a need for 200 lb db’s, although i personally would really like 150s around my gym. but to be honest, the guys who would use them probably shouldnt bitch about adjustable handles…they can make them as heavy as they want. I’d just tell them you flat can’t afford to get sets of db up to 200 but that you got the handles specifically for them. They’ll appreciate it if theyre not dicks. I would.
Hammer Strength equipment has made wide lats way easier to get.
[quote]T3hPwnisher wrote:
[quote]browndisaster wrote:
chalk + straps is an awesome combo
I like them for shrugs, rows, and pulldowns as well. I’m capable of doing all my sets for back without them at all, but I use them as much as possible. The less you use your forearms and biceps, the more you use your back. My deads haven’t gotten near the level of yours pwnisher so I haven’t needed them yet, but I won’t hesitate to use them when I do need them.
I have started doing some extra forearm work for vanity.[/quote]
I think you’re actually looking at it backwards. I was able to build up to such weight on deads via my strap use, rather than needing straps because of the weights I used on deads. Straps allow me to pull double overhand and never let the bar drop, which means more of my focus is on the actual mechanics of the pull rather than worrying about holding onto the bar. Once I started using straps, my technique and strength really took off.
Definitely gotta hammer the grip work though.[/quote]
thanks for the advice, I gave it a try but my straps came loose and I was better off with chalk (my grip hasn’t limited me at all yet) I’ll try it next week once my new straps come in
[quote]Professor X wrote:
Hammer Strength equipment has made wide lats way easier to get.[/quote]
has your back workout helped with benching and deadlifting? I haven’t noticed a carryover with deadlifting
[quote]browndisaster wrote:
has your back workout helped with benching and deadlifting? I haven’t noticed a carryover with deadlifting[/quote]
With benching, hell yes.
My shoulders and back had to get really big to bench really big. And I am talking about lifting big where your chest actually does most of the load. Most of the vids I have seen show people NOT focusing on their chest but just getting the weight in the air.
There is a giant difference between “lifting” 350lbs and “lifting 350lbs with great form under control where your chest is actually doing most of the work”.
[quote]Professor X wrote:
[quote]browndisaster wrote:
has your back workout helped with benching and deadlifting? I haven’t noticed a carryover with deadlifting[/quote]
With benching, hell yes.
My shoulders and back had to get really big to bench really big. And I am talking about lifting big where your chest actually does most of the load. Most of the vids I have seen show people NOT focusing on their chest but just getting the weight in the air.
There is a giant difference between “lifting” 350lbs and “lifting 350lbs with great form under control where your chest is actually doing most of the work”.
[/quote]
Do you even realize you’re posting in the powerlifting forum? lol
[quote]Caltene wrote:
[quote]Professor X wrote:
[quote]browndisaster wrote:
has your back workout helped with benching and deadlifting? I haven’t noticed a carryover with deadlifting[/quote]
With benching, hell yes.
My shoulders and back had to get really big to bench really big. And I am talking about lifting big where your chest actually does most of the load. Most of the vids I have seen show people NOT focusing on their chest but just getting the weight in the air.
There is a giant difference between “lifting” 350lbs and “lifting 350lbs with great form under control where your chest is actually doing most of the work”.
[/quote]
Do you even realize you’re posting in the powerlifting forum? lol[/quote]
Yes, I do…but I was simply making a point. That point being that building my back up (along with shoulders) gave me much greater control with the weight than just focusing on chest alone.
I am sure that info may help someone…if people like you would let it.