CT,
When I train deadlifts I prefer to use double overhand over mixed for balance. I find my grip is not always able to hold up and often gives before my actual strength. Would it be acceptable to use straps when training for strength primarily or should I just go mixed grip?
Thanks!
Hook grip!
[quote]Chigishev wrote:
CT,
When I train deadlifts I prefer to use double overhand over mixed for balance. I find my grip is not always able to hold up and often gives before my actual strength. Would it be acceptable to use straps when training for strength primarily or should I just go mixed grip?
Thanks![/quote]
If you are only training for yourself and not going to compete then do double overhand with straps once you get to your heaviest sets.
I use hook grip + chalk for all my warm-ups til I reach about 90% of that day’s effort.
Use hook grip + chalk and tape your thumb with athletic tape helps if it hurts too much at the beginning. You will acclimate over time.
When I stopped doing the olympic lifts I began using straps for almost everything and I can easily make a case for them:
However, now that I’m getting back into the olympic lifts I am quickly finding out that grip strength is important and that keeping strong hands has more pros than cons.
So here are my recommendations:
ON DEADLIFTS: Use a normal grip for as long as you can. During your ramp, when the regular grip starts to fail, switch to a hook grip and keep ramping with it for as long as you can. When the hook grip is not strong enough (if you get there) use straps.
ON HIGH PULLS: I always use straps on these as the potential for tearing calluses is very high. You can go strapless, using a hook grip for lighter sets, but anything moderate to heavy I’d use straps.
ON OLYMPIC LIFT VARIATIONS: No straps with any olympic lift from the floor, use either a normal grip or a hook grip. You can use straps when doing olympic lifts from the hang or complexes involving lifts from the hang. From blocks use a normal or hook grip as much as you can, use straps only if grip is failing. POSSIBLE EXCEPTION: If you are snatching every single day you can use straps once in a while to avoid hand wear and tear. NEVER use straps with clean.
ON ROWS OR PULLDOWNS: You can use straps provided that you are including strapless work on big movements in your training OR doing a lot of grip work.
[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:
When I stopped doing the olympic lifts I began using straps for almost everything and I can easily make a case for them:
However, now that I’m getting back into the olympic lifts I am quickly finding out that grip strength is important and that keeping strong hands has more pros than cons.
So here are my recommendations:
ON DEADLIFTS: Use a normal grip for as long as you can. During your ramp, when the regular grip starts to fail, switch to a hook grip and keep ramping with it for as long as you can. When the hook grip is not strong enough (if you get there) use straps.
ON HIGH PULLS: I always use straps on these as the potential for tearing calluses is very high. You can go strapless, using a hook grip for lighter sets, but anything moderate to heavy I’d use straps.
ON OLYMPIC LIFT VARIATIONS: No straps with any olympic lift from the floor, use either a normal grip or a hook grip. You can use straps when doing olympic lifts from the hang or complexes involving lifts from the hang. From blocks use a normal or hook grip as much as you can, use straps only if grip is failing. POSSIBLE EXCEPTION: If you are snatching every single day you can use straps once in a while to avoid hand wear and tear. NEVER use straps with clean.
ON ROWS OR PULLDOWNS: You can use straps provided that you are including strapless work on big movements in your training OR doing a lot of grip work.[/quote]
that is a ton of great info.
forgive me , but what is a hook grip?
and maybe its just me, but i really dont like straps on pulls. maybe im not strong enough. dunno.
maybe its because for 40 years, i like to “feel the bar”. i even use my fingers.
maybe as a former shotputter. the finger snap used to add about 2 feet to the throw.
[quote]domcib wrote:
[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:
When I stopped doing the olympic lifts I began using straps for almost everything and I can easily make a case for them:
However, now that I’m getting back into the olympic lifts I am quickly finding out that grip strength is important and that keeping strong hands has more pros than cons.
So here are my recommendations:
ON DEADLIFTS: Use a normal grip for as long as you can. During your ramp, when the regular grip starts to fail, switch to a hook grip and keep ramping with it for as long as you can. When the hook grip is not strong enough (if you get there) use straps.
ON HIGH PULLS: I always use straps on these as the potential for tearing calluses is very high. You can go strapless, using a hook grip for lighter sets, but anything moderate to heavy I’d use straps.
ON OLYMPIC LIFT VARIATIONS: No straps with any olympic lift from the floor, use either a normal grip or a hook grip. You can use straps when doing olympic lifts from the hang or complexes involving lifts from the hang. From blocks use a normal or hook grip as much as you can, use straps only if grip is failing. POSSIBLE EXCEPTION: If you are snatching every single day you can use straps once in a while to avoid hand wear and tear. NEVER use straps with clean.
ON ROWS OR PULLDOWNS: You can use straps provided that you are including strapless work on big movements in your training OR doing a lot of grip work.[/quote]
that is a ton of great info.
forgive me , but what is a hook grip?
and maybe its just me, but i really dont like straps on pulls. maybe im not strong enough. dunno.
maybe its because for 40 years, i like to “feel the bar”. i even use my fingers.
maybe as a former shotputter. the finger snap used to add about 2 feet to the throw.
[/quote]
Hey dom:
Try the Internet machine, search engine, ‘hook grip’ and look at images.
Basically it’s a way to lift more weight and put your arms in a better position for heavy pulls.
Painful at first, addicting afterwards…
Cheers,
M
[quote]Mutsanah wrote:
[quote]domcib wrote:
[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:
When I stopped doing the olympic lifts I began using straps for almost everything and I can easily make a case for them:
However, now that I’m getting back into the olympic lifts I am quickly finding out that grip strength is important and that keeping strong hands has more pros than cons.
So here are my recommendations:
ON DEADLIFTS: Use a normal grip for as long as you can. During your ramp, when the regular grip starts to fail, switch to a hook grip and keep ramping with it for as long as you can. When the hook grip is not strong enough (if you get there) use straps.
ON HIGH PULLS: I always use straps on these as the potential for tearing calluses is very high. You can go strapless, using a hook grip for lighter sets, but anything moderate to heavy I’d use straps.
ON OLYMPIC LIFT VARIATIONS: No straps with any olympic lift from the floor, use either a normal grip or a hook grip. You can use straps when doing olympic lifts from the hang or complexes involving lifts from the hang. From blocks use a normal or hook grip as much as you can, use straps only if grip is failing. POSSIBLE EXCEPTION: If you are snatching every single day you can use straps once in a while to avoid hand wear and tear. NEVER use straps with clean.
ON ROWS OR PULLDOWNS: You can use straps provided that you are including strapless work on big movements in your training OR doing a lot of grip work.[/quote]
that is a ton of great info.
forgive me , but what is a hook grip?
and maybe its just me, but i really dont like straps on pulls. maybe im not strong enough. dunno.
maybe its because for 40 years, i like to “feel the bar”. i even use my fingers.
maybe as a former shotputter. the finger snap used to add about 2 feet to the throw.
[/quote]
Hey dom:
Try the Internet machine, search engine, ‘hook grip’ and look at images.
Basically it’s a way to lift more weight and put your arms in a better position for heavy pulls.
Painful at first, addicting afterwards…
Cheers,
M[/quote]
just did
that really helps?
ill have ro try it.
should i practice with it on lighter weights? different exercises?
thanks
[quote]domcib wrote:
[quote]Mutsanah wrote:
[quote]domcib wrote:
[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:
When I stopped doing the olympic lifts I began using straps for almost everything and I can easily make a case for them:
However, now that I’m getting back into the olympic lifts I am quickly finding out that grip strength is important and that keeping strong hands has more pros than cons.
So here are my recommendations:
ON DEADLIFTS: Use a normal grip for as long as you can. During your ramp, when the regular grip starts to fail, switch to a hook grip and keep ramping with it for as long as you can. When the hook grip is not strong enough (if you get there) use straps.
ON HIGH PULLS: I always use straps on these as the potential for tearing calluses is very high. You can go strapless, using a hook grip for lighter sets, but anything moderate to heavy I’d use straps.
ON OLYMPIC LIFT VARIATIONS: No straps with any olympic lift from the floor, use either a normal grip or a hook grip. You can use straps when doing olympic lifts from the hang or complexes involving lifts from the hang. From blocks use a normal or hook grip as much as you can, use straps only if grip is failing. POSSIBLE EXCEPTION: If you are snatching every single day you can use straps once in a while to avoid hand wear and tear. NEVER use straps with clean.
ON ROWS OR PULLDOWNS: You can use straps provided that you are including strapless work on big movements in your training OR doing a lot of grip work.[/quote]
that is a ton of great info.
forgive me , but what is a hook grip?
and maybe its just me, but i really dont like straps on pulls. maybe im not strong enough. dunno.
maybe its because for 40 years, i like to “feel the bar”. i even use my fingers.
maybe as a former shotputter. the finger snap used to add about 2 feet to the throw.
[/quote]
Hey dom:
Try the Internet machine, search engine, ‘hook grip’ and look at images.
Basically it’s a way to lift more weight and put your arms in a better position for heavy pulls.
Painful at first, addicting afterwards…
Cheers,
M[/quote]
just did
that really helps?
ill have ro try it.
should i practice with it on lighter weights? different exercises?
thanks[/quote]
I use it for deadlifts, high pulls, cleans, snatches and the like - not much else.
Helps tremendously. I have deadlifted 550lbs using hook grip + chalk. When I pulled 600 and 625, I used straps - cheater!
With just a standard overhand grip, the bar starts to slip on me somewhere in the mid 300’s…
You will slowly acclimate to the pressure on the thumb and your nail(s).
Try athletic tape on the thumb to help.
Sometimes my skin underneath my thumbnail separates from the nail and bleeds but that’s just a badge of honor I suppose…
Cheers,
M
CT, what straps would you recommend for Olympic lifts?
[quote]domcib wrote:
[quote]Mutsanah wrote:
[quote]domcib wrote:
[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:
When I stopped doing the olympic lifts I began using straps for almost everything and I can easily make a case for them:
However, now that I’m getting back into the olympic lifts I am quickly finding out that grip strength is important and that keeping strong hands has more pros than cons.
So here are my recommendations:
ON DEADLIFTS: Use a normal grip for as long as you can. During your ramp, when the regular grip starts to fail, switch to a hook grip and keep ramping with it for as long as you can. When the hook grip is not strong enough (if you get there) use straps.
ON HIGH PULLS: I always use straps on these as the potential for tearing calluses is very high. You can go strapless, using a hook grip for lighter sets, but anything moderate to heavy I’d use straps.
ON OLYMPIC LIFT VARIATIONS: No straps with any olympic lift from the floor, use either a normal grip or a hook grip. You can use straps when doing olympic lifts from the hang or complexes involving lifts from the hang. From blocks use a normal or hook grip as much as you can, use straps only if grip is failing. POSSIBLE EXCEPTION: If you are snatching every single day you can use straps once in a while to avoid hand wear and tear. NEVER use straps with clean.
ON ROWS OR PULLDOWNS: You can use straps provided that you are including strapless work on big movements in your training OR doing a lot of grip work.[/quote]
that is a ton of great info.
forgive me , but what is a hook grip?
and maybe its just me, but i really dont like straps on pulls. maybe im not strong enough. dunno.
maybe its because for 40 years, i like to “feel the bar”. i even use my fingers.
maybe as a former shotputter. the finger snap used to add about 2 feet to the throw.
[/quote]
Hey dom:
Try the Internet machine, search engine, ‘hook grip’ and look at images.
Basically it’s a way to lift more weight and put your arms in a better position for heavy pulls.
Painful at first, addicting afterwards…
Cheers,
M[/quote]
just did
that really helps?
ill have ro try it.
should i practice with it on lighter weights? different exercises?
thanks[/quote]
Try it with light weight deadlifts or rakc pulls to get used to the feeling, it takes a few sessions to get used to the feeling.
[quote]Mutsanah wrote:
Sometimes my skin underneath my thumbnail separates from the nail and bleeds but that’s just a badge of honor I suppose…
Cheers,
M[/quote]
I wrap my thumb with athletic tape to avoid that and give a slightly better grip
I’ve never been able to get my hook grip on par with my mixed grip. It’s always somewhere right in between my regular overhand and mixed. My hook grip just doesn’t feel as powerful or natural.
I always worry about a torn biceps with the supinated hand on a mixed grip. So I switched to over/over with straps. I don’t feel a mixed grip challenges your grip any more than straps do (both prevent roll out).
[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:
[quote]Mutsanah wrote:
Sometimes my skin underneath my thumbnail separates from the nail and bleeds but that’s just a badge of honor I suppose…
Cheers,
M[/quote]
I wrap my thumb with athletic tape to avoid that and give a slightly better grip[/quote]
My coach has said that growing your thumbnail to a length that would be slightly longer than what would normally be socially acceptable for a male helps the skin issue. He was right.
CT, If power lifting is our main goal, and straps obviously not being allowed, how would this progression work?
Double Overhand ramp until grip fails
Hook Grip
Mixed Grip with hands opposite of strongest grip
Mixed Grip used in competition
Straps if able to go higher
[quote]PaddyD wrote:
CT, If power lifting is our main goal, and straps obviously not being allowed, how would this progression work?
Double Overhand ramp until grip fails
Hook Grip
Mixed Grip with hands opposite of strongest grip
Mixed Grip used in competition
Straps if able to go higher
[/quote]
Yes, I like that form of progression very much, and always trying to delay the “moving on” to the next strongest grip to get the hands stronger. Great way to improve grip strength with no additional work.