I use a mixed grip when I pull. I also reverse hand position between sets. I find that one way is more comfortable, but the other way is stronger.
I alternate my grip each set on deadlifts. Grip strength is the link that always fails first for me in the deadlift. It seems I have more gripping ability when I alternate between sets.
[quote]NeelyDan wrote:
Not to hijack, but how much weight would you guys using straps say the straps add to your pulls?
I maxed out at 315 with no straps, and I’m wondering where my ceiling would be with them, with all other things being constants.[/quote]
They only help you if it is your grip that is stopping you from finishing the rep, if your back is giving out, straps won’t help. If I were you, I would keep pulling as long a you can without having to rely on straps so that you develop a good strong grip. There are plenty of people who can deadlift 700+ with double overhand grip.
I switch it up until I go real heavy (read: singles or maybe doubles), then it’s always right pronated left supinated.
for BB applications using straps and pulling double overhand seems like the better choice for building symmetrical musculature.
[quote]alien wrote:
i’ve read that deadlifting with an alternating grip puts tourque on the spine. i always use pronated grip on deadlifts. i quit with a the ego building a while back so i dont worry about the weight i’m moving so it doesnt have to be real close to my body.[/quote]
Deadlifting puts torque on the spine. It’s supposed to. The further the horizontal distance from the pelvis, the greater the torque. A longer moment arm (horizontal level) means increased torque. Keep the weight close.
The grip doesn’t change the torque; horizontal distance of bar from rotation point does.
[quote]NeelyDan wrote:
Not to hijack, but how much weight would you guys using straps say the straps add to your pulls?
I maxed out at 315 with no straps, and I’m wondering where my ceiling would be with them, with all other things being constants.[/quote]
Your lifts would go up only if grip strength were your limiting factor. I’ve done rack pulls at 580 with a mixed grip (BW under 198) and don’t struggle to hang on. I just put a picture up of my ‘sprocket deadlift’ in the ‘Brotherhood of Iron’ thread. That’s a garbage bar with knurling so shallow you’d think it appeared in People magazine. No chalk, cold bar, and everything BUT my grip hurt.
I use straps. My hands are always fucked after a lift, straps or not.
[quote]Doyle wrote:
I use a mix grip when I go heavy, if I’m doing 6 reps or more than I use double overhand.
When I use a mixed grip I switch each set. I have found one way is a bit more comfortable but both are equally strong and the more I do it the less it bothers me.
On a side note, a power lifter I know always uses a mixed grip and doesnt alternate wich hand is over or under, hasn’t worried him so far.[/quote]
I was just checking out the powerlifting australia web site and the guy I trained with holds the current Australian record for the deadlift in the 56kg division.
I feel slightly better about getting humiliated by him in the weight room now.
[quote]NeelyDan wrote:
Not to hijack, but how much weight would you guys using straps say the straps add to your pulls?
I maxed out at 315 with no straps, and I’m wondering where my ceiling would be with them, with all other things being constants.[/quote]
Anything over 350 and I start to struggle with grip (double over-hand). With straps I’ve done 500. So for me, it adds 150 pounds. But that depends 100% on the person.
I use a mixed grip. Underhand right, overhand left. I don’t get all this bicep tearing fear. Even after pulling ten singles about as heavy as I can go, I’ve never felt any bicep stress or pain. Hell, I usually do arms after deadlifts.
Wait, next week I’ll tear my bi!
In my opinion, I think the mixed grip would be best served for competiton and max attempts only. And even then, the heavier you go, tread lightly.
Countless powerlifters have torn bicep tendons and it’s always on the supinated arm side. This is a huge injury and you can be out months and may never be the same again.
I’ve been lucky to never injure it, but I definitely feel it in the lower bicep/tendon area the heavier and heavier I go. It’s been scary when you feel all that pressure on the tendon.
The double overhand grip is harder yes, but will not lead to imbalances and bicep injuries as the mechanics of the lift are in balance: the left side of the body mirrors the right side. The double overhand grip also develops a CRAZY strong grip because it takes the assistance of the bicep away.
If your mixed grip pull is tremendously higher than your pronated, the only thing that can be said is your grip is seriously lacking.
Why not use this weakness as an opportunity to get strong?
Personally, based on looking at my mixed grip max and pronated max, I know my grip is lacking.I want to have a grip lick a fucking vise so I would want the mixed grip to be equally as strong to the pronated max.
[quote]analog_kid wrote:
I use a mixed grip. Underhand right, overhand left. I don’t get all this bicep tearing fear. Even after pulling ten singles about as heavy as I can go, I’ve never felt any bicep stress or pain. Hell, I usually do arms after deadlifts.
Wait, next week I’ll tear my bi![/quote]
Can I ask how much you are pulling?
Also, I noticed from your profile you are quite tall so you might have more favorable leverages for the deadlift.
Also, do you pull sumo or conventional?
[quote]Catalyst Fitness wrote:
Your lifts would go up only if grip strength were your limiting factor. I’ve done rack pulls at 580 with a mixed grip (BW under 198) and don’t struggle to hang on. I just put a picture up of my ‘sprocket deadlift’ in the ‘Brotherhood of Iron’ thread. That’s a garbage bar with knurling so shallow you’d think it appeared in People magazine. No chalk, cold bar, and everything BUT my grip hurt.
[/quote]
Your grip is subsidized by using the mixed grip.
If you think grip strength is not a factor then do your rack pulls and deadlifts with a pronated grip and get back to me.
[quote]greekdawg wrote:
analog_kid wrote:
I use a mixed grip. Underhand right, overhand left. I don’t get all this bicep tearing fear. Even after pulling ten singles about as heavy as I can go, I’ve never felt any bicep stress or pain. Hell, I usually do arms after deadlifts.
Wait, next week I’ll tear my bi!
Can I ask how much you are pulling?
Also, I noticed from your profile you are quite tall so you might have more favorable leverages for the deadlift.
Also, do you pull sumo or conventional?[/quote]
Last workout was 5x2 @ 385 with chains. That was a pretty good effort for me. Sumo style.
I’m not saying it can’t and won’t happen, I’ve just never felt a bit of stress in my bicep. I have a pretty good deal of grip strength thanks to my job, I think this probably helps a bit here too. Again, knock on wood.
So today I went to a double overhand grip on some rack pulls, I pretty much just had to re-grip the bar every rep, which is good bc I have found myself bouncing the weight in the past. So it was fine I’ll probably try it that way for now on.
btw it was the first time I had ever done rack pulls, man do they ever work.
[quote]analog_kid wrote:
greekdawg wrote:
analog_kid wrote:
I use a mixed grip. Underhand right, overhand left. I don’t get all this bicep tearing fear. Even after pulling ten singles about as heavy as I can go, I’ve never felt any bicep stress or pain. Hell, I usually do arms after deadlifts.
Wait, next week I’ll tear my bi!
Can I ask how much you are pulling?
Also, I noticed from your profile you are quite tall so you might have more favorable leverages for the deadlift.
Also, do you pull sumo or conventional?
Last workout was 5x2 @ 385 with chains. That was a pretty good effort for me. Sumo style.
I’m not saying it can’t and won’t happen, I’ve just never felt a bit of stress in my bicep. I have a pretty good deal of grip strength thanks to my job, I think this probably helps a bit here too. Again, knock on wood.
[/quote]
OK, my best conventional deadlift in competition is 540 raw and I don’t consider myself by anymeans strong. But I think you will find, as your max deadlift weights climb higher and higher, the stress will only increase on the bicep tendon with the mixed grip. Not knocking you down, but having pulled alot more than you I think I have the experience and the right to say that.
I stand by my orignal post.
[quote]greekdawg wrote:
analog_kid wrote:
greekdawg wrote:
analog_kid wrote:
I use a mixed grip. Underhand right, overhand left. I don’t get all this bicep tearing fear. Even after pulling ten singles about as heavy as I can go, I’ve never felt any bicep stress or pain. Hell, I usually do arms after deadlifts.
Wait, next week I’ll tear my bi!
Can I ask how much you are pulling?
Also, I noticed from your profile you are quite tall so you might have more favorable leverages for the deadlift.
Also, do you pull sumo or conventional?
Last workout was 5x2 @ 385 with chains. That was a pretty good effort for me. Sumo style.
I’m not saying it can’t and won’t happen, I’ve just never felt a bit of stress in my bicep. I have a pretty good deal of grip strength thanks to my job, I think this probably helps a bit here too. Again, knock on wood.
OK, my best conventional deadlift in competition is 540 raw and I don’t consider myself by anymeans strong. But I think you will find, as your max deadlift weights climb higher and higher, the stress will only increase on the bicep tendon with the mixed grip. Not knocking you down, but having pulled alot more than you I think I have the experience and the right to say that.
I stand by my orignal post.[/quote]
Entirely possible. I guess I just assumed that if it was ok now, it would be ok later. Probably not the best logic in the world. Time will tell.
When I pull 520 I’ll let you know how my bicep feels. 
Sorry, should have mentioned that I compete at powerlifting primarily, so I don’t care how the bar gets up, as long as it’s within the rules of my feds.
I did them for a while but I never switched my grip. I had my left hand pronated and my right hand supinated. After a month or two though my right bicep was larger than my left and my left upper pec was more developed than my right.
Right now I’m DL’ing left hand sup. and right hand pro. to try to fix the imbalance. Once it’s fixed I’ll be switching every set though.
I switch grips after every set but only when I am going past 3+ plates; I find that there is a small (psychological boost?) increase in strength when my left hand is overhand w/right underhand (I’m LH, btw)
Based on some of the anecdotes I’ve read here I think I’ll use the supinated & double overhand variations more often now to avoid any future shoulder issues but when it is ME day mixed gip IMO is the way to go (& chalk/no straps, of course)
Funny how much more you can delude yourself when you are strapped into a DL 
I did that for a few years when I was younger & only for the past few years have “relearned” to DL w/out straps, only chalk or bareskin. Ego check for sure but my overall strength went up 