I am a bit over 160 pounds, doing deadlifts with mixed grip with 253 pounds for 7-8 reps. Not much… my maximum is maybe 2x bodyweight.
But now my grip is giving up. I already am doing shrugs with wrist wraps, 155-165 pounds, for 12-15 (30 secs). When I stop doing Dls also, then my grip won’t get better or something? Isn’t this bad when I start using wrist wraps that soon?
I know people dl over 300 without wraps, some guys even with an overhand grip. Btw I pause at bottom on each rep, get a good grip again, do my rep, then grip and so on. On the last reps I pull the bar up and lock out, and the bars falls off my hands. And this makes hell lot of NOISE! And throwing weights is against gym rules.
So is this bad to use straps, will I be a weakgripped moron forever then? I will be shamed next week when I use straps with this weight
does your gym allow chalk? It makes a big difference for a lot of guys when deadlifting. Keeps your hands from getting too sweaty and slick on the bar.
Also, have you tried the hook grip? When you grab the bar, instead of your thumb wrapping over your fingers, try putting the thumb against the bar and your fingers wrapping over it. like this
it hurts like hell at first, but once you get used to it, it helps a lot.
You can also do heavy rack lockouts and static holds. Set the safety bars in a power rack at somewhere around knee height (the higher the pins the easier and the more weight you can use). Then just deadlift from there and hold at the top. Either set a time to hold or just go until your grip gives out. You should be able to use a lot more weight than you can deadlift (I’ve pulled almost 600 lbs from above the knee with no straps or chalk, and my max DL from the floor is only 365).
There are also tons of other great grip exercises, farmers walks, plate pinches, wrist rollers, wrist curls, etc… Hell, even just static hangs from a pull-up bar. Just grab the bar and hang from it until you can’t hold on any longer, then count to ten before letting go.
Also, really squeeze the bar on every lift, whether it’s taxing your grip or not. Pretend your trying to squeeze right through it. It’ll help.
You are going to get two schools of thought on this one. The first is going to say don’t use straps, they will promote grip weakness. The second will say use straps, your grip is going to limit your maximal lifts.
I belong to the first school of thought. I don’t use straps, gloves, belts or wraps. You can do grip strengthening exercises, wrist curls and extensions, plate grips, grippers, etc. to bring your strength up.
When DLing start with a double overhand grip and stick with it until you feel grip is the limiting factor, then switch to an alternating grip and continue to work your way up in weight. Also, Rack Pulls have helped my grip. Set the pins at or just above knee height and pull just like a DL. On the last rep, hold it for as long as you can.
Only you can decide whether or not you want to use straps. If you are going to use them, only do it on you heaviest sets, and realize that you will become dependant on them. Same goes for shrugs.
[quote]m0dd3r wrote:
does your gym allow chalk? It makes a big difference for a lot of guys when deadlifting. Keeps your hands from getting too sweaty and slick on the bar.
Also, have you tried the hook grip? When you grab the bar, instead of your thumb wrapping over your fingers, try putting the thumb against the bar and your fingers wrapping over it. like this
it hurts like hell at first, but once you get used to it, it helps a lot.
You can also do heavy rack lockouts and static holds. Set the safety bars in a power rack at somewhere around knee height (the higher the pins the easier and the more weight you can use). Then just deadlift from there and hold at the top. Either set a time to hold or just go until your grip gives out. You should be able to use a lot more weight than you can deadlift (I’ve pulled almost 600 lbs from above the knee with no straps or chalk, and my max DL from the floor is only 365).
There are also tons of other great grip exercises, farmers walks, plate pinches, wrist rollers, wrist curls, etc… Hell, even just static hangs from a pull-up bar. Just grab the bar and hang from it until you can’t hold on any longer, then count to ten before letting go.
Also, really squeeze the bar on every lift, whether it’s taxing your grip or not. Pretend your trying to squeeze right through it. It’ll help.
Seems like you’ve got a lot of great suggestions already, but I’ll toss one more in. My grip got a lot better after using towels to create a ‘fat bar’ for use during chins and other exercises. My gym doesn’t have oversized bars, and I read on here of people using this instead. It really helped. Might be worth a shot.
Do specific grip training once or twice a week, and not after upper body training, but after legs when your grip is still fresh, or in a mini-workout of its own.
Use chalk.
don’t use straps or gloves unless you are a pussy.
I dont use mixed grip and have never had a problem deadlifting at all. My forearms aren’t exactly big either. If I were you I would deadlift to your max with straps. Then when your done deadlift a little less than your max but dont use straps and dont pause just keep going.
[quote]Deadend66 wrote:
I dont use mixed grip and have never had a problem deadlifting at all. My forearms aren’t exactly big either. If I were you I would deadlift to your max with straps. Then when your done deadlift a little less than your max but dont use straps and dont pause just keep going.[/quote]
I’m not trying to bust your chops here, but how much are you deadlifting in relation to your bodyweight?
I will add to what Sabre T said.
( Using a towel to add size, so you have to work harder.) Try taking a heavy towel, drape it over a chin bar, or whatever, and hang from the towel.
Works the grip excellent. Also for a warm up, take a plate, ( which ever weight you feel comfortable with ), hold it in one hand, pinch grip, pass it behind the back, grab it with the other hand, bring it around, and repeat. Switch directions if you like, or just go back and forth from side to side…lots of variety !!
[quote]Gripper wrote:
I will add to what Sabre T said.
( Using a towel to add size, so you have to work harder.) Try taking a heavy towel, drape it over a chin bar, or whatever, and hang from the towel.
Works the grip excellent. Also for a warm up, take a plate, ( which ever weight you feel comfortable with ), hold it in one hand, pinch grip, pass it behind the back, grab it with the other hand, bring it around, and repeat. Switch directions if you like, or just go back and forth from side to side…lots of variety !![/quote]
Just make sure you don’t drop the plate…on your toes!
