I use double overhand on all my warm ups and then alternate grip on the work sets. I have never tried him grip, I know @guineapig uses hook. I have never had an issue with my grip unless I do very high rep deadlifts which I rarely do.
Only way to get better without straps is to just do it. I find Chalk helps a lot when the weight gets heavier.
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Yeah - that’s my other excuse here…the gym I’m at is anti-chalk. I’m lining up the excuses. I should probably just bite the bullet and start doing them without.
With a bit of practice hook grip can be very secure. I’ve pulled 270kg with hook but grip security wise I’m confident of holding well into the 300s (maybe one day lel).
Unless u plan to compete or want to develop grip strength then is fine to use straps all the time. Hook grip isn’t really using real grip strength anyways and won’t develop grip strength in the same way as other grip styles.
Most hook pullers still use straps in training often especially on high rep sets. I’ve a pair of figure 8 straps I pull out when I dont want to use hook. There’s a few guys who can pull everything Including high rep sets with hook but there’s not really extra benefit vs using straps for that. Hook is for pulling 1-5 reps IMO.
Learning to hook grip is about practicing the technique and also exposing ur thumbs to some pressure to condition them. Once youve got this down then your hook is ready to go. Infinite grip strength. The hook grip itself will be secure enough for whatever you lift. Don’t need to train it up so much because is not really grip strength.
Took me about a month to make the switch when I first started powerlifting. U won’t need to scale back the weight at all while developing hook grip because u can always start with hook practice then throw on the straps later.
During this switch up period I did as much hook practice as I could and used straps when I needed. So like doing all the warm ups hook is a good idea. If ur thumbs are getting beat up you go straps. In a relatively short time you thumbs will get pretty conditioned. Then it becomes about maintenance of ur thumbs with judicious strap use
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@guineapig thanks for the detailed comments. That’s it, I’m sold. next pull session, I’m giving it a go. I’ll report back in due course.
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I like the enthusiasm but be chill. Don’t go too heavy at first. Take your time setting the hook. I like to give it a few tugs to pull the slack out of my hand and check that the grip is set right.
You’ll know you are doing it right if you aren’t getting excessive pain or pressure anywhere on your hand. Also should feel secure. Don’t go too light either because you need a certain amount of weight to practice. With light weights the tendency might be to just hold the bar as you normally would i.e. with your grip just with your thumb number instead of actually using the hook
Noted.
Yeah, when ever I have given it a try in the past I have just felt like my thumb joint is about to pop and that’s what has ultimately put me off of persisting with it.
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Maybe is too deep/high in ur hands/fingers. Depending on how long your fingers are could hang an inch or two lower
Hook grip works on friction so whatever u can do to increase that will help. Chalk is a classic especially if u sweat a lot. Chalk everything including the back of ur thumbs for max benefit.
Bar needs some knurling for hook to work. Doesn’t have to be anything crazy.
One trick I use rarely is to rough up the surface of your thumb nail because that’s a lot of surface area that is usually relatively smooth that’s involved. While you can use something shape like a utility knife to rough up your nails I prefer using the inside of my long nose plier where it’s ridged for grip.
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Couldn’t agree more about the thumb popping off feeling. I really need to devote more time to learning it though, because with only 4 fingers on my right hand I struggle above 70% of my max to pull double overhand.
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@steigs, I pull double overhand until I can’t and then grab the straps. Deadlifts are for picking up the most weight possible; not grip strength. Farmers walks can be your grip work.
I’ve tried hook grip but I don’t use it often. I’ll get one hand perfect but the other sucks. I find that athletic tape on the thumbs can help protect them a bit. It also increases the friction component.
Lastly, my hook grip feels “right” at the point where I’m about to drop the bar. My hands are big so gripping deep like a normal grip hurts. I end up setting my grip almost in my fingertips. I suggest trying to put the first section of your index finger on your thumb. It’s the pressure that actually locks in the grip.
Good luck.
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Monday 31st August week 3
Squat
Bar x 10
70 x 5
90 x 3
110 x 1
130 x 1
150 x 2 (330 lbs) RPE 8 ok
137.5 x 4 x 4 sets (303 lbs) RPE 7, 8, 7, 8
Felt ok tonight, maybe a little slow. Still happy with squats right now.
Bench
Bar x 10
70 x 5
90 x 2
95 x 8 x 4 sets (209 lbs) RPE 8, 8, 9, 9
These actually felt alright, shoulders a little sore but no problems. Good pump.
Bulgarians
65 x 9 x 3 sets (143 lbs)
These are still horrible !! Big stitch after the last set. Serious quad pump, legs were throbbing.
Oh press
Bar x 10
40 x 5
60 x 1
70 x 1 (154 lbs) RPE 8 little slow
62.5 x 5 x 4 sets (138 lbs) RPE 8, 9, 8, 9
Kept the rest short because it was getting late. All a little shaky but still alright.
All up a pretty good night. Feeling the accumulation of fatigue now though. Hopefully that is where all the gainz happen.
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@dagill2 thanks for posting the link to Mass made simple by Dan John in that other thread. I haven’t read this before and it is a great article. Doesn’t exactly fit with my current training but gives me some good ideas to discuss with coach for when its time to add some weight.
The article is Mass Made Simple lite. The ebook is slightly different, although not massively so.
Also: watch out for the typo. Dan John doesn’t really want you to do 15 sets of 25 reps on back squat
Lol yes I thought that may be wrong. Figured it’s 2 sets like breathing squats, one of 20 and be if 15 (or whatever reps he said)
Pass, don’t know. I haven’t done that version.
I wasn’t going to run it but thinking some high rep squats and some sort of pump or capacity work like complexes might be able to be woven into my week !!
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Thursday 3rd September- week 3
Bench
Bar x 10
70 x 5
90 x 3
100 x 1
110 x 1
117.5 x 1 (259 lbs) RPE 9 not too bad
112.5 x 4 x 4 sets (248 lbs) 9, 10, 10, 11
Hard but OK. Kept the rest a little longer tonight and that helped get all the reps. The last rep of set 4 was a serious grinder, it stuck half way up and I was sure it would never go up. But after what seemed like a age and a small back cramp it crept up.
Squat
Bar x 10
70 x 5
90 x 3
110 x 2
125 x 6 x 3 sets (275 lbs) RPE 6, 7, 7
Legs were a bit sore but they moved fine. Still puffing hard at the end
Row
85 x 10 x 4 sets
Pull up / Abs roll outs
5 to 1 to 5 - one giant set… horrible
Great session today. Bench felt better than the last few weeks. I must be doing something right !!
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Vids from tonight
https://www.instagram.com/p/CEq_egQAoD4/?igshid=1rxydra11jllh
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great work simo!!!
Thanks Rob. Are you still training ? Do you have a log running at the moment?
That sounds awesome. And awful. Awesomeful. I might give it a whirl with toes to bar and… I’ll come up with something.
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