I was watching the video of Fankhouser training chest 5 weeks out from the NY Pro and it appears he uses straps to tie himself to the bar on his barbell pressing exercise. So, i gave it a try today in the gym on the lighter sets. Despite not having a great day in the gym, the lighter sets felt very light as the bar was tight in my hands. It allowed me to bench suicide grip and get an awesome grip on the bar. I was wondering, has anyone else tried this?
A lot of guys at my gym use chalk when they get up to heavier weights. Seems like straps would serve a similar purpose, maybe even better - not sure if they could be used in a PL comp though, where as chalk could.
[quote]adam_medic wrote:
I was watching the video of Fankhouser training chest 5 weeks out from the NY Pro and it appears he uses straps to tie himself to the bar on his barbell pressing exercise. So, i gave it a try today in the gym on the lighter sets. Despite not having a great day in the gym, the lighter sets felt very light as the bar was tight in my hands. It allowed me to bench suicide grip and get an awesome grip on the bar. I was wondering, has anyone else tried this?[/quote]
I use chalk and try to get the strongest grip as I can before I unrack the bar, helps a lot. Straps would probably help more, but i dont like using them unless I need to because I want a strong grip/big forearms.
I uses chalk to prevent my hands from sliding outward while benching. If you use a wide grip it sweaty palms can be a problem.
i can understand chalk on a bench and have seen it many times, but this to me seems something very different. From a bodybuilding perspective where one can train with straps without fear of not being allowed to use them in competition, do you think this looks an interesting concept. I think i forgot to post the link…
http://www.erikfankhouser.net/www.erikfankhouser.net/NY_pro_training_video.html
I know 2 big guys that pretty much wear straps in the gym 24/7. I think it’s just out of habit and a mental comfort kinda thing more than anything.
having watched through the video, he is also using straps to tie himself to the dip bars and on the dumbells for flat db press…
I use chalk on heavier sets since my hands seem to get sweaty easily. Nothing worse than missing a lift from a sweaty grip.
i don’t think people are understanding what i mean. There’s a link in the 5th post, if you watch even a few minutes in, you’ll see how he wraps the bar before he benches.
[quote]adam_medic wrote:
i don’t think people are understanding what i mean. There’s a link in the 5th post, if you watch even a few minutes in, you’ll see how he wraps the bar before he benches.[/quote]
Using straps gives you a better grip, a better grip allows you to lift more weight (Even on pressing exercises). Chalk does the same thing, but to a lesser extent.
I watched that video for 2 minutes before I had to turn it off. Benching with straps just seems like one of the most useless things you can do.
used straps today for flat db bench, I liked it… I can’t explain it but it just seems to give you one less thing to focus on, and seems to prevent the db twisting around in your hand which is actually get super fucking annoying when I’m doing db shoulder presses. MIght seem stupid, but I’m keeping it. Will try on bar benching next time.
I don’t see exactly what the problem is with benching with straps and a suicide grip. I personally prefer a suicide grip as opposed to regular (sub-maximal loads) as I feel it more in the desired muscles, but tightness around the bar during a suicide grip is always unsettling and getting random spotters every set takes up a lot of time.
Suicide grip with a feeling of security sounds like a great idea, I don’t bench for forearm development anyways.
I sweat like an animal.
I use chalk for all lifts.
I chalk up on squat. Chalk your hands, throw a little on the back and shoulders and away you go.
[quote]Goodfellow wrote:
[quote]adam_medic wrote:
i don’t think people are understanding what i mean. There’s a link in the 5th post, if you watch even a few minutes in, you’ll see how he wraps the bar before he benches.[/quote]
Using straps gives you a better grip, a better grip allows you to lift more weight (Even on pressing exercises). Chalk does the same thing, but to a lesser extent. [/quote]
It also DISALLOWS one from developing a stronger grip with their bare hands, something that lesser developed people (most on this board) should get before they use straps as a crutch for every damn exercise.
[quote]Bricknyce wrote:
[quote]Goodfellow wrote:
[quote]adam_medic wrote:
i don’t think people are understanding what i mean. There’s a link in the 5th post, if you watch even a few minutes in, you’ll see how he wraps the bar before he benches.[/quote]
Using straps gives you a better grip, a better grip allows you to lift more weight (Even on pressing exercises). Chalk does the same thing, but to a lesser extent. [/quote]
It also DISALLOWS one from developing a stronger grip with their bare hands, something that lesser developed people (most on this board) should get before they use straps as a crutch for every damn exercise. [/quote]
Thats why I said earlier that I’d never use them unless I needed to.
[quote]Bricknyce wrote:
[quote]Goodfellow wrote:
[quote]adam_medic wrote:
i don’t think people are understanding what i mean. There’s a link in the 5th post, if you watch even a few minutes in, you’ll see how he wraps the bar before he benches.[/quote]
Using straps gives you a better grip, a better grip allows you to lift more weight (Even on pressing exercises). Chalk does the same thing, but to a lesser extent. [/quote]
It also DISALLOWS one from developing a stronger grip with their bare hands, something that lesser developed people (most on this board) should get before they use straps as a crutch for every damn exercise. [/quote]
[quote]Westclock wrote:
I sweat like an animal.
I use chalk for all lifts.
I chalk up on squat. Chalk your hands, throw a little on the back and shoulders and away you go.[/quote]
I do the same damn thing with squats. Throw it on the shoulders and traps mainly for the heavier sets. I get some weird looks, but I don’t give two shits because most people don’t lift anything that could crush them if they didn’t make the lift.
[quote]Bricknyce wrote:
[quote]Goodfellow wrote:
[quote]adam_medic wrote:
i don’t think people are understanding what i mean. There’s a link in the 5th post, if you watch even a few minutes in, you’ll see how he wraps the bar before he benches.[/quote]
Using straps gives you a better grip, a better grip allows you to lift more weight (Even on pressing exercises). Chalk does the same thing, but to a lesser extent. [/quote]
It also DISALLOWS one from developing a stronger grip with their bare hands, something that lesser developed people (most on this board) should get before they use straps as a crutch for every damn exercise. [/quote]
I dont think this is true at all. When I rack pull around 600lbs I need to use straps. Now I can do my earlier sets up to ~400lbs (double overhand) without straps. When I first started rack pulling I couldnt pull 300 without straps. Just because someone has straps on doesn’t mean they arent squeezing the shit out of the bar. It is very possible to use straps and still get a ridiculous forearm pump. Unless the person is strapping up and then pulling the weight with their hands completely open I can’t see how it would be a problem. The forearms still do a lot of the work even with straps on. It’s not like once someone gets up to whatever big weight and start to use straps that their forearms stop doing work.
Yes, it is likely true that someone pulling 600lbs raw will have a stronger grip than somoene doing it with straps but when pulling for multiple reps (6+) it would be a shame to miss reps because of grip failure, this goes for any development level.
[quote]BONEZ217 wrote:
[quote]Bricknyce wrote:
[quote]Goodfellow wrote:
[quote]adam_medic wrote:
i don’t think people are understanding what i mean. There’s a link in the 5th post, if you watch even a few minutes in, you’ll see how he wraps the bar before he benches.[/quote]
Using straps gives you a better grip, a better grip allows you to lift more weight (Even on pressing exercises). Chalk does the same thing, but to a lesser extent. [/quote]
It also DISALLOWS one from developing a stronger grip with their bare hands, something that lesser developed people (most on this board) should get before they use straps as a crutch for every damn exercise. [/quote]
I dont think this is true at all. When I rack pull around 600lbs I need to use straps. Now I can do my earlier sets up to ~400lbs (double overhand) without straps. When I first started rack pulling I couldnt pull 300 without straps. Just because someone has straps on doesn’t mean they arent squeezing the shit out of the bar. It is very possible to use straps and still get a ridiculous forearm pump. Unless the person is strapping up and then pulling the weight with their hands completely open I can’t see how it would be a problem. The forearms still do a lot of the work even with straps on. It’s not like once someone gets up to whatever big weight and start to use straps that their forearms stop doing work.
Yes, it is likely true that someone pulling 600lbs raw will have a stronger grip than somoene doing it with straps but when pulling for multiple reps (6+) it would be a shame to miss reps because of grip failure, this goes for any development level.
[/quote]
x2, I’d actually venture to say I get more forearm stimulation because I use straps. I use them for all pulling movements and when using straps I wrap up and hold the bar in my fingertips using a hook grip. The straps keep my grip from slipping, but I’m still holding a good bit of the weight in my curled fingertips. Try holding 80 pounds while making a fist then try holding 50 lbs in the tips of your fingers and see which is harder.