Closed Grip Training with straps...WTF!?

[Jay Cook]

Using a closed or alternate grip is a great way to improve your grip strength on big heavy lifts like the deadlift - there's no secret about that.

BUT, it's always a bit of an injury risk, as it buts your pelvis and lumbar at a slightly twisted angle, AND puts stress on the supinated/palm-up forearm and biceps - where it is always at a greater risk for a tear.


So if you're using straps to close your grip and improve the grip strength, WHY would you use an alternate grip?? Straps close the grip and allow the hands to stay pronated and keep back and biceps to stay safer...

using straps and an alternate grip seems nonsensical to me.


And the argument "ronnie coleman does it" doesn't take away from the apparent increased risk:sammich:

[Lock it Up]

Are you talking about the ISOM? If so, then I don't see the reason for the thread.


If you mean you train like that all that time, then ya, that's bad. Agreed.

But for one all out set for prizes? Uh, ya, I'm doing whatever allows me to hold onto the bar...

...of course I am referring to myself .

But you're 100% right otherwise. Big risk, not really worth it.

[Jay Cook]

IMO it's completely irrelevant. An alternate grip with straps won't be any stronger than a regular grip with straps. I've seen it in a few videos all over the place, and a couple in the ISOM vids as well.


Risk+reward=doesn't add up.

Either deadlift like a man (powerlifter speaking) and leave your straps in your bag, OR use then but use them safely

[theroymccoy]

Heh...I do this. If I could do it all over again I'd do it both pronated, but I'm too comfortable doing it over-under + straps. Kinda hard to undo 10 years of habit I suppose.

IMO it's completely irrelevant. An alternate grip with straps won't be any stronger than a regular grip with straps. I've seen it in a few videos all over the place, and a couple in the ISOM vids as well.


Risk+reward=doesn't add up.

Either deadlift like a man (powerlifter speaking) and leave your straps in your bag, OR use then but use them safely

Ehh...you think so? Not too sure about that...I can barely do 405 lb. shrugs because the bars rolling off my fingers with a double-pronated + straps, yet I can dead 5+ for reps with plenty of grip strength left (I do over-under + straps with those).

[Lock it Up]

I know for a fact my grip is stronger that way, Jay. Since I'm not a powerlifter, I could care less about doing it like a "man" I guess?

Silly argument? Tomatoes tomatoes?

[Jay Cook]

sure boys, we'll call it at that. i'm not gonna get into an argument here.

[Michael Travis]

I used to be hesitant to use straps in my deads for fear of not being "manly" enough, then I tweaked my back, and I think it was most likely due to what Jay says about the pelvic/lumbar region being slightly angled awkwardly.. I have since been using straps with both hands pronated and, admittedly I am not using the same weight, I think its more due to still slightly recovering from the injury issue, as I have not noticed a grip problem yet, so hopefully I can work back up to the same weight as before without doing mixed... I was just wondering for those that do use straps do you also ever use chalk? I notice that since I started using straps I haven't really felt like I need chalk... then again, this could circle back to the fact that I am still using less weight...


MT

[ShinjiG]

Yeah do it like a man (powerlifter style), with your DL suit, baby powder on your legs, chalk on your hands, and a weight belt. But somehow straps are a no no.

[JohnCaesar]

Yeah do it like a man (powerlifter style), with your DL suit, baby powder on your legs, chalk on your hands, and a weight belt. But somehow straps are a no no.

Quite a correct statement you have made here. Why yes, in every powerlifting competition rulebook I have encountered, straps were not legal for competition use. The suit is only legal in equipped divisions as well.

[thedunhill225]

Yeah do it like a man (powerlifter style), with your DL suit, baby powder on your legs, chalk on your hands, and a weight belt. But somehow straps are a no no.

Beat me to it.... But left out the briefs (manly?), wraps, smelling salt, etc...I always find the power lifters that make the straps ain't manly argument funny as hell.

Anyway the "safety argument seems just as funny to me cause from the first day I did deads I alternated grips...and I switch from set to set...sure on my heaviest set my rt is under/ left is over but building up to that set I switch each set.

Now what's safer?

Doing something I first started.doing almost 28 years ago (yea I've taken many long breaks)

OR

Trying to do something a completely different way than I've ever done it??

Keep in mind that I have never injured myself doing deads...never had any injury I would consider serious in the gym at all.

I wear a belt (recent addition since back surgery, work injury) and straps...that's it. So keep "lifting like a man" all you want... I'll just lift a lot of weight.

[-AJA14-]

I use alternate grip, and never thought about using straps. 1 thing I have seen in European videos is, they use alternate grip but switch the hands after every rep.

[trucelt]

WTF is wrong with this thread???

Jay knows more straight up sh** about deadlifting than maybe 2-3 people that frequent this site. The point is valid indeed, mixed grip= good, pronated grip +straps= good, mixed grip + straps=redundant and dangerous


Shin the next you squat 800 @198 in an official meet come tell Jay he doesnt know what hes talking about....
Dun ya i know youve "pullled 800" before, at the gym right? and probably weighing close to 3bills?

[steel1970]

He's 100% correct about safety. Dante's even said it as well....Especially when you are getting older and have lifted awhile....Dunhill, that means you...lol. It doesn't matter if you've lifted the same for all these years. All that means is that you may have some wear and tear that could surely be relevant to a biceps/biceps tendon injury. I have never liked an alternate grip. Even when I was young and could actually deadlift some weight, I always went overhand. I just felt it WAAAY too much in my biceps area.....

[Adam2433]

WTF is wrong with this thread???

Jay knows more straight up sh** about deadlifting than maybe 2-3 people that frequent this site. The point is valid indeed, mixed grip= good, pronated grip +straps= good, mixed grip + straps=redundant and dangerous


Shin the next you squat 800 @198 in an official meet come tell Jay he doesnt know what hes talking about....
Dun ya i know youve "pullled 800" before, at the gym right? and probably weighing close to 3bills?

Jay is knowledgable but he came across a little condescending.

[grammo13]

I popped out two ribs back in 2007 and the first thing the chiro said was "what'd u do, deadlift with an alternated grip?" Which is EXACTLY what I did lol, so since then no problems at all

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