How many here pull with straps in training?

[SkinnyMike42]

Just curious if anyone does this to avoid injuries.

I pull mixed and I always feel "something" in my underhand arm bicep every time I pull heavy. It is not a pain, but the strain there is evident. I was thinking of pulling with hook grip or straps on every single set except for my top set....or possibly even just pulling with straps every time in training and only pull mixed in meets. My grip has never been an issue, so I am not sure if pulling mixed every time is necessary for me. I am 6'5" with HUGE hands.

[nator]

I only use straps if I am going for reps over 10. Have you tried switching your grip during warms ups? I used to train with a guy who had real bad arthritis and he did exactly what you are talking about. He used straps until his last warm up and his work sets. He also did the same thing at meets. He said it helped him save what little grip he had to begin with.

[SkinnyMike42]

I only use straps if I am going for reps over 10. Have you tried switching your grip during warms ups? I used to train with a guy who had real bad arthritis and he did exactly what you are talking about. He used straps until his last warm up and his work sets. He also did the same thing at meets. He said it helped him save what little grip he had to begin with.

Yes, I have been pulling with hook grip anything 405 and under, but I have not tried switching my right arm to the underhand arm...it just feels really awkward. It is when the sets get into the high 400/lower 500 range that I cannot hold the bar with hook, so I have to switch to mixed. With mixed grip, I feel like I can hold any weight imaginable. My only concern is I get a dull ache in my bicep area on my left arm after the sets which makes me think I am stressing it too much. The ache doesn't last longer than 10 seconds after the set, but it just concerns me.

[53greystreet]

Make sure you are flexing your triceps hard, this is key for bicep health. Also make sure the entire elbow is warmed up thoroughly. Try some ART on the area, does wonders for me.

Locking the triceps is the best thing you can do.

I pull with straps on rack pulls and RDL's.

[DOHCrazy]

I don't compete in powerlifting, so I use straps to stay healthy.

[Shawn "Future" Bellon]

Powerlifter so I don't use straps to keep working on my grip. Not opposed to it though. Do what you need to do for your goals and to stay healthy.

[titanium_spine]

I used to progressively warm-up with a pronated grip on the rack pulls & deadlift, and then when it gets too heavy - I used a mixed grip...

Until one day while doing the DL I heard a sound like a cloth is being ripped in my left biceps. Fortunately, it wasn't a tear... (and this happened during a heavier warm-up set, it wasn't even a work set).

Since then, I use a pronated grip on all the warm-up sets to keep my grip strong, and when it gets too heavy for that kind of grip - I use straps, and that's usually only on the heaviest work-set...

[ROB550]

Make sure you are flexing your triceps hard, this is key for bicep health. Also make sure the entire elbow is warmed up thoroughly. Try some ART on the area, does wonders for me.

Locking the triceps is the best thing you can do.

I pull with straps on rack pulls and RDL's.

Funny u say this about triceps because my triceps hurt worse after deadlifting then they do after chest and tri's! LOL

and Yes I dont pull often but when I do I use straps!

[SkinnyMike42]

I used to progressively warm-up with a pronated grip on the rack pulls & deadlift, and then when it gets too heavy - I used a mixed grip...

Until one day while doing the DL I heard a sound like a cloth is being ripped in my left biceps. Fortunately, it wasn't a tear... (and this happened during a heavier warm-up set, it wasn't even a work set).

Since then, I use a pronated grip on all the warm-up sets to keep my grip strong, and when it gets too heavy for that kind of grip - I use straps, and that's usually only on the heaviest work-set...

Thanks spine...

This convinced me to just pull with straps when my hook grip starts failing on my warmup sets. I will just pull mixed in meets only.

Funny u say this about triceps because my triceps hurt worse after deadlifting then they do after chest and tri's! LOL

and Yes I dont pull often but when I do I use straps!

Never tried this technique with the triceps, I will give it a go.

[MPC5000WATTS]

If you do meets you should continue to pull w/o straps anytime deadlifting, plain and simple. Warmup your bi's and tri's bf if you need to like Greystreet said and there isn't a problem using straps on assistance work only. I'll leave you with a good story, at a meet earlier I was neck and neck subtotal with a guy after bench was over; he saw my opener at that time of 551 and he asked how I could even hold on as he always used straps in training, I said "by not using straps" then left w the Best Lifter trophy

Just curious if anyone does this to avoid injuries.

I pull mixed and I always feel "something" in my underhand arm bicep every time I pull heavy. It is not a pain, but the strain there is evident. I was thinking of pulling with hook grip or straps on every single set except for my top set....or possibly even just pulling with straps every time in training and only pull mixed in meets. My grip has never been an issue, so I am not sure if pulling mixed every time is necessary for me. I am 6'5" with HUGE hands.

[SkinnyMike42]

If you do meets you should continue to pull w/o straps anytime deadlifting, plain and simple. Warmup your bi's and tri's bf if you need to like Greystreet said and there isn't a problem using straps on assistance work only. I'll leave you with a good story, at a meet earlier I was neck and neck subtotal with a guy after bench was over; he saw my opener at that time of 551 and he asked how I could even hold on as he always used straps in training, I said "by not using straps" then left w the Best Lifter trophy

Nice story, thanks. How do you warm up your biceps? do you just do like empty barbell curls or something?

[theroymccoy]

I've noticed that pull on the undergrip when doing over/under.

Once I started really going for the bicep stretch via incline bench (holding a dumbbell with the pinkies pressed against the plate, in a neutral/hammer grip and letting the side closest to thumb/index hang) the pain subsided during my deads.

[MPC5000WATTS]

SkinnyMike...to be honest I dont warm them up bf deading, I've been blessed to never have had an issue with them unlike my triceps (elbow tendonitis). When I do train bi's, I workup to max doubles-triples on dumbbell curls to really beat up the inside of my elbow and hopefully spur a little connective tissue growth, I like to call it prehab I'm using 75's not caring how I get it up and then controlling the negative, do not try this method without knowing what your doing and more than 1day/week

[53greystreet]

Nice story, thanks. How do you warm up your biceps? do you just do like empty barbell curls or something?

Hammer curls with very light weight, 10 lb dumbells for sets of 20. Usually 1 or 2 sets and I am ready

I also foam roll my bicep, tricep and forarem

[Zoroaster]

I don't lift very heavy yet, but I have found that since I pull mixed grip (I alternate for every rep during a set, if it's an odd numbered set i begin with a pronated grip or my "weaker side") mixed grip pull-ups have done wonders for my grip strength. That and pushing a floor buffer every night