What Are Deadlifting Straps and Why Do People Use Them?

The deadlift is one of the most popular barbell exercises. It is versatile and activates a wide range of muscle groups. You might have noticed a lot of people who do them using deadlifting straps when they do this exercise. 

Deadlifting straps, more generally called weightlifting straps, help you grip the barbell while doing various exercises. The straps wrap around your hands and wrists before wrapping around the bar. The goal is to minimize injury and slippage if your grip strength fails. 

 

How To Use Deadlift Straps

Deadlift straps are thick, durable straps with a small loop at one end. You snake the strap through the loop to create a circle that you can put around your wrist. Tighten the strap on your hand before looping the long end around the bar as many times as you prefer. Do this for both hands. 

From here, your hands should have a firm grip on the bar, allowing you to proceed with the exercise. When it comes to deadlifting, the bar will start on the ground, and you can perform the lift from there. 

Weightlifting straps are built for multiple exercises. However, the basic functionality of the straps will be the same, with the same looping system, regardless of what exercise you are doing. 

Deadliftinglifting straps function regardless of your stance and grip. Their simplicity allows you to adapt them to your needs when deadlifting. 

Weightlifting straps of any type are meant to assist you, not bear the weight for you. If you cannot handle the weight without dropping it, then for safety, you should switch to a lower weight instead of trying to push through it with brute force. 

 

Do Deadlifting Straps Work?

Now that you know what weightlifting straps are and how they work, it begs the question: should you use them? 

Deadlifting straps have several pros and cons, and they are not for everybody. Using straps for deadlifting is something that certain people will find helpful, while others will prefer not to use them. 

 

Pros of Deadlifting Straps

By using weightlifting straps, you can more efficiently isolate the muscles you are targeting. You have the option to turn your attention to the lower back and leg muscles as opposed to the muscles in your hands and forearms. This means that you do not have to wait for your grip strength to match your overall deadlift strength before you can move up in weight, giving you some extra room to grow. 

Weightlifting straps are also ideal for many additional exercises, including clean and jerks, squats, and rows. They are a versatile tool that allows you to take on many different exercises with a level of confidence you would not be able to attain as quickly without them. 

 

Cons of Deadlifting Straps

The tradeoff with deadlifting straps is that your grip strength will not continue progressing at the same rate as the rest of your muscles. In giving yourself the crutch of weightlifting straps, you are preventing your hands and forearms from strengthening as fast as they otherwise would. This can make any exercise that requires grip strength more difficult, and it can potentially nurture a reliance on straps. 

It is also essential to reiterate that weightlifting straps are not built to bear weight on their own, and they should not be a catalyst that causes you to go up in weight. Only lift a weight that you know you can carry without assistance, then you can use the straps to make it easier on your forearms and hands. 

 

What Are Other Lifts You Can Use Deadlifting Straps For?

Deadlifting straps are ideal for use when deadlifting, but there are several other lifts you can use them with. 

Straps are built for lifts where you pull on the bar — push exercises are not compatible. Attempting to utilize weightlifting straps during push exercises would not only be useless, but it could also be dangerous. Straps do not provide the same support in exercises that include presses. 

On the flip side, pull exercises that use barbells, dumbbells, and even body weight could use straps. You could benefit from using weightlifting straps with the following exercises:

• Rows: Rows engage your shoulders, triceps, biceps, chest, and back, all at once. They’re an excellent way to work multiple muscle groups at the same time, and you can do them with dumbbells, a barbell, or a machine. 

Wearing weightlifting straps while rowing can help you build up your strength over time.

• Pull-up bar exercises: Pull-ups are typically a bodyweight exercise, which means you’re lifting yourself instead of a heavy object. You can supplement your pull-ups with added weight or use a machine to make them easier. 

Using deadlift straps for pull-ups gives you a steadier grip. 

• Shrugs: Shrugs are a powerful exercise for your traps and shoulders. 

Maintaining a steady grip during a set of shrugs is essential, and deadlifting straps are indispensable for this reason.

 

Should You Use Weightlifting Straps?

Weightlifting straps are not for everyone, but there are people who could utilize them. If you have never thought about weightlifting straps and have never been concerned about grip strength, then there is no need to bother with straps. As a tool, they are meant to provide minor assistance with minimal overall impact, and there is no need to add them to the mix if you are not already looking for that kind of support. 

However, if you have found yourself frustrated by struggles with grip strength that keep you from lifting comfortably at a weight you know is safe, then it cannot hurt to purchase a set and to see if it works for you. A deadlift is a lift that is especially hard on the hands, so if you have sensitive skin or problems with the bar slipping, weightlifting straps could make the process considerably more comfortable. 

 

Conclusion

Weightlifting straps are a tool just like any other. They have their uses, and they are not suitable for every situation, but many people will appreciate their functionality. 

Weightlifting straps are not made to bear a lot of weight for you, and attempting to use them that way could result in injury. 

It is also worth noting that you could see a hit to your grip strength if you use straps as a crutch. With all this in mind, they are still an excellent tool for people who have trouble with grip and could use a little assistance. 

Having the tools to set yourself up for success is the key to any successful workout regimen. Weightlifting straps can be a fantastic start, and so can a Haven Athletic bag. 

Haven Athletic gym duffel bags are more than your typical gym bag. They offer a level of organization and space that is unparalleled in the fitness industry, and they can make sure you never have to leave any of your equipment at home because you can’t carry it. With tons of dividers and compartments to effectively store all your gym essentials, once you try this bag, you’ll never want another one.

 

Sources:

Effect of an Exercise Program That Includes Deadlifts on Low Back Pain | NCBI

How To Deadlifts With Proper Form To Build Strength and Muscle | Men’s Health

A Comparison Between the Squat and the Deadlift for Lower Body Strength and Power Training | PMC