Grip Training Tips: How to Never Rely on Straps Again
A strong and ruthless grip- on the barbell, that is. When the goal is a heavy deadlift, it’s an important aspect of technique. One of the most devastating moments in lifting is failing a PR pull because you couldn't hold onto the weight. Some of us have been there- and once you have, you never want to repeat that experience. As straps are not allowed in Powerlifting meets, training your ability to hold heavy weights is essential for unlocking new numbers. Simple programming tips & principles can help you achieve that goal- so you never miss a lift from grip alone again.
Different Deadlift Grips
On the topic of grip strength for deadlifting, let’s first go over some of the possible grip options to pull with- when the goal is holding maximal weight.
Of course, double overhand is how many lifters learn to pull- and is the most natural of the three- but eventually, you’ll need to switch it up if you want to add more weight.
A) Mixed Grip: One hand supinated, the other pronated. With this grip, placing one hand under the bar prevents it from slipping. Choose whichever side feels most comfortable to you- and don’t worry about potential “imbalances.” We lack any research to support that pulling mixed with the same hand position over time will negatively affect your body or performance. Human bodies aren't perfectly symmetrical! Mixed is a secure, easy, more comfortable option for lifters to switch to once grip strength becomes a limiting factor. Many people pull hundreds of pounds this way- it’s certainly a viable technique. It lacks some of the potential benefits of Hook- but this grip can be the right move for some athletes.
B) Hook Grip: With this grip, your thumb is wrapped underneath the bar, acting as a lifting “strap,” preventing the weight from slipping out. This technique allows you to grip Double Overhand while being secured to the bar. To do it, place your thumbs under the bar, cover your knuckles with your pointer fingers, and cover your middle fingers over your thumbnails. The downside- it can be painful. A lot of pressure goes on your thumbs, and you’ll feel that weight! However, it has some potential upsides compared to mixed grip. For one, it’s easier to set your lats. You can get both shoulders in the same position, helping you engage your upper back & keep the bar close to your body. It’s more symmetrical, so you don’t get that “helicopter” off the floor: where the bar wants to float away from you. It can also be a more secure grip-when your thumb is underneath, that bar is not leaving you! Especially for sumo pullers, because your hands are inside your legs, and therefore, because of the lat engagement benefit, this grip may be your best bet. While it’s uncomfortable, the pain sacrifices are worth it for the gains. Being an athlete entails undergoing discomfort and enduring difficulty to reap the rewards- the same applies to hook grip.
Whichever grip you decide on, train it consistently. Lifting straps can also impair your overall technique- your positioning off the floor, your slack pull, and your lat engagement; so training your competition grip will help you develop proficiency in your deadlift overall.
2. Programming Tips for Grip Strength
If grip is your weakness, how can you adjust your training to improve it?
A) When should straps be used, if ever?
The first principle when the goal is deadlift grip strength: train without straps. Or at least use them as sparingly as possible.
Adding straps to your deadlifts (when grip is your weakness) is an exercise purely in ego- and ultimately- will derail your total. It’s simple: if you need to work on your grip, avoid using tools that allow you to train without that strength.
I avoid straps entirely in my training- the sole exception being snatch-grip deadlifts, as my goal with this exercise is always upper back development rather than grip training. But otherwise, every single deadlift set is strapless-and I’ve never failed a rep based on my grip.
I don’t believe they are entirely useless: like any other training topic, nuance always applies, but here are my recommendations to prevent straps from becoming a crutch:
B) Use them only for Backoff sets-
If you’re sensitive about your thumbs/hands or are nursing a tear, it could make sense to use straps on some sets- so every session won’t end in bloody murder.
But, you want to avoid this on your heavier sets, as that’s where your grip is challenged the most and is specific to competition lifts.
The solution? Only use straps on your back-down sets. That way, you get the benefit of the heavy grip training and can still use straps when your hand tears are extra spicy.
If you can manage your Back-off sets without straps, especially if your grip is struggling: suck it up and do it. Do the hard thing. As an athlete, sacrificing some level of comfort in exchange for the achievements you chase is part of what we do- and the same applies here.
There is an option to use straps only for warm-up sets: but this can potentially inhibit positioning & grip as you work up, so I’d recommend back-down sets instead if absolutely necessary.
C) Train heavy sets without straps-
In an attempt to stress this point even further, don’t use straps on your heavy sets. If it’s an off day where your hands are torn and can’t hold the bar, that’s one thing, but never make it a habit.
D) Using Straps on secondary deadlift movements-
If your hands can only last so far- when deciding where to use straps- always go with your secondary lifts first. As mentioned above, specificity is key, and performing your competition deadlift pulls strap-less is the priority. That way, you can maximize your grip strength gains and also retain them.
If you’ve got an opposite-stance day, eccentrics, pauses, etc., and your hands are wearing down, use straps for those variations vs. your main deadlifts.
For a Snatch-grip deadlift, where grip is specifically challenging, it likely makes sense to use straps since the primary goal of that exercise probably isn’t grip. The same reasoning could apply to RDLs, and other deadlift variations, with specific goals in mind- which may make strapping up a good option.
However, if your grip is your primary deadlift weakness, a simple and specific way to train that deficiency is to perform even your non-comp variations raw-style.
Do your RDLs without straps.
Don’t put them on for an eccentric or deficit pull.
Train everything without them, and watch your grip improve over time. You need to attack your weaknesses to build your strengths- and use every opportunity to do so.
E) Hold your deadlift lockouts for longer.
A simple and effective way to improve your grip strength- in a highly competition-specific way- is to hold your deadlift lockouts for time.
When grinding out a heavy deadlift, you could be holding onto that bar for 8,10, maybe even 12 seconds: so the grip endurance, and strength, are what you need. Especially on meet day- where you could end up with a longer down command- being able to hold onto that bar for long periods is essential.
In the same way that you train your squats to depth- and your competition bench presses paused- apply that standard to your deadlifting. Train your strapless lockouts- hold them at the top.
On the last rep of each set (or- especially for your final one), hold the lockout for 5+ seconds before lowering the bar down. Practice with down commands in training.
And if you want an additional challenge, hold for as long as you can until that bar actually slips out. Continue this week to week, aiming for extended holds over time.
F) Add in heavy rowing movements.
Now that we’ve discussed how you can adjust your deadlift training itself for improved grip-what are other ways to supplement this goal?
Rowing movements come to mind immediately.
Heavy dumbbell rows are great for training single-arm strength, ensuring both hands have a good hold on that weight.
Pendlay and barbell rows are specific to deadlifting (you're in a similar starting position) and, when loaded heavily, can also challenge your grip strength.
Even chin-ups and pull-ups are great options. Hanging onto that bar through a dynamic movement will certainly challenge your grip strength. It takes a lot of effort to support your body weight in that way.
And this goes without saying- do these movements without straps. Load them heavily and perform them often. Add variations of them 3-4x/week for best results, aiming to increase load over time- so you can develop strength in multiple ways with one movement!
G) Farmer carries
Farmer carries are a staple, “functional” movement with many applications in Programming. They train core strength (remaining braced & maintaining spinal position while moving), can be a phenomenal conditioning option (heavy ones will get that heart rate up!), and help improve your grip. Carries are a highly specific accessory to deadlift grip strength- you’re holding onto weight for time, building that endurance. You can perform them with dumbbells, kettlebells, a trap bar- or even logs- depending on the goal. Single-arm suitcase carries are great for recruiting the core, while double-arm, heavy farmer carries will help strengthen your grip. I like adding these to the end of a training session.
H) Grip iso holds+dead hangs.
Even more options for grip endurance, Iso Holds & Dead Hangs will help make you better at securing that bar and not letting go! For Iso Holds, you can do these with a barbell, dumbbell, or kettlebell: hold on to the weight with one hand for time- as long as you can last. You can even use fat grips- to further challenge your strength. Dead Hangs are also a solid mobility & core strength option and will seriously test your grip endurance. To do them, grab onto a pull-up bar, pull your shoulders down, away from your ears, let your legs hang, and hold. Add these in, either- as a superset with another movement- or at the end of your session.
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Grip strength. It’s an essential component of a strong deadlift, specifically for Powerlifters. We can’t rely on straps for our heavy pulls, it’s cheating in this sport! While straps have a time and place and can serve a purpose in training-they should never become a crutch. Allowing them to, will derail your ability to hold onto that bar naturally. If grip strength is your deadlift weakness, making a few changes to your programming can help you change that. Only use straps sparingly, if ever, and add grip-focused accessories to supplement your pulling work. After all, no one wants to fail a deadlift simply because the bar slipped out: so let’s prevent that from happening by any means necessary!
