Wraps and Straps and Gloves, Oh My!
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(A Blast from the Past article originally posted on 09/30/22)
You’re a lifter, so of course, you’ve got to accessorize. But with all the options for lifting gear and accessories out there, what’s useful and what’s garbage? This article is the first in a short series covering exactly that, and today’s topic is gear associated with your grip.
Lifting Straps
Also known simply as “straps” or sometimes “wrist straps” (which is inaccurate), straps are useful for pulling movements, such as deadlifts, rows, and even snatches. Do NOT use them for cleans, and it’s worth pointing out they are actually worn on the hand and not the wrist itself.
They save some wear and tear on the hands, and if you’ve got multiple sets on the deadlift, then a reasonable approach is to use your usual grip for the first set (hook grip or alternate grip) and then use straps for the remaining sets.
You can buy straps or make them (quite cheaply!), and we’ve got a few videos covering how to make them as well as use them.
Wrist Wraps
These are useful for pressing movements such as the press, bench press, close grip bench press, etc. Wrist wraps provide stability for the wrist by acting as a sort of belt or cast for the wrist. When the weights get challenging, a good approach is to warm up (mostly) without wrist wraps and then put your wraps on (tightly!) for your last warm up as well as your work sets.
Not surprisingly, we have a few videos covering this topic as well.
Gloves
Nope. Don’t use ‘em. They add something squishy and deformable between your hand and the bar, which is never good for force transfer. Also, because they add a layer between your hand and the bar, they effectively make the bar diameter larger, which makes it harder to keep your grip when pulling the bar off the floor with deadlifts, rows, etc.
Lifting gloves are stupid. I know this firsthand because I have worn them in a previous life. Don’t use them.
Ahem, we do not have a video on this topic.
Chalk
We’ll save this discussion for another day, but suffice to say chalk is very important for your grip. Use chalk.
As always, we hope this helps you get stronger and live better.
(Some links may be affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, Testify earns from qualifying purchases.)
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At Testify, we offer small group training, private coaching (in-person or remotely via Zoom), online coaching, and form checks. Would you like to get quality coaching from a Starting Strength Coach?
How to Use Lifting Straps
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(A Blast from the Past article originally posted on 09/23/22)
In a past article and a couple of videos, we’ve covered how to quickly and cheaply make yourself a pair of durable lifting straps. Today, let’s cover how to use them.
As is often the case, this process is best understood when you can see it, so I’d recommend watching one of the included videos.
Step 1
Place the straps over both hands. The threads face up, and the smooth side of the straps (the side without the threads) should face forward.
This step assumes you’re using the type of DIY straps we make in this video (or a similar commercial design). If you’re using the “loop-and-cinch” style of strap such as this pair, you can move on to step 2, but make sure that your straps are oriented in the correct direction (click here to see a demonstration).
Step 2
Place your left hand on the barbell - your hand goes over the bar, and the strap goes behind the bar.
Step 3
Use your right hand to help wrap the strap around the bar once, pinning it into place with your left thumb.
Step 4
Repeat steps 2 and 3 to get your right hand and its strap securely attached to the barbell, but note that the right hand will have to do this on its own as it doesn’t get any help from your left hand, which is already attached to the bar.
Step 5
When you tighten up the right strap (i.e., when you make it so that it’s wrapped snugly around the bar), you may find that you have to allow the left strap to loosen just a bit so that both straps have the same amount of “snugness” against the bar. Once that’s done, you can rotate both hands to tighten up both straps.
Step 6
Even though you’re using straps, be sure to still use chalk and grab the bar tightly. No hook grip is needed (don’t attempt a mixed grip either).
As always, we hope this helps you get stronger and live better.
(Some links may be affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, Testify earns from qualifying purchases.)
If you found this helpful, you’ll love our weekly email. It’s got useful videos, articles, and training tips just like the one in this article. Sign up below, and of course, if you don’t love it, you can unsubscribe at any time.
At Testify, we offer small group training, private coaching (in-person or remotely via Zoom), online coaching, and form checks. Would you like to get quality coaching from a Starting Strength Coach?
Quick & Easy DIY Lifting Straps!
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(A Blast from the Past article originally posted on 10/29/21)
You can buy lifting straps, or you can make this practically indestructible pair for about two bucks. Here we go:
Step 1
Purchase some 1-inch climbing tubular webbing (it will be flat even though it’s actually a tube). You can simply type in “climbing tubular webbing” into the search engine of your choice, and you’ll see a host of options, or you can just click here.
You can get something a bit wider than an inch if you like, but the 1-inch material will do just fine. Climbing webbing is extremely durable - remember, climbers trust this stuff with their lives. We’re just trusting it with our deadlifts, rows, etc.
Step 2: Cut a length of webbing about 2 ft long.
Step 2
Cut a length of webbing that is about two feet long. The exact length will vary by person, but you’ll want to err on the longer side. If the straps are too big for your liking, you can easily make them shorter later on. If you have large hands, you might want to go a bit longer than two feet.
steps 3 and 4 (left and right, respectively)
Step 3
Burn the cut ends so the straps don’t fray. A few seconds of burning is all that is necessary.
Be sure to let the burnt ends cool before touching them. This may seem obvious, but trust me - it’s worth mentioning.
Step 4
Place one end of a strap on top of the opposite end of the same strap so that they overlap by an inch or so.
steps 5 and 6 (left and right, respectively)
Step 5
Wrap 6-8 inches of athletic tape around the overlapped ends.
Step 6
Repeat steps 2-5 to create the other strap, and you’re done!
As always, we hope this helps you get stronger and live better.
(Some links may be affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, Testify earns from qualifying purchases.)
If you found this helpful, you’ll love our weekly email. It’s got useful videos, articles, and training tips just like the one in this article. Sign up below, and of course, if you don’t love it, you can unsubscribe at any time.
At Testify, we offer small group training, private coaching (in-person or remotely via Zoom), online coaching, and form checks. Would you like to get quality coaching from a Starting Strength Coach?
Why do I Keep FAILING?!
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Are you missing reps on your linear progression? Let’s address one potential problem, and it’s one that’s easy to fix.
Specifically, let’s talk about rest periods (i.e., how long you’re resting between sets). I know - not very exciting. However, rest periods are important because they can either support your training, or - if chosen poorly - they can derail your training.
When someone starts training with us here at Testify, we have a conversation on day one wherein we discuss rest periods, and during this conversation, we address two things:
1. Resting Between Warm-up Sets
The short version? You don’t need to do it. That’s right. Don’t rest between warm-up sets. The act of changing your weights will provide enough rest while you're warming up. These are warm-up weights and don’t require much of a break between sets. You are welcome to rest several minutes, but most people don’t have all day to train, and this is the place to save time in the workout.
One caveat - you’ll probably want to rest a few minutes after your last warm-up set, i.e., before your first work set, which brings us to . . .
2. Resting Between Work Sets
You definitely want to rest between work sets. When you’re getting started with the Starting Strength linear progression, somewhere between three and five minutes will probably suffice. Treat that range as a minimum.
Want to squat 225 lb like Sarah? be sure to rest long enough between your work sets.
Remember that the purpose of strength training is - not surprisingly - to get stronger. To get stronger, you need to do the prescribed training for the day - you need to lift what you said you were going to lift - and to lift that weight, you need to rest enough to complete all the reps of your work sets.
The Main Point
That last part is the main point - rest long enough to ensure that you complete the next set successfully. When you read “three to five minutes,” remind yourself that this is appropriate for when you’re starting out, and also remind yourself that this is a minimum. When things get heavier and more challenging, there will come a time when you need to rest longer - you’ll rest six minutes, seven minutes, etc.
Establish the Habit
One of the most enjoyable parts of lifting weights is . . . not lifting weights, so force yourself to get used to resting - even at the beginning of your strength training journey.
If it’s your second workout, take the three, four, or five minute break even if you know you could get back under the bar and complete the next set with a shorter rest break. Start establishing the habit of getting adequate rest right away in your training. If you tend to rush things, a timer can be a handy tool to ensure that you’re waiting long enough before starting your next set.
Practical Limitations
There are, of course, some practical limitations to how long you’ll actually rest, and you’ll notice that I’m not suggesting that you rest 15 minutes between sets. Even if a 10-15 minute rest period might be useful, it simply may not be practical in terms of your schedule for the day.
Wrapping Up
In general, though, rest long enough to ensure that you can complete the next set. Completing your work sets will allow you to get stronger, and in this way, you will still be making progress on your linear progression four months, five months, or even six months into it instead of missing reps in the first or second month.
It may help to remember that this isn’t conditioning; of course, there will still be a conditioning benefit, but that’s not why you’re strength training. You’re doing it to get stronger, so take the appropriate rest, and as always, we hope this helps you get stronger and live better.
(Some links may be affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, Testify earns from qualifying purchases.)
If you found this helpful, you’ll love our weekly email. It’s got useful videos, articles, and training tips just like the one in this article. Sign up below, and of course, if you don’t love it, you can unsubscribe at any time.
At Testify, we offer small group training, private coaching (in-person or remotely via Zoom), online coaching, and form checks. Would you like to get quality coaching from a Starting Strength Coach?
Lifting Straps | What You're Doing WRONG (common mistakes)
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If you’re new to using lifting straps (or even if you’re not so new), there are a few common mistakes that you might be making. At best, these mistakes make the use of straps cumbersome, and at worst, these mistakes make straps a liability instead of an asset.
With that said, these mistakes are relatively easy to fix, and once we’ve solved them, you’ll never make them again, so let’s get to it.
As a quick side note, all of these mistakes and their solutions are far more easily seen and understood on video than in print, so be sure to watch the included video.
Figure 1: The correct position for straps (on the hand)
Mistake #1: Wearing straps in the wrong spot
Lifting straps are worn down on the hand (Figure 1) - not up on the wrist or arm. Although lifting straps are sometimes referred to as “wrist straps,” that can be a bit misleading - if you wear them on the wrist, you are wearing them too high. Whether it’s the type of DIY straps that we recommend (the black strap you see in these photos) or the “strap-and-loop” style of straps, be sure to wear them down on the hands.
See the included video for how to easily, cheaply, and quickly make yourself a pair of virtually indestructible lifting straps.
Mistake #2: Wrapping the straps in the wrong direction
When setting up and wrapping the strap around the bar, always wrap toward the thumb, i.e., toward the middle of the bar (Figure 2). Do not wrap the strap so that it heads toward the plates. This brings us to . . .
Figure 2: Correctly wrapping (the black strap) toward the middle of the bar
Mistake #3: Setting up the straps incorrectly
If you are using the “strap-and-loop” style of strap, make sure you have it positioned so that the strap points toward your thumb (Figure 3). If you have it set up so that it points toward your pinky, you won’t be able to wrap the strap in the correct direction (i.e., toward the middle of the bar). The straps for your right and left hands will need to be set up so that they mirror each other.
Figure 3: Positioning the strap so that it points toward the thumb
Mistake #4: Wrapping the strap multiple times
Wrap the strap around the bar once (Figure 4). That’s it - just once. Some straps do not have much excess length (like the black straps in these photos), so wrapping the strap around the bar won’t be a temptation anyway, but for straps that do have a lot of extra material, you still just wrap the strap once. Wrapping it around the bar multiple times is a waste of time and effort, and it doesn’t improve the grip of the strap. One time around.
Figure 4: wrap the strap only once as shown here. the extra material just hangs there.
Mistake #5: Wrapping in front of the bar
This will be obvious if you’ve used straps correctly, but it’s not very obvious for those who are new to straps - when you initially grab the bar, your palm goes in front of the bar, but the strap goes BEHIND the bar (Figure 5).
figure 5: correctly positioning the strap behind the bar when initially taking your grip
If you mess this up and put the strap in front of the bar (i.e., on the same side as your palm), the strap will not help your grip at all, and in fact, it will make the situation worse and make the bar harder to grip. The bar will simply want to roll right out of your hand, so be sure to put the strap behind the bar when you reach down to grab the bar.
As always, we hope these tips help you get stronger and live better.
(Some links may be affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, Testify earns from qualifying purchases.)