When to Use Lifting Straps (and when NOT to!)
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What are some viable uses for lifting straps, when should you use them, and when should you not use them? Let’s hit it.
(For instructions on how to easily make your own straps as well as how to use them, see a few of our videos in this article.)
Weightlifting (AKA Olympic lifting or Olympic weightlifting)
If you regularly practice the snatch and clean, you use the hook grip a lot, and as a result, your thumbs can accumulate quite some wear and tear over time. Keep using the hook grip on the snatch and clean - after all, this is part of practicing your sport. However, you might want to use straps on your deadlifts (and rows) to give your hands a break when possible.
Lighter Pulling Day
If you have a light or medium pulling day built into your week - something along the lines of a lighter deadlift day or a row - and if your hands are a bit beat up from your heavy deadlift day, then go ahead and use straps on the lighter pulling movements.
Injury or Other Impairment
Got a broken finger or a sprained thumb? Use straps. Perhaps you’re missing a finger or two or you have a neurological impairment that prevents one hand from squeezing as tightly as the other hand. Again, use straps. The other option is to not pull at all, and that’s a rather silly option.
Back-off Sets
On your heavy deadlift day, perhaps you have a top set followed by one or more back-off sets. For your top set, use the hook grip or a mixed grip as you usually would, and then for the back-off work, go ahead and use straps to give the skin on your hands a break.
Do NOT Use Straps: Cleans
Never use straps when performing cleans. Ever. You can find a few excellent examples on YouTube of people who disregarded this advice and proceeded to break their wrists. It’s worth repeating - do not use straps on cleans.
Do NOT Use Straps: Novice Linear Progression
When working through your novice linear progression, there’s no need to use straps. Simply hang on to your deadlifts using a hook grip or a mixed grip. It’s one set of five reps - that’s it. You can suffer through the hook grip for five measly reps, and if you can’t (or if your hands aren’t large enough), then simply use a mixed grip (AKA alternating grip or switch grip).
As always, we hope this helps you get stronger and live better.
-Phil
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How to Start Lifting: Learn to Power Clean
/In this episode of the "How to Start Lifting" series, Phil, Maddie, and Carolyn help you learn how to power clean.
(This video is a Blast from the Past video originally published on 01/10/22.)
At Testify, we offer small group training, private coaching (in-person or remotely via Zoom), online coaching, and form checks. Click the button below to get quality coaching from a Starting Strength Coach and start getting stronger TODAY.
Weightlifting vs Powerlifting vs Strengthlifting
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jason deadlifts 218 kg (480.6 lb).
(A Blast from the Past article originally posted on 11/20/18)
“What’s the deal with all of these lifting sports? I can’t keep them straight!”
No worries - let’s take a quick look at the three major sports of the barbell world.
Powerlifting
This is the sport of the squat, bench press, and deadlift. Each lifter gets 3 attempts on the squat, 3 attempts on the bench press, and 3 attempts on the deadlift. Take your best attempt from each lift, add them together, and you have what is known as your total.
Geneva presses 55 kg (121.3 lb).
Strengthlifting
This is the sport of the squat, the press, and deadlift. It is similar to powerlifting, but there are several notable differences.
The press (i.e., overhead press) is contested, not the bench press.
The deadlift is conventional, which means your hands go outside of your legs. This is how we teach the deadlift anyway, so it’s not unusual to you, but at powerlifting meets, a beast known as the sumo deadlift often makes an appearance (wherein the stance is very wide and the grip is fairly narrow - inside the stance).
The judges simply tell you whether or not the lift counted, whereas in powerlifting, the judges are a bit more involved.
Maddie cleans-and-jerks 60 kg (132.3 lb).
Weightlifting
This is the sport of the snatch and clean-and-jerk. Like the other two sports, each lifter gets 3 attempts on each of the lifts, and once again, we add the best successful lifts together to get a total.
Weightlifting is also known as “olympic weightlifting” or simply “olympic lifting.”
If you’ve ever watched lifting during the Summer Olympics, this is the sport you witnessed.
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At Testify, we offer small group training, private coaching (in-person or remotely via Zoom), online coaching, and form checks. Click the button below to get quality coaching from a Starting Strength Coach and start getting stronger TODAY.
Don't Want to Train? Do THIS Instead.
/What should you do when you don't want to train? Phil discusses a viable second option.
At Testify, we offer small group training, private coaching (in-person or remotely via Zoom), online coaching, and form checks. Click the button below to get quality coaching from a Starting Strength Coach and start getting stronger TODAY.
Testify Republic - July 3, 2023
/THIS WEEK'S QUESTION
From our video Bench Pressing Alone (safely!) and How to Unrack a Heavy Bench Press (click the title to watch):
Jay H
Why Soccer socks
Phil
If I recall correctly, I think I was deadlifting before I shot that video, and long socks are nice for protecting shins on deadlifts, snatches, and cleans.
Jay H
make sense
ARTICLES & VIDEOS
Is This Error KILLING Your Deadlift?! | How to Increase Your Deadlift
Is your deadlift setup destroying the possibility of pulling preposterously ponderous poundage? Phil pontificates. Click here to watch.
Quick Tip to Improve Your Bench Press | FAST FIX!
Phil covers a quick and easy breathing tip to help you improve your bench press. Click here to watch.
Great Tire Workouts for Conditioning!
We cover a few options for incorporating tire work into your conditioning. Click here to read.
Blast from the Past: How to Start Lifting: Learn to Bench Press
Phil helps you learn how to bench press and also discusses how to go about your first bench press workout (6th video in the "How to Start Lifting" series). Click here to watch.
Blast from the Past: Squatting Deeper - Don't Make These 2 Mistakes!
There are two common mistakes that often show up when lifters try to squat deeper. Phil covers these errors as well as a few cues to help lifters correct them. Click here to read.
NEW TESTIFY GEAR!
Sun's out, guns out, and we've got men's and women’s tank tops in multiple colors. Get yours today and represent your favorite gym!
Click here to head to the Testify Store.
WHAT'S COMING UP
Reminder: We will be closed for training on Tuesday, 07/04/23, in observance of Independence Day, and we will be closed for training on Saturday, 07/08/23, as we are hosting the annual IronFest competition.
Below are a few of our upcoming events, and you can find out what else is on the calendar by heading to our events page at www.testifysc.com/events.
Testify IronFest V
July 8, 2023
IronFest is a team-based strength meet wherein the contested lifts will be the squat, press, bench press, and deadlift. Competitors will form teams of 2 lifters/team and perform all 4 lifts; each lifter will perform one upper body lift and one lower body lift, and each lifter will receive 3 attempts for each lift.
Registration is closed, but you can click here for more information.
Starting Strength Self-Sufficient Lifter Camp
September 23, 2023
Spend the day learning the Squat, Press, and Deadlift and how to self-evaluate your lifts while training in your garage or commercial gym without a coach.
Click here to register or for more information.
Testify Fall Classic
October 21, 2023
The Testify Fall Classic is back for 2023, and we invite you to be a part of it! This is a strengthlifting meet, which means the contested lifts will be the squat, press, and deadlift.
Click here to register or for more information.
THIS WEEK’S CONDITIONING
Option 1
Sled
Outdoors:
10-20 x 25 yds EMOM at a weight of your choice
Every minute, push the sled 25 yards, i.e., if pushing the sled takes 20 seconds, then you have 40 seconds to rest. Perform 10-20 rounds.
Indoors:
10-20 x 100 ft EMOM at a weight of your choice
Every minute, push the sled 100 feet, i.e., if pushing the sled takes 20 seconds, then you have 40 seconds to rest. Perform 10-20 rounds.
Compare to 2023.05.01.
Option 2
Bike/row:
4 x 3 minutes
Rest 3 minutes between each round. Score = lowest distance.
Compare to 2023.04.10.
Option 3
5-10 rounds of:
30 sec ME tire flips
30 sec rest
Compare to 2023.03.13.
Option 4
1. 5 yoke carries @ 30 yd (15 yd downback) – work up to heaviest carry
2. 5 rounds of 5 reps on the axle “clean and press away” – work up to heavy set of 5
Compare to 2023.03.13.