Deadlifting and assisting tools?

[Josh_GTiR]

Who here uses straps and/or belts for deadlifting?

I seem to have got to the max I can lift without using these tools, but I just can't push past past a certain weight. I would love to be able to push a bit more without using straps etc. any tips on how to improve my grip because this is the main problem. It is getting a bit frustrating and now messing with my head I think.

 

[upg]

forearm training (wrist curls..etc)

but nothin beats:
carries (farmers walk)
using bigger diameter bar

 

[Josh_GTiR]

I do a bit of forearm stuff on my arm day. I have not tried Farmer Walk yet but that is a good idea.

As for the Bigger Diameter bar, I use an Olympic bar at my gym. I didn't think there were any thicker than this?

 

[upg]

try wrapping a towel around the bar to increase diameter
or
use those pads that people use for squats

i dont find wrist curls anywhere near as effective as the other exercises

 

[breebreerocks]

I have the same problem and it is taking me ages to get more grip strength.

My issue is that my hands are too small to grip the bar the whole way round, so I spend the exercise clinging on for dear life, putting a lot of pressure on my grip.

Farmers walk, holding a plate by the edge of your fingers for short intervals, wrist exercises all help, but I'm finding it takes time and patience. Also make sure you stretch your forearms if you are going a lot of grip stuff, or you'll get shortening of the muscle which will make things worse.

 

[Josh_GTiR]

I know what you mean by clinging on for dear life. Once I hit a certain weight I am basically hanging on for dear life for each rep.

So no one uses straps then?

 

[katie]

I go rockclimbing and it's important to have grip strength for that. here's what I've been doing:
- hang off a chinup bar (dead hang position) for as long as you can, till you peel off. - - Repeat a couple of times.
- Next time aim to hold on for longer.

 

[Josh_GTiR]

That is an interesting one, I reckon I would be hanging around for a fair while though. Some people would get pissed when lining up for the Chin Up bar. haha

I think it is just something that I am going to have to push past. I think it is in my head as well a bit. I had the same issues when I got to 2 plates a side. I was having grip issues etc. and was having trouble getting good sets out, now on 3 plates a side the same thing!!

This bodybuilding stuff is all in your head if you ask me!!

 

[howzit]

I use straps after 120.

 

[PTC]

I'm unaware of what grip you use, but are you using a mixed grip?

I know some guys still use a clean grip, that may be a problem.

If you are using a mixed grip and are having trouble hanging on to 140kg, you really need lots of work on grip.

Now there is more than one kind of grip strength. Crushing grip is kind of pointless on deadlifts. My brother has pulled 300kg, but cant close the COC grippers #2.

Fat bar training is good, an Olympic bar is 27mm. I have a 40mm, 50mm and 60mm diameter bar.

But best off all for deadlift strength is what someone already posted, Farmers Walk with heavy dumbbells. Do these AFTER your deadlift session. Hands actually take quite awhile to recover from training, dont do it every session.

Another tip is to use chalk if your not already doing so. Some gyms dont allow chalk though.

The longer you keep using wraps, the longer it will take you to develop your grip.

 

[Zarkov]

Hang a couple of hand towels over a chin up bar.Grip the towels to do chins.
Bloody hard in the beginning but gives the grip a workout and a half.

 

[Josh_GTiR]

I use mixed grip.

I think some chalk would seriously help me as the bar just seems to slip out of my hands quite easily. I do need to work on my grip though.

I go to Goodlife "Health Clubs" so it is not really a gym and they don't like people using chalk either.

Oh well, looks like I will just have to keep on pushing it. I also don't want to use straps yet so I can build up my grip strength.

 

[PTC]

I'll give you an example how much chalk can help.

We had a one arm deadlifting comp, no chalk, wraps or belt. Most of the strong guys maxed out at 100kg.

Then Albert asked if he could try with chalk, seeing he won the comp.

He pulled 150kg with one arm. I have a picture of this amazing feat, but posting on here is ridiculously awkward, compared to nissansilvia.com, thats why I dont post pics.

Anyway, thats how much difference chalk can make.

The quality of the knurling on the bar also plays a massive role. Most of the interstaters that fly to Melb to lift at my comps reckon the bars play a big role.

So if your pulling 140kg with sweaty hands on a crap bar, your not doing that bad.

I see your a car nut, so am I and so are 75% of my clients. Three are going on a road trip from QLD to Melb in a 180SX to lift at my comp, you could join them, but I see you have a youngun, maybe another time.

 

[Josh_GTiR]

Ah, I don't think it would be worth my while travelling all the way down there to place last. haha

That is quite interesting though, I might try and smuggle some chalk in to my gym and see what difference it makes. It just sucks that your hands are already slipping a bit on the first pull and you have to do another 5 - 7 pulls while holding on for dear life. I am sure it messes my form up a bit at times.

As for a car nut, you know it!! I have a GTiR that I do Motorkhana's, hill climbs, sprints etc. in. I keep it more to the grip stuff than the drifting stuff obviously. I am frantically trying to get a straight cut box in my car along with some other mods in preparation for a Motorkhana on 22/08/09.

 

[PTC]

Off topic, but I have a black R34 GTR, its only stock. My 33 made 471awkw and my S15 made 258rwkw.

I used a PAR engineering 6spd in my S15, still going strong the new owner tells me.

Oh, I checked your lifts out, you would ne nowhere near last, your lifts are pretty good.

 

[howzit]

So you recommend doing 160kg 10 times without straps?

 

[ChrisOX]

I use the mixed grip and swap hands from set to set.. When i got to 2 plates i was finding myself holding on with my fingers using them like hooks to hold the bar so i could get another rep out but now i have pushed through that i can hold the bar comfortably and get out 10-12 reps but as with 3 plates its too much to hold on to without straps, I can get out 3 or 4 with out them and but definately straps are in order when lifting this heavy its just that we are trying to get as far as possible without them

I know that its taking more forearm strength and that the use of straps will help to just use my back and legs and not worry so much about grip but i still like using my whole body to hang on and not use straps just yet, keeping in mind good technique the whole time is cruical

 

[PTC]

The reps are dependant on your goals, but the straps are simply masking a weakness.

This is a contentiuos subject, but I guess your not planning to ever compete, so whats the point of having the strength to pick up an object if you cant grab it.

If you do plan on competing, ditch the wraps. Not legal at powerlifting or Olympic lifting.

 

[PTC]

I see you guys are commenting alot in the 140-160kg area.

I find this odd because no male has ever been troubled by this weight for grip at my gym.

I'm not sure what caused this, so I wont comment, but I have 4 girls who pull from 120-135kg with no grip issues.

I also have 36 lifters who have pulled 200kg +. Around 6 of them have pulled 250kg+.

Wraps and belt are never used.

We do pull thing off the ground in every session though, SLDL, cleans, snatches, UDL's, Cannonballs, swings, SGDL off blocks etc.

Maybe this plays a part in it.

 

[modo]

i have been using a belt recently, but I find to me they do hinder me a bit, as I worry about the movement of the belt... I think it is best to train without until you reach a point where you will need it. Straps do help, but I feel that they can also hinder at first til you get used to them. i personally find that gloves are best help for most things, accept for bench, as you need all the grip you can get there so the bar doesn't slip out of your hand onto you, and they seem to make the bar feel thicker in your hand as of all the padding they have.