# Had a scary moment doing deadlifts today.



## paddyrr3 (Oct 15, 2010)

Did my usual deadlift session today and thought i would go for some 1rep max's to see where im at.

Due to having hands like the bottom of a kebab tray, i need wrist straps on any lift above 160kg. So i go for 210kg, get it up then mid way back down, snap bloody wrist strap snapped, i sh!tted myself. That was my deadlift session done, i did have reserve straps but mentally i wasnt with it so i stopped as i didnt want any injuries.

The straps were the strenghtshop ones so ive contacted them to see if they guarantee them as the customer support previously has been spot on.


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## Suprakill4 (Jul 11, 2008)

WOW, that could have caused serious injury if it was on the positive of the rep.


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## paddyrr3 (Oct 15, 2010)

\ said:


> WOW, that could have caused serious injury if it was on the positive of the rep.


Yeah that's what I thought, a very strange feeling when it went, sort of a sureal moment.


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## Suprakill4 (Jul 11, 2008)

cant believe they would snap, thats bad!


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## nelly1972 (Jun 15, 2010)

Try liquid chalk next time, and work on your grip..Only heard of lads struggling with grip due to short fingers..


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## Suprakill4 (Jul 11, 2008)

nelly1972 said:


> Try liquid chalk next time, and work on your grip..Only heard of lads struggling with grip due to short fingers..


I struggle with grip because my grip is just sh1t lol. No way i can go heavier than 150 without straps.


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## MXD (Jan 23, 2008)

GHEY

straps are for GHEYS

Sort it out


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## moby1991 (Mar 1, 2011)

lucky you never got proper injured


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## paddyrr3 (Oct 15, 2010)

nelly1972 said:


> Try liquid chalk next time, and work on your grip..Only heard of lads struggling with grip due to short fingers..


thats with liquid chalk, really you couldnt imagine how wet and greasy my hands get, it is really like ive rubbed lard over them. I do agree grip is a little sh!t also, but for me its about the lift, many will say sort your grip out and your gay for using straps, i understand i need to work on grip but for me its the delivery of the exercise and the results gained from the muscles worked(bar the grip, lol).

Oh and yes im ghey, but i only give, does that count?


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## Fullhouse (Mar 31, 2010)

Luck you didn't get hurt mate


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## paddyrr3 (Oct 15, 2010)

Fullhouse said:


> Luck you didn't get hurt mate


yeah cheers, lucky for me it was on the negative.


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## milzy (Aug 9, 2010)

I'm disappointed that it wasn't because some poo came out of your bum. I personally don't like wrist straps & I'm a 12 stone weed.


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## xpower (Jul 28, 2009)

Milzeh said:


> I personally don't like wrist straps & I'm a 12 stone weed.


 Maybe that's why


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## paddyrr3 (Oct 15, 2010)

\ said:


> I'm disappointed that it wasn't because some poo came out of your bum. I personally don't like wrist straps & I'm a 12 stone weed.


Cheers for that inspiration, very constructive. Personally I don't like 12 stone weeds.


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## paddyrr3 (Oct 15, 2010)

Here is said item


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## milzy (Aug 9, 2010)

paddyrr3 said:


> Cheers for that inspiration, very constructive. Personally I don't like 12 stone weeds.


I think the point is as I go up on dead lifts I'll still never use them.


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## paddyrr3 (Oct 15, 2010)

\ said:


> I think the point is as I go up on dead lifts I'll still never use them.


Yeah i understood what you meant i was just joining in with the sarcasim

Two schools of thought on this one.

1 using straps will hinder grip potential.

2 not using straps will hinder lift potential.

For me it's about the lift so I fit into the second one. There's so much difference between my strap assisted lifts and my unassisted lifts, that the advantages of using straps far outweighs the lack of grip potential. I believe my deadlifts would be seriously lagging behind due to my sh!t greasy grip if I didn't use the straps, I'm prepared to sacrifice one week body part for the benefits on the other body parts that a heavy lift brings.

It's a personel choice really and we do what works for us.


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## DJay (Feb 6, 2011)

probably garenteed by manufacturer mate!

you tried chalk i use it and i really helps although i am only at 160 with it 

maybe if i used straps and a belt it would be higher but i like that deadlifts work abs and lower back aswell, with belt takes weight off these muscles


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## Suprakill4 (Jul 11, 2008)

paddyrr3 said:


> Yeah i understood what you meant i was just joining in with the sarcasim
> 
> Two schools of thought on this one.
> 
> ...


Couldn't have explained this better myself. This is the exact reason I do it.


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## DiamondDixie (Oct 17, 2009)

I can't understand how the wraps snapped because obviously you hold the bar with your hands and strap your wrists to the bar then hold on. For that to happen it sounds like you wrap on to the bar and don't hold on.

Wraps are all well and good if you need then but they are not approved, so when you say I went up to 210kg, in a competition you can't wrap so technically on the day you can't lift anymore than when you strap up.

Like saying I can squat 200kg but if I put a seat there and do seated squats I can do 250kg.


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## paddyrr3 (Oct 15, 2010)

\ said:


> I can't understand how the wraps snapped because obviously you hold the bar with your hands and strap your wrists to the bar then hold on. For that to happen it sounds like you wrap on to the bar and don't hold on.
> 
> Wraps are all well and good if you need then but they are not approved, so when you say I went up to 210kg, in a competition you can't wrap so technically on the day you can't lift anymore than when you strap up.
> 
> Like saying I can squat 200kg but if I put a seat there and do seated squats I can do 250kg.


I'm a bit confused by this post.

I wasnt in a competition it was my simple weekly lifts. Straps(not wraps) aid my grip hence why my lifts are more with straps than without.


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## Dazza (Aug 7, 2010)

Ronnie uses straps, so don't let it put you off.


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## xpower (Jul 28, 2009)

Best of both IMO.

No straps till grip fails

then strap up & work the back to it's full potential


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## BLUE(UK) (Jan 9, 2008)

I have had at least 2 sets of straps snap on me,not strength shop ones though.

When strapping up,almost all the weight is on the straps if using correctly,otherwise there would be no point in using them.

These days i dont use straps due to a back injury so i work around the 200-220kg mark otherwise it hurts my lower back if i go heavier.

The main problem i find with not using straps is that i struggle to get my forearms into my jackets.....especially my motorbike jacket.


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## martin brown (Dec 31, 2008)

paddyrr3 said:


> For me it's about the lift so I fit into the second one. There's so much difference between my strap assisted lifts and my unassisted lifts, that the advantages of using straps far outweighs the lack of grip potential. I believe my deadlifts would be seriously lagging behind due to my sh!t greasy grip if I didn't use the straps, I'm prepared to sacrifice one week body part for the benefits on the other body parts that a heavy lift brings.
> 
> It's a personel choice really and we do what works for us.


It's not all about the lift though for you - you're not actually doing the lift, you cant actually hold onto the bar 

The reality of it is it takes a few weeks/months to get strong enough to hold a deadlift bar. The reason there is so much difference is you're not doing any work without them - and your grip will only get worse the more you use straps.

Ditch the straps, work at the level your grip will allow, build back up to be better and stronger with some big forearms too. Consider this unfortunate event a warning that straps won't do the work for you!


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## paddyrr3 (Oct 15, 2010)

\ said:


> It's not all about the lift though for you - you're not actually doing the lift, you cant actually hold onto the bar
> 
> The reality of it is it takes a few weeks/months to get strong enough to hold a deadlift bar. The reason there is so much difference is you're not doing any work without them - and your grip will only get worse the more you use straps.
> 
> Ditch the straps, work at the level your grip will allow, build back up to be better and stronger with some big forearms too. Consider this unfortunate event a warning that straps won't do the work for you!


Good points made, taken on board, I must try harder with grip.


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## defdaz (Nov 11, 2007)

Can't speak for powerlifters as I'm not one, but if you're a bodybuilder then go for it, if you need them. Us bodybuilders hold on to the bars far longer than powerlifters do so they're paramount in ensuring your grip stays good enough for you to complete the set. No judge is ever going to say about someone on stage 'yeah his back is rubbish but I'm putting him first because of his excellent forearms!'.

Not only that I find that straps help prevent nasty forearm pumps which can interfere with or even wreck a good back or biceps session.


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## defdaz (Nov 11, 2007)

Can't speak for powerlifters as I'm not one, but if you're a bodybuilder then go for it, if you need them. Us bodybuilders hold on to the bars far longer than powerlifters do so they're paramount in ensuring your grip stays good enough for you to complete the set. No judge is ever going to say about someone on stage 'yeah his back is rubbish but I'm putting him first because of his excellent forearms!'.

Not only that I find that straps help prevent nasty forearm pumps which can interfere with or even wreck a good back or biceps session.


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## Paul_k2 (Mar 21, 2009)

Don't forget a judge will never ask if you use straps or how much you can lift, use what ever you gotta use to get the best workout possible. But if your into powerlifting its a different ball game all together, ditch them gay straps and man up, just kidding


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## paddyrr3 (Oct 15, 2010)

defdaz said:


> Can't speak for powerlifters as I'm not one, but if you're a bodybuilder then go for it, if you need them. Us bodybuilders hold on to the bars far longer than powerlifters do so they're paramount in ensuring your grip stays good enough for you to complete the set. No judge is ever going to say about someone on stage 'yeah his back is rubbish but I'm putting him first because of his excellent forearms!'.
> 
> Not only that I find that straps help prevent nasty forearm pumps which can interfere with or even wreck a good back or biceps session.


I know exactly what you mean by them nasty forearm pumps, can end and ruin a good pull session. Fcuk it the straps are staying.

On a side note got a reply from strengthshop saying straps are not guaranteed, not ****d about this as everything must have a breaking point and the loads put on these mean they will get fatigued eventually and they dont cost much anyway.


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## paddyrr3 (Oct 15, 2010)

Cheers for the replys from both sides of the strap or not to strap camps!


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## Sionnach (Apr 19, 2010)

animal do great wrist straps...


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## paddyrr3 (Oct 15, 2010)

rippedgreg said:


> animal do great wrist straps...


think im going to try the zuluglove ones, they look hardcore. cheers for the recommendation though


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## Superhorse (May 29, 2011)

You are using a mixed grip right? Whilst I appreciate things can still get slippy the mixed helps a lot as things get heavier.

I'm a fan of no straps until the last set or so when your grip can't help you anymore and you crunch a few more reps out with straps.


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## Guest (May 31, 2011)

Seems like a strange place for the straps to snap.

Might be a silly question, but are you sure your using them right? ive seen a few guys in the gym using all manor of strange methods of using lifting straps.

This is how they should be used IMO.






Ive got a crappy myprotein pair that cost a couple of pounds and although i dont use them often, have lasted a couple of years with no issues.


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## paddyrr3 (Oct 15, 2010)

mikex101 said:


> Seems like a strange place for the straps to snap.
> 
> Might be a silly question, but are you sure your using them right? ive seen a few guys in the gym using all manor of strange methods of using lifting straps.
> 
> ...


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## Guest (Jun 9, 2011)

iv had straps snap in past, one ofr the reasons i chose to work an over/under grip and improve my own grip....can pull 270kg with no straps now, your grip will increase quickly if you work it...i dont use them at all but if i was a bodybuilder.id advocate not useing straps until you have to ie until your back strength defearts your grip, that way you are working your grip all the way up but when it starts to go, you can still grind out the reps that count...if i was a bodybuilder thats what id try..


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## Vibora (Sep 30, 2007)

At first I read it as though your actual wrist snapped!!

But then I realised it was just the strap that snapped.


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