# Hooks or straps?



## HJC1972 (Aug 29, 2013)

Ok. I'm at grip failure on deads and thinking about some sort of grip support. Any thoughts on straps vs grips, what I should look for etc? Or is the sweet farck all between them?

in before just make sure they match your handbag, what next, a pillow for your balls? etc from all the big tough mofos.


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## nbfootball65 (Nov 18, 2014)

I used to have problem with grip when i was deadlifting heavy. I first tried straps. It was ok at first but i could never put it around the bar the first time. So I started looking into chalk and came upon liquid grip. Liquid grip is basically liquid chalk that doesn't leave any mess and smells like lotion. You basically apply it like lotion too. After using liquid grip i never had another problem with grip. 247kg without any problem with grip. It's pretty cheap too. I highly recommend this. If you are looking for support and would rather have wrist wraps Universal Nutrition and Schieck's Sports have some good ones.


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## EpicSquats (Mar 29, 2014)

I don't like the idea of hooks personally since it doesn't seem like your hand would grip the barbell properly with the hook being in the way. I used normal straps for deads, but didn't like them too much. How about figure of 8 straps? They seem to be fashionable with some of the elite guys right now.


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## EpicSquats (Mar 29, 2014)

My hands used to sweat a lot doing deads and my grip would fail because of it. Chalk really helped me grip the bar better and that way you're strengthening your grip instead of compensating with straps.


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## Marcus2014 (Mar 24, 2014)

chalk


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## Mark2021 (Apr 13, 2012)

I always use straps on back day. Hook the bird when she steps outa line


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## Acidreflux (Mar 3, 2015)

Hands and capitain crush or bag o nails


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## scot-ish (Oct 21, 2014)

used hooks about 5 years ago when i was younger and a hero lifting as heavy as i could, RDX i think they were - and one snapped halfway through a lift, fu(ked my back for ages.

only thing i would use now is chalk, and even then its usually only for my last set.


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## HJC1972 (Aug 29, 2013)

Interesting. So dispense with any grip support then and treat the deadlift as a whole, slowing progress down - even though the rest of my body could progress quicker - until my grip catches up with the rest of me?

Makes a certain amount of sense, even if it does mean my back and legs not necessarily progressing as fast as they otherwise could.


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## scot-ish (Oct 21, 2014)

legs can progress just fine, and rack pull instead, can usually rack pull heavier and this should test you're grip all the same.


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## Major Eyeswater (Nov 2, 2013)

I use straps.

Never been able to do the mixed grip on deadlift - it always pulls really badly on the bicep tendon on the supinated arm. I've tried chalk, but it's not the bar slipping that's the problem, it's rolling out of my hands.


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## HJC1972 (Aug 29, 2013)

Major Eyeswater said:


> I use straps.
> 
> Never been able to do the mixed grip on deadlift - it always pulls really badly on the bicep tendon on the supinated arm. I've tried chalk, but it's not the bar slipping that's the problem, it's rolling out of my hands.


Yep. That's the same for me. It's the rolling that's the problem. I can do the mixed grip and lift heavier but I'm becoming rather $hit scared of injury, namely bicep tears. I figure I could still lift as heavy as I currently do mixed grip if I had straps, but with the added confidence of reduced injury risk.


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## 38945 (Nov 23, 2013)

Straps for me. Make a big difference


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## Major Eyeswater (Nov 2, 2013)

HJC1972 said:


> Yep. That's the same for me. It's the rolling that's the problem. I can do the mixed grip and lift heavier but I'm becoming rather $hit scared of injury, namely bicep tears. I figure I could still lift as heavy as I currently do mixed grip if I had straps, but with the added confidence of reduced injury risk.


I've got golfer's elbow in both arms, so my elbows are a bit of a trouble-spot at the best of times.

I have considered going down the route of deadlifting without straps to build up my grip, but I'm never going to compete, and at 47 I've probably not got that many more years of heavy deadlifting left, so I'm just going to use them.


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## HJC1972 (Aug 29, 2013)

Major Eyeswater said:


> I've got golfer's elbow in both arms, so my elbows are a bit of a trouble-spot at the best of times.
> 
> I have considered going down the route of deadlifting without straps to build up my grip, but I'm never going to compete, and at 47 I've probably not got that many more years of heavy deadlifting left, so I'm just going to use them.


Well I'm 43 and only been back lifting three months after a serious collar bone break curtailed any training for the best part of nine months. I'm only deadlifting a meagre 125 kg for four by eights so I'm under no illusions either. They're cheap enough so I'm getting a pair of straps rather than hooks- I like the idea of being able to drop if I need to - and I'll just see how it goes.


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