Athletes often find that grip strength can be a limiting factor with exercises like Deadlifts, Rows or Hang Power Cleans. Lifting straps are a popular piece of equipment used by many athletes and bodybuilders to improve their grip and enhance their training. Lifting straps help with grip, meaning you can really drive your overall strength development. In this blog post, we will explore what lifting straps are, how they work, and their benefits and drawbacks.
To put this simply it means that their legs and back can handle heavy weights but they train with lighter loads because the barbell or dumbell slips out of their hands. Then along comes the Lifting Strap – a training aid that helps grip and helps improve overall strength development.
What Are Lifting Straps?
Lifting straps are straps made of different materials, such as cotton or nylon, which are wrapped around the wrist and then around the weight bar or dumbbell. They allow the lifter to get a better grip on the weight, which is especially helpful when performing heavy lifts. There are different types of lifting straps, including basic straps, figure-eight straps, and hook straps, each with their own unique features.
How Do Lifting Straps Work?
Lifting straps work by allowing the lifter to grip the weight more securely. When lifting heavy weights, the grip can often be the limiting factor. The fingers and hands can become fatigued quickly, making it difficult to hold onto the weight for multiple reps. Lifting straps help to transfer some of the weight to the wrists, allowing the lifter to use their larger forearm muscles and back muscles to complete the lift.
Benefits of Lifting Straps
One of the main benefits of lifting straps is that they can help you lift heavier weights. By allowing you to grip the weight more securely, you can focus on the muscle groups you are trying to target without worrying about your grip giving out. This can help you to make faster progress in your training, as you can perform more reps or lift heavier weights.
Another benefit of lifting straps is that they can reduce the risk of injury. When you are lifting heavy weights, your grip can give out unexpectedly, causing the weight to drop. This can result in serious injury, particularly if you are not using the proper form. By using lifting straps, you can reduce the risk of this happening, as you can maintain a secure grip on the weight throughout the lift.
How do you use Lifting Straps?
Place one strap on each hand and put the loop around your wrist. Wrap the loose end around the barbell or dumbell. The lifting strap will create a connection between your hands and the bar and the grip will be stronger than the strength in your fingers. It is important to always make sure that the loop is positioned around your wrist so that the end of the strap extends across the palm of your hand so that you start wrapping the strap around the bar by looping it underneath the bar and not over the top of it.
Unless your ultimate goal is to increase and develop your grip strength, you never want to be lifting weights that are too heavy and stand the risk of dropping the weights and possibly resulting in an injury.
What are the best straps for Lifting?
When it comes to choosing the best lifting straps, Harbinger is a brand that stands out for its quality, versatility, and affordability. Their straps are built to last, suitable for a wide range of exercises, and available at a great price. If you are looking for a reliable and effective pair of lifting straps, Harbinger is definitely worth considering.