Debate: Using lifting straps is bad for grip strength

The most common reaction I hear from using lifting straps is that "it's going to limit your grip strength". I'd like to push back on that common thought, here's why I use and suggest you use straps more often.

I posted on X not long ago that I use lifting straps all the time and I don't believe that they affect your grip in a negative way. In the post I show myself maxing out a dynamometer. The post got a lot of interactions with a lot of people making great points on both sides. Click HERE to see the post.

Benefits of Straps

The first benefit is that they direct the tension to the larger more proximal muscles in the back and away from the smaller extensor muscles in the arm. Even if you have a strong grip, without straps, you're still going to have a lot of that tension dissipate into the smaller muscles in the arm. I use straps on all deadlift variations, all row variations, pulldowns, pull ups you name it I use it. I don't use them literally every time, but 75% of the time or more I'm using them because I want the targeted muscles to receive the brunt of the mechanical tension. Good for strength and hypertrophy to those areas.

The second benefit I believe straps give you is reduction in chronic injuries. Myself personally, and anyone training hard for strength and size, we are deadlifting heavy, lots of heavy rowing, pull ups etc all in the same week sometimes back to back days and the straps help avoid overuse in and around the elbow. Grip fatigue is a real thing, and guess what grip fatigue leads to? Elbow tendonitis. Repetitive strain or overuse of the forearm muscles and tendons that attach at the elbow, without adequate rest, can lead to compensatory movements. Over time that stress can cause micro-tears and inflammation, which is what tendonitis is all about. Example, if your grip weakens during lifting, and you keep pushing through, your elbow might end up bearing more of the load, irritating the tendons. So if you're like me constantly pushing it in the weight room, straps are going to be a smart way to manage stress and fatigue.

Lastly, straps allow me to be aggressive on any exercise I use them on because they create an unbreakable grip. Many have heard me talk about type II muscle fibers and myofibril hypertrophy using low rep sets. One thing these concepts rely on is intent to move fast even with heavier loads. Straps allow me to do that the absolute best. To learn more about muscle fiber activation read one of my previous posts by clicking HERE.

My top rebuttal to support using straps

Many on the side of using straps will negatively affect your grip are referring to grip specifically on the deadlift. I have powerlifting athletes that I've heard say this, that they don't want to use straps because they want to improve their grip on deadlift. I would understand that argument, if you were required to pull your deadlift with double overhand with no hook grip, but that's not the case. In fact, these same people will use "natural straps" in the form of mixed grip, or hook grip. No one is pulling double over hand for their max deadlift. Mixed grip is a form of "straps". And hook grip is literally using your thumb as a strap. Many of my most advanced programming requires the lifter to pull 16-25x their max in total tonnage, which is a LOT of demand and a lot of stress, so straps are a useful tool to manage fatigue. And just to be fair, I'm not saying to use straps all the time, I like to train without straps on deadlifts maybe once a week, and all the rest I'm using straps. That would be best of both worlds, and usually an easier compromise for the powerlifter. The sticking point is using them on other back exercises, that seems to be a harder case to make to those who feel like straps weaken their grip.

Types of Straps

I can identify 4 different kinds of straps. Traditional lifting straps, lifting loops (figure 8's), Versa Grips, and a unique grip I use a mini band to create (good for large group training). My most used and favorite is no doubt Versa Grips. They are the easiest to use, quickest and maybe even the strongest. You can use them on DB rows, pull ups etc which the other straps can be more difficult to use. I made a post a while back that discusses and shows all of these grips. Click HERE to watch the video on X.

Summary

I don't believe straps inhibit grip strength. I don't think it's bad to use straps across MANY exercises, I think it's a smart move to manage stress and drive tension to the larger muscles. I think the best way to assess this for yourself, is to use a dynamometer and start tracking your grip strength. Another tip I didn't mention above, if you're not using straps you definitely can benefit from chalk. Lots of chalk this will firm up the grip some too. Prioritize a time to pull without straps, but also include strap training too. You can even split your PRs into deadlift PRs and strapped deadlift PRs. Best of both worlds.

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