Non-competitors: Do you use wrist straps on your deadlifts?

[unruhschuh]

I'm asking myself, why the fuck do I expose myself to the pains of the hook grip, even though I don't compete. Why don't I use wrist straps and live a happy, less painful life? Ok, it's badass and makes all the women guys want to fuck me talk to me about hook grip, but *ouch* does it hurt.

Did anyone switch to straps only and didn't regret it at some point?

[BostonRugger]

I'm asking myself, why the fuck do I expose myself to the pains of the hook grip, even though I don't compete. Why don't I use wrist straps and live a happy, less painful life? Ok, it's badass and makes all the women guys want to fuck me talk to me about hook grip, but *ouch* does it hurt.

Did anyone switch to straps only and didn't regret it at some point?

I find it takes me way longer to get the straps properly set up than to just grab the damn bar with a hookgrip. The extra time in that bent-over position makes me feel a bit fatigued or just plain "off" by the time I actually start pulling.

That said, I still see a benefit for volume work. My solution has been what many have suggested here and elsewhere. I use hookgrip up to the first heavy set (for me it's a heavy single and the first volume set) and straps the rest of the volume work.

[augeleven]

I started using straps a month ago on top sets, since I didn't want to mix grip and couldn't get hook to work. I used DOH on all of down sets. I'm doing GGW which has all the intensity in my DOH range. I didn't feel like my grip strength was affected by using straps for what was like 4 or 5 reps a week, but it was only a month...

[LexAnderson]

I compete, and I still use straps when my grips gone, or my forearms get blown out.

[SpinyNorman]

I've been using straps when I can't DOH for a while now. Don't regret it.

[Murelli]

I use straps for any sets over 5 reps, and for any sets further than the 1st one under or at 5 reps.

Ex.: 5@6, 5@7, 2x5@8 - hook on 5@6, straps on the others. 1@8, 3x4@8 - hook on 1@8, straps on the others.

Want to train your grip, train your grip directly, I say.

[unruhschuh]

I'm asking myself, why the fuck do I expose myself to the pains of the hook grip, even though I don't compete. Why don't I use wrist straps and live a happy, less painful life? Ok, it's badass and makes all the women guys want to fuck me talk to me about hook grip, but *ouch* does it hurt.

Did anyone switch to straps only and didn't regret it at some point?

I find it takes me way longer to get the straps properly set up than to just grab the damn bar with a hookgrip. The extra time in that bent-over position makes me feel a bit fatigued or just plain "off" by the time I actually start pulling.

That said, I still see a benefit for volume work. My solution has been what many have suggested here and elsewhere. I use hookgrip up to the first heavy set (for me it's a heavy single and the first volume set) and straps the rest of the volume work.

For me it takes longer to set up the hook grip, but that's probably due to a lack of practice.

[unruhschuh]

I use straps for any sets over 5 reps, and for any sets further than the 1st one under or at 5 reps.

Ex.: 5@6, 5@7, 2x5@8 - hook on 5@6, straps on the others. 1@8, 3x4@8 - hook on 1@8, straps on the others.

Want to train your grip, train your grip directly, I say.

I do the same, I'm just not sure why.

[Wilhelm]

For me it takes longer to set up the hook grip, but that's probably due to a lack of practice.

Doing the SSPT singles program, i've gotten good at setting up fast.
30 to 90 second rests as the cycle progresses gives me a chance to compare rep to rep and refine with small adjustments.
I now recognise the feel when it's right before i pick it up.

I will probably continue to use one width of tape around the middle of my thumb.
The folds of skin there are more prone to the stresses.
No problems at the base, just push the skin out of the way to start with.

i like that taping is fast now with just the one width.
Also, with two widths, it looked like a kindergartener did it.

[Jay870]

Straps on top sets and/or AMRAP sets.

[cole]

My rule is as long as I can hook my top single without issues, I can use straps for work sets after.

[RobD]

I don't compete and use straps. I find it helps because I'm no longer worried about dropping the bar cause the grip failed and can focus all my energy into proper set up and pull.

[strega]

As long as there are weights on the bar I use straps (OK, maybe not 135 but really not much more). My right hand grip is way weaker than my left. Not sure why, I fractured my right wrist as a kid and broke a few bones but I’m not really sure if that’s connected. It really came down to a pretty quick decision do I want to progress or struggle with my grip. Even with straps I need to set the right hand first and get it tight, the left can be pretty sloppy and still be equal to the right hand.

[Hanley]

Did anyone switch to straps only and didn't regret it at some point?

I've used straps only*(sorta "only") most of my pulling life. No regrets.

*I pull heavy singles without straps. Grip is never an issue.

[slowmotion]

I used to do the first set mixed grip and the rest of the sets with straps.
Now I'm starting to get used to using the hook grip for the main set.

It's a learning experience. I use tape on the inside of the middle joint of the thumbs.

I'll still use straps for most everything else, like back-off sets rows and so on.
Straps don't take long to set up when you are used to them.

[chromoly]

I compete, but I go with a similar rule to below:

My rule is as long as I can hook my top single without issues, I can use straps for work sets after.

Basically, if I can hold on to my top set (whether it's a single, set of 3, set of 5, or even a set of 7-8...), I can use straps for whatever else after.