If you’re into fitness, you’ve probably seen people use lifting straps and may have wondered why. Are they necessary to reach your goals? Should you be using them every time you’re at the gym? Let’s explore why they’re helpful and when you should be integrating them into your workouts!
When to Use Lifting Straps:
Lifting straps can be used to help target specific muscle groups. You can start using lifting straps when you’re doing certain movements including (but not limited to):
Deadlifts
Dumbbell rows
Shrugs
Rack pulls
Romanian deadlifts
The main benefit of using lifting straps is that you can fatigue the muscle you’re working on without worrying about losing your grip. Regularly using them will aid in lifting more weight over time by allowing you to focus on maintaining the correct form through the duration of the movement.
It’s also beneficial for Olympic weightlifters, powerlifters, CrossFit athletes and more who experience extreme calluses and tears on their hands. The straps help them continue to train heavy even when they’re hands aren’t in the best shape.
If you enjoy using lifting straps, you may want to try out ankle straps as well when training glutes, legs and abs.
While some argue that using straps will weaken your grip, you can work on your grip strength in other ways. The pros outweigh the cons and they’ll help you hit your goals sooner than you thought possible!
What are you waiting for? Give it a try and watch your workouts improve.