No, lifting straps are not cheating. They are a training tool that helps you hold onto the weight when your grip would otherwise give out before the muscles you want to train.
If the goal is to effectively train your back, hamstrings, or traps, straps can therefore be a sensible tool. However, if you are specifically training for a competition, you must, of course, follow the competition rules.
Why are lifting straps called cheating?
Some believe that all lifts should be performed without aids. But whether straps make sense depends on the purpose of the training.
If you are training grip strength, you should naturally perform part of your training without straps. However, if you are training your back or posterior chain, it can be counterproductive for your forearms to fail the set while larger muscle groups still have several repetitions left.
Straps reduce the load on your grip, but you still need to perform the lift itself with correct technique and generate force with the muscles targeted by the exercise.
Why do people use lifting straps?
During heavy pulling exercises, hands and forearms often tire before the back, hamstrings, or glutes. Lifting straps create a stronger connection between the hand and the weight, allowing you to concentrate more on the movement.
Straps are primarily used for:
- Deadlifts
- Romanian Deadlifts (RDL)
- Barbell Rows
- Dumbbell Rows
- T-Bar Rows
- Shrugs
- Lat Pulldowns
- Cable Rows
This can allow for more quality repetitions, higher training volume, and better focus on the muscle group you want to target.
Are straps cheating in deadlifts?
For general strength training, straps are not cheating. They can be used for heavy working sets, volume work, and assistance exercises where the goal is to train the back and posterior chain without being limited by grip.
In powerlifting competitions, lifting straps are usually not allowed. If you are training for a competition, you should therefore also practice your competition lift without straps and develop a grip that fits the rules.
This does not mean that you can never use straps in your training. Many powerlifters use them for volume work to preserve their grip between competition-like sets.
Do professional athletes use straps?
Yes. Many bodybuilders, powerlifters, and other strength athletes use straps as a regular part of their training.
Bodybuilders often use them to maintain focus on muscle connection and training volume. Powerlifters can use them for assistance exercises and heavy training sets, even if they are not allowed in the actual competition lift.
Straps are therefore not used to avoid hard work. They are used to control what should be the limiting factor in a particular set.
Are straps bad for grip strength?
Straps do not automatically destroy your grip strength. But if you use them for all pulling exercises and all sets, your grip will naturally be challenged less.
A simple strategy is to use:
- Double overhand grip on warm-up sets
- No straps for specific grip training
- Straps on the heaviest working sets when grip becomes the limitation
This way, you can both train your grip and get sufficient load on your back and posterior chain.
When does it make sense to use straps?
Lifting straps can be relevant when:
- Your grip fails before the muscles you want to train
- You are doing heavy pulling exercises
- You are training with high volume
- You are working close to muscular failure
- You want to concentrate more on technique and muscle connection
- Your hands or forearms are already tired from previous exercises
This applies, for example, to Romanian Deadlifts, heavy rows, and lat pulldowns, where grip can easily become the first limitation.
When should you train without straps?
It particularly makes sense to train without straps when grip is an important part of the exercise's purpose.
This can be during:
- Warm-up sets
- Farmer’s Walks
- Dead Hangs
- Specific training of hands and forearms
- Competition-like deadlifts
- Sets where grip does not limit you
Straps should be seen as a supplement. You don't have to choose between always or never using them.
Why do many choose StrapIt?
At MakeIt, we have produced StrapIt lifting straps in Denmark since 2014. More than 50,000 pairs have been sold to strength trainers in Europe.
StrapIt is developed by strength trainers and produced with a focus on functionality, comfort, and durability. The model helps support the grip without making setup unnecessarily difficult.
See all StrapIt lifting straps.
Conclusion: Are lifting straps cheating?
No. Lifting straps are a tool that can help you train your back and posterior chain without being limited by your grip.
The crucial thing is how and why you use them. If you combine sets without straps with strategic use on the heaviest working sets, you can both develop your grip and get more out of your pulling exercises.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are straps cheating in deadlifts?
No, not in regular training. However, straps are usually not allowed in powerlifting competitions, so competition lifts should also be trained without them.
Do professional bodybuilders use straps?
Yes. Many bodybuilders use straps for heavy back exercises to prevent grip from limiting training volume and muscle connection.
Are straps bad for grip strength?
Not if used strategically. For example, train warm-up sets and specific grip exercises without straps.
Can beginners use lifting straps?
Yes. Beginners can use straps when grip limits training, but should also learn correct technique and train grip naturally.
Should you use straps for all sets?
No. For many, it makes the most sense to only use straps on the heaviest sets or from the point where grip becomes the limitation.
