Why should one use straps and which ones should be chosen?

The debate about using straps in training often comes up on various training forums. But is it good or bad to use straps? The short answer is that it depends on your goals. There are both advantages and disadvantages to straps, and the choice to use them depends on what you want to achieve in your training.

What do you want from your training?

The first question you should ask yourself is what your training goals are. If you don’t plan to compete in powerlifting, strongman, or other sports where grip strength is crucial, straps can be an advantage. For many, this means more effective training when grip is not a limitation. Let’s take a closer look at both the advantages and disadvantages of straps.

Advantages of straps

1. Grip does not become a limitation
   If you don’t focus on grip strength, straps can help you lift heavier weights. For example, if you can deadlift 150 kg x 6 without straps but 170 kg x 6 with straps, you get a better back workout by using them.

2. Avoid uneven loading
   Many use mixed grip in deadlifts, where one hand grips overhand and the other underhand. This provides a strong grip but can over time lead to uneven loading in the body. By using straps, you can use a double overhand grip and avoid this imbalance.

3. Better muscle focus
   Straps can help you focus more on the muscle and less on the grip. When you don’t have to worry about holding onto the bar, you can better concentrate on activating the right muscles, especially in exercises like pullups and rows.

Disadvantages of straps

1. Weaker grip
   The biggest disadvantage of straps is that the grip does not develop at the same pace as the rest of the body. If grip strength is not important to you, this may not matter. But a strong grip can help you in many exercises, such as barbell curls, where a solid grip allows you to lift heavier weights.

2. Less muscle activation
   When you use straps, you can lose some of the muscle tension that helps activate neighboring muscles during lifts. By gripping the bar tightly, muscle tension increases, enabling you to lift heavier. Straps remove some of this effect, but you can still maintain tension by holding firmly, even with straps.

Use straps smarter

You can minimize many of the disadvantages of using straps by using them differently. Instead of tightening them completely from the start, you can leave them a little loose. This means that straps only help when your grip starts to fail, which acts as a form of "forced reps" for your grip. Some even find that their grip strength improves by using straps this way.

Choosing straps

There are many different straps on the market, and it is important to choose a pair that suits your needs and training style.

We obviously believe that you should use Straps from www.nowmakeIt.eu. This is a shorter and more innovative way to use straps.