Lifting Straps

Lifting straps loop from the wrists around the bar so the hands no longer limit how long or heavy a pull can be. They are used mainly on deadlifts, rows and shrugs.

What published research reports

A study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research (2015) reported that using straps during multiple deadlift sets allowed lifters to maintain bar velocity and complete their repetitions with less grip fatigue than lifting without straps. A 2023 study on trained females reported straps allowed heavier one-repetition-maximum deadlifts compared with bare-handed lifting. The published trade-off is the mirror of the benefit: work done with straps does not load the grip, so strength programmes in the literature typically alternate strapped and unstrapped pulling rather than replacing grip work entirely. Straps are not permitted in powerlifting competition lifts.

References

• Coswig VS, et al. Kinematics and Kinetics of Multiple Sets Using Lifting Straps During Deadlift Training. J Strength Cond Res. 2015. PubMed
• The Effect of Lifting Straps on Deadlift Performance in Females. 2023. PubMed