I work in a place that sells workout equipment and accessories. For anyone who has ever seen the fitness department in a store and is knowledgeable in the ways of the body, it’s a good laugh! There is so much stuff being sold that no one needs, and is full of inflated claims. . . That is the start of this series: “Stuff You Don’t Need.” Today’s topic is. . . Lifting Straps, a.k.a. Wrist Straps.
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What are these used for? It’s for people who can’t get a proper grip on a bar and need some sort of assistance to complete the lift. You’ll most often see this when used with Dead Lifts, as they require a supreme amount of forearm strength. You’ll also see people use them for other workouts such as the Upright Row, and for some reason, the Lat Pull Down.
What is wrong with wrist straps? Wrist straps are just like any other piece of unnecessary lifting equipment, and the problem with these items is that they handicap you. By using the straps to grip for you, you are robbing your forearms of most of the work they have to do. While this doesn’t seem like much a problem, when you look at the bigger picture, it is: Your forearms are involved in most lifts in one way or another, and if you don’t allow them to develop with the rest of your body, you jeopardize all of your lifts. In addition, this will cause your body’s different muscle groups to develop at different rates, which could lead to a disproportionate physique. Finally, there’s something called “Lift Integrity,” which people often look at me strange for saying. . . To maintain the integrity of a lift, you must use proper form, follow the standards for the lift, use little to no assistance, and the maximal load based on your goal.
What should I use instead of wrist straps!? Your forearms. And if you’re having a trouble with grip, develop stronger forearms.
At the end of the day, do as you will. . . There’s a piece of equipment I use that is shunned by about half of the bodybuilding community, so in the end, it’s all up to you on how you want to treat your workouts– I just chose to handicap myself as little as possible, and recommend you do the same.