The best lifting straps for me may not be the best lifting straps for you, but one thing is for sure. Lifting straps are outdated and there are way better options out there.
If you’re here, it’s because you want to get the most out of your workouts and you’re wondering if using wrist wraps, or lifting straps is going to help you.
The short is answer is, ‘yes.’
Using things like wrist wraps, lifting straps and the like will definitely help you to progress and build muscle faster, relatively speaking.
But, not all weight-lifting accessories are created equal. There’s quite a bit of variation when it comes to which are more effective for achieving your bodybuilding goals.
What are wrist wraps/ lifting straps/ lifting grips used for?
Wrist wraps, lifting straps, and lifting grips (which is what they’re more often called today) all essentially do the same thing.
They all help you to get a better grip on the weight, so you can get more reps, a better pump and more gains.
But they don’t all do the job to the same standard.
They’re effective to varying degrees and that’s because it’s taken some time for the powers that be to figure out what the best gripping tool is.
Throughout the years, “weightlifting technology’ has changed for the better.
First, there were wrist wraps, which helped to protect the wrists while lifting, but unfortunately, they left a lot to be desired because our palms were still suffering.
Wrist wraps were like the first radio; they helped pave the way for bigger and better things. They were only the beginning.
Lifting straps were like television. They added a brand new dimension to the whole experience that was previously missing.
Whereas wrist wraps protected your wrists during workouts, lifting straps did the same, except they also protected your hands from getting scraped up during sets. And, as an added bonus, they helped you to maintain your grip while banging out those last few crucial reps!
Lifting grips are like the internet, which took what was great about radio and television and streamlined it, making the user experience even better than it was before!
With lifting grips, not only do you have the best of both worlds i.e. wrist protection as well as hand protection, with better gripping ability, but you also have the convenience factor of not having to wrap and rewrap, like you do with straps.
So, naturally, if you’re looking into wrist wraps and lifting straps, you should probably be looking into lifting grips instead.
Who should be using lifting grips?
You might be thinking, “Grips? I don’t need no stinking grips!”
“I’ve got a built in glove,” you say, as you point to the palms of your big, calloused ham hands.
I said the same thing. “Lifting grips? Yeah, I got some of those. They’re called hands.”
I started looking into lifting grips after noticing former 4X Men’s Physique Mr. Olympia champ Jeremy Buendia wearing them in his FST-7 training videos with the Pro-creator Hany Rambod.
I ordered a pair mainly out of curiosity because I wanted to know if there was anything to lifting grips and why Buendia used them.
From my first workout, I immediately saw how they could improve my lifts dramatically and not just in terms of load.
I thought lifting grips were for powerlifters only, or for people who had latent injuries, but they’re really not.
After using them for a year now and continuing to reap the benefits, I’ve come to the conclusion that lifting grips are for everyone from the weekend warrior to the professional bodybuilder.
This is because they do something very important and that is, they stop you from ending your set too soon due to loss of grip and/or pain from the metal biting into your hand when you’re close to the end of your set.
And when you’re suddenly able to hit that extra two, three, or even four reps, it really makes a big difference.
In the words of Arnold Schwarzeneggar, “The last three or four reps is what makes the muscle grow. This area of pain divides the champion from someone else who is not a champion.”
How and when to use lifting grips
Lifting grips are an essential tool in the toolbox of the serious lifter/bodybuilder.
But, to get the most benefit from using lifting grips, you have to use them consistently. That means every workout.
And, not just for pulling workouts either!
They’re also for pushing workouts.
Why? Because the metal bites into your hand on both pushing and pulling exercises, so without lifting grips, the number of reps you do is limited by how well you’re able to ignore the pain you’re feeling in your palms as you’re lifting.
Trust me when I tell you that you’re leaving 2,3, even 4 reps in the tank when you’re not using lifting grips!
This is because your grip, or lack thereof, is sabotaging your ability to get the most out of every set.
And what makes matters worse is we tend to underestimate how many reps we can do on any given set as it is!
We usually have a number in our heads as to how many reps we’re able to do and we stop there, but most of the time, that number is not even close to being accurate!
So, we don’t need anything else like that painful sensation we get in our palms from gripping the bar to distract us from completing each set to true failure.
Unfortunately, it’s difficult for us to even know what true failure is until we’re able to really grip the bar properly.
This is all a roundabout way of saying that lifting grips are a great tool for practically every exercise where palm friction is an issue, which is MOST EXERCISES.
They also help stabilize and protect the wrists, which is critical for all upper body movements.
They’re very easy to incorporate into your workouts and will greatly improve the quality of your lifts, leading to better pumps and more gains!
Lifting grips vs. lifting straps?
I’m sure there are people out there who swear by lifting straps and couldn’t be bothered with grips, but there are also people out there who swear by putting a dab of Vick’s Vaporub behind both ears every night before going to bed.
“Why would anyone want to put Vick’s Vaporub behind their ears??”
My thoughts exactly, but for some bizarre reason guys still lift with those weird things that look like long pieces of seat-belt that someone ripped out of a 1998 Eagle Talon.
Straps, in my opinion, while they do essentially the same thing as grips, don’t even come close to the convenience grips have because straps require the user to wrap a flap of canvas around the bar a million times before each set.
And God forbid you have to itch your nose, or something. You’re going to have wrap it all over again!
Why not just have a piece of leather, or rubber basically attached to your palm instead? Makes a helluva lot more sense to me.
For me, using lifting straps is like trying to write an email with a typewriter instead of a personal computer.
Lifting grips vs. lifting hooks?
I knew someone would bring up lifting hooks! Look, let me give you the quick and dirty on so-called ‘lifting hooks.’
Lifting hooks make very little sense and are largely unnecessary because they do the same exact thing as lifting grips, just not as effectively.
They’re like a failed prototype and precursor to lifting grips.
Why would you want large metal prongs sticking out of your wrists instead of smaller, more easily manipulated pieces of rubber, or leather that don’t interfere with you having a more natural grip on the bar?
Exactly, you wouldn’t.
Unless you’re trying to fool everyone at the gym into thinking you’re some kind of Wolverine offspring in order to get some distorted idea of respect, or something.
Let me put it this way: if you mentally need heavy duty metal prongs attached to your wrists in order to feel like you can workout with weights, you probably shouldn’t be lifting weights to begin with.
Best lifting grips on the market IMO
So, with that said, are we on the same page?
Do you agree that wrist wraps, lifting straps, and lifting hooks are basically inadequate?
Do you agree that it’s wisdom to go with something more up to date?
Good.
Now, moving on, let’s take a look at some of the best lifting grips that I would recommend, as someone who’s thoroughly researched all of the best options before settling on the lifting grips I’ve been using for years now.
On the high end ($$$)
Pros:
- Versa Gripps are made in the U.S.A
- “No-Slip” custom engineered, durable materials
- Built in arch support offers protection from carpal tunnel and nerve damage
- Extended grip length (in comparison to the Classic version below)
- Wide, 1 1/2″ wrist straps for added support
- Wide variety of color combinations from camouflage to gold to mint
Cons:
- Pricey
Versa Gripps Classic Authentic
Pros:
- Versa Gripps are made in the U.S.A.
- Brand name recognition and track record of success
- Wide, 1 1/2″ wrist strap for excellent wrist support
- Made of patented materials to aid grip strength
Cons:
- Pricey
- Only 3, pretty unappealing color options
- Grip pad is shorter in length than the PRO series
Secure Your Grip Cobra Grips PRO
Pros:
- Industry-leading brand and proven track record
- One size fits all, adjustable wrist wraps for the male PRO version, different sizing for the female FIT version
- Ample padding to protect palms and aid your grip
- Ergonomic patented design and durable
- Cool-looking cobra shaped grip pads in both rubber and leather available
Cons:
- A little pricey
- Leather smell, depending on which model you get
Mid-range ($$)
Pros:
- Harbinger brand name is well know in the industry
- Harbinger Spider-grip, Durahide leather materials
- Wrist-cushioning Notec pad
- Un glove design for gripping
Cons:
- Leather smell may get to some people
- Fuzzy leather may bleed dye when wet
- Unorthodox design may turn some people off
Secure Your Grip Lifting Grips PRO
Pros:
- Industry leader and brand recognition
- Padded wrist wraps for added comfort and stability
- Grip pads come in nubuck leather and neoprene rubber
- Ergonomic, no-slip design
- Available in a variety of colors including blue, green and pink
- Available in three different sizes, small, medium, and large
Cons:
- A step down from the Cobra Grips version
- No female-specific version available
- Leather version may smell slightly
On the low end ($)
Original Lifting Grips (Alternative To Gym Workout Gloves)
Pros:
- From the same company as Secure Your Grip – Grip Power Pads
- Very affordable
- Available in firm and soft grip versions, both made of rubber
- Available in PRO (men), FIT (female), and NEO (made of neoprene) versions
- Certain models include a strap that wraps around your hand for added convenience
Cons:
- May get lost, due to small, innocuous size and because some versions are not attached
- No wrist support
- They don’t look as cool as later versions
Take action now
In my humble opinion, you can’t go wrong with Secure Your Grip – Grip Power Pads products for any price range you’re looking at.
They’re pretty much the originators of lifting grips, so I would trust that they know what they’re doing.
Don’t postpone getting pair, don’t put it on the back burner.
Don’t do what I did and resist the prevailing knowledge on the benefits of lifting grips, like I did for so many years.
If you really want to know which ones I think you should get, pick up the ones I got, which are these.
They’re the Secure Your Grip Lifting Grips PRO. I’ve had them now for years and no problems whatsoever.
Your training partner,
Read more: How To Build Big Quads At Home Using A Sissy Squat Bench!
