Lifting straps allow you to more effectively train the target muscles in many common strength exercises. Movements like Romanian deadlifts (RDLs), other deadlift variations, heavy rows, and even pull-ups are great examples. In these lifts, your hamstrings, glutes, and back muscles will almost always outpace your grip strength.
If your grip is consistently the limiting factor when training these larger muscle groups, you are guaranteed to leave strength and muscle gains on the table. Using lifting straps helps remove that limitation so you can push the muscles that actually matter for performance and hypertrophy.
This is not to say that grip strength isn’t important for performance—it absolutely is. That said, holding a closed grip is only one small aspect of grip training. I would argue that grip development deserves its own dedicated training, where grip in all of its capacities—support, crush, pinch, and endurance—is the primary focus, rather than something that unintentionally limits larger compound movements.
How Lifting Straps Improve Training Effectiveness
The benefits of lifting straps don’t stop with heavy barbell lifts. Straps can also improve training effectiveness during exercises that involve lighter loads with long hold times or high volume.
For example:
- Long-distance walking dumbbell lunges
- Front-foot elevated reverse lunges using a descending weight protocol (e.g., 8 reps at four progressively lighter weights)
Even though the loads may be lighter, these scenarios can still cause grip fatigue to become the limiting factor. Lifting straps allow you to maintain quality reps, use appropriate loads, and reduce unnecessary “static” tension in the hands and forearms.
Reducing “Static” and Improving Neural Drive
When you’re straining to hold onto weight, your nervous system is devoting a significant amount of energy and attention to your grip. This reduces the neural drive available to the target muscle groups—namely the hamstrings, glutes, and back. I refer to this wasted effort as static.
By using lifting straps, you reduce this static and improve both coordination and force output in the primary movement. Simply put, your body can focus on the muscles you’re actually trying to train.
Better Back Activation in Pulling Exercises
One of the most underrated benefits of lifting straps shows up in upper-body pulling exercises. It’s very common to see lifters over-gripping during rows and pull-up variations. This often shifts work away from the lats and larger back muscles and places more stress on the elbow flexors.
A common bodybuilding cue for pulling movements is to “pull from the elbows, not the hands.” Lifting straps naturally help reinforce this cue by allowing the hands to relax, leading to better lat engagement and improved back muscle recruitment.
When (and When Not) to Use Lifting Straps
This isn’t to say you should use lifting straps for every set of every exercise. I generally recommend:
- Avoiding straps during warm-up sets
- Introducing straps only once grip strength becomes the limiting factor
In some training blocks, I intentionally avoid straps for the first several weeks. This naturally governs load progression and ensures room for long-term progress. I’ll then introduce straps in the latter half of the block to push intensity and maximize gains.
My Favorite Lifting Straps
If you’re looking for a high-quality option, here’s a link to my favorite lifting strap company. I’ve found their straps to be comfortable for most wrist sizes and extremely durable:
If you try lifting straps in your training, let me know how it goes!— Coach Gizzi