Lifting Straps: Who Needs Them, Why They Work, and Which Type to Use
Lifting straps are one of the most misunderstood pieces of equipment in strength training. In some corners of the gym, they are dismissed as a crutch — something people use because their grip is not good enough. In others, they are used indiscriminately on every exercise from the first warm-up set onward. Both approaches miss the point. Lifting straps are a specific tool with a specific purpose, and understanding that purpose — and when, why, and how to use them — is what separates lifters who get the most from their training from those who leave progress on the table.
This guide covers what lifting straps actually do, the physiology behind why grip fails before the target muscle, how straps change the training stimulus, and which strap type suits which training style and which exercises. If you are a bodybuilder, a powerlifter, or a strongman or strongwoman athlete, the answers are different — and this guide addresses each one directly.
Why grip fails before the muscle does
To understand why lifting straps exist, you first need to understand why grip becomes a problem. The answer is in the anatomy of fatigue.
The muscles targeted in heavy pulling movements — the lats in a lat pulldown, the mid-back and rhomboids in a seated row, the entire posterior chain in a deadlift — are large, powerful, and slow to fatigue relative to the smaller muscles of the hand and forearm. The finger flexors, the intrinsic hand muscles, and the wrist flexors that maintain grip on a bar are small muscles with limited endurance at maximal contraction intensities. Under sustained heavy load, they fatigue significantly faster than the large muscles they are supporting.
The result is a training outcome that is counterproductive: the large target muscle — the lat, the trap, the glute, the erector — is still capable of productive work, but the set ends because the grip fails. The stimulus delivered to the target muscle is cut short not by the muscle's limitation but by the hand's. Lifting straps solve this by transferring the load from the hand to the wrist, where the structure is different and the fatigue response is different, allowing the target muscle to be trained to the correct intensity for the correct duration.
This is not weakness. It is specificity. And understanding it is the foundation of using straps correctly.
The grip training counterargument — and when it is valid
The most common objection to lifting straps is that they prevent grip development. This objection is partially correct and should be taken seriously.
Grip strength is a trainable quality that transfers to performance, health outcomes, and daily function. If straps are used on every pulling movement from the beginning of training and grip is never directly challenged, grip will not develop as quickly as it would with direct training stimulus. For athletes whose sport requires grip — powerlifters competing in federations that prohibit straps, rock climbers, wrestlers, grip sport athletes — over-reliance on straps in training directly undermines competition readiness.
The correct approach is not strap-always or strap-never. It is strap strategically: use straps when the grip would otherwise limit a target muscle's training stimulus, and train grip directly and separately with grip-specific work. Grippers, loaded holds, thick bar training, and farmer's carry provide direct grip stimulus that does not depend on the target muscle's training load.
For powerlifters: a specific note
IPF powerlifting does not permit lifting straps in competition. This means that for competition-specific preparation — training the deadlift as it will be performed on the platform — straps should not be used. The competition grip must be developed and trained.
However, straps remain valid tools for powerlifters in accessory work. Rows, lat pulldowns, Romanian deadlifts used as accessory movements, and any pulling exercise that is not the competition deadlift can be trained with straps to ensure the target muscle receives full stimulus without grip being the limiting factor. Many elite powerlifters use straps on all accessory pulling work and reserve gripless training specifically for the competition deadlift and its direct variations.
The bodybuilder's case for straps
Bodybuilding is the context in which lifting straps have the most clear and unambiguous benefit. Bodybuilding training aims to maximise the stimulus delivered to a specific target muscle — the lat, the mid-back, the hamstring, the glute — with as much accumulated volume and as many reps taken close to failure as possible. Grip failure in this context is purely a distraction: it ends sets early, reduces total volume on the target muscle, and introduces a fatigue variable that has nothing to do with the training goal.
The bodybuilder doing four sets of fifteen reps on barbell rows does not want the limiting factor to be grip fatigue on the third and fourth sets. The target is the mid-back, the rhomboids, and the lats. Straps ensure that those muscles receive all fifteen reps at the correct weight in all four sets, rather than fourteen reps in the third set and twelve in the fourth because the hands gave out first.
For high-rep bodybuilding work on any pulling movement, straps are the correct call on most sets. The exception is the warm-up sets at light weight, where there is no reason grip would be the limiting factor anyway, and any direct grip training that is included separately in the programme.
The strongman and strongwoman case for straps
Strongman and strongwoman training has the most diverse relationship with lifting straps of any strength sport. Some events in strongman competition are grip-limited by design — the axle deadlift, the farmers walk, the loading medley — and competition rules on straps vary by federation and event. But training for the non-grip-limited events — log press, yoke, frame carry, stone work — frequently involves pulling accessory work where grip is irrelevant to the training goal, and straps are entirely appropriate.
The specific case in strongman training where strap selection becomes a technical decision is the axle deadlift and any axle-based pulling work. The axle bar — at 50mm diameter versus the standard 28–29mm barbell — is significantly harder to grip. The larger circumference forces the hand open and recruits more forearm musculature just to maintain contact with the bar. At near-maximal loads, where the axle deadlift is often trained, grip becomes the failure point significantly earlier than on a standard barbell.
For axle work specifically, strap length matters. A standard 50cm strap wraps once around the bar and the technique is quick to learn. But on a 50mm axle, the larger circumference consumes more strap length per wrap, leaving less tail to secure the grip. A longer strap — 65cm or 71cm — gives more material to work with, allows a more secure wrap on a larger diameter bar, and suits athletes with larger hands who find standard-length straps uncomfortably tight or insufficiently secure.
The exercises that benefit most from straps
Deadlift and deadlift variations — conventional, sumo, Romanian, stiff-leg, trap bar. The heaviest posterior chain exercise and the one most likely to be grip-limited at working weights. For non-competition training, straps allow the hamstrings, glutes, and spinal erectors to be trained at the correct intensity without grip fatigue accumulating across sets.
Barbell rows, dumbbell rows, chest-supported rows. The primary horizontal pulling movements. In any rowing variation where the load is sufficient to build upper back mass and strength, grip fatigue in the later sets reduces the training stimulus to the target muscles. Straps eliminate this.
Rack pulls and block pulls. Partial range deadlift variations that handle supramaximal loads — weights above the athlete's conventional deadlift maximum. These are exclusively used for posterior chain overloading and there is no meaningful argument for training them without straps unless grip itself is the training goal.
Lat pulldowns and cable rows. Cable-based pulling movements where the load is sufficient to fatigue the grip before the target muscle. Particularly relevant in high-volume bodybuilding training at the end of a session when cumulative grip fatigue from earlier sets has already reduced grip capacity.
Pull-ups and chin-ups. At bodyweight, grip rarely fails before the lats. At added load — 20, 30, 40kg via a weight belt — grip can become limiting in later sets. Straps on weighted pull-ups allow the lat and mid-back stimulus to be maximised at higher loads.
Shrugs and trap bar shrugs. Upper trap isolation work that handles high loads. The forearms add nothing to the trap training stimulus — straps on heavy shrugs are simply correct programming.
The strap types and what each one does
The standard loop strap format in PRO quality. Cotton-linen mix material with a naturally textured surface that builds tension between strap and bar without requiring aggressive wrapping. The slim cushioning on the wrist section disperses pressure across the top of the wrist under load — the critical comfort feature for high-volume sessions where the strap is in contact with the wrist for extended periods. Subtle left-right marking accelerates setup at the bar. Comes in a mesh bag for gym bag organisation.
Available in 50cm and 65cm lengths. The 50cm version covers the standard use case for most barbells and most exercises. The 65cm XL version is the correct choice for axle bars, for athletes with larger hands for whom a 50cm strap wraps tightly and leaves insufficient tail, or for any exercise where additional wrap length produces a more secure connection.
Same PRO line specification and material construction as the Stealth Black, in the Dark Leo colourway. Cotton-linen mix, slim wrist cushioning, left-right marking, mesh bag. Available in 50cm and 65cm. The PRO line represents the higher-quality tier within the Strength Shop strap range — the material durability and wrist cushioning make these the correct choice for athletes who use straps regularly across multiple sessions per week.
A structurally different strap design that changes the mechanics of how the strap connects the wrist to the bar. Where a standard loop strap wraps around the bar one or more times and relies on friction to maintain the connection, the figure-8 strap loops through itself — one loop around the wrist, one loop around the bar, with the figure-8 crossing point providing a mechanical lock rather than a friction hold.
The practical consequences are significant. Setup time is reduced — the figure-8 design does not require wrapping and re-wrapping to achieve a secure hold. The risk of the strap slipping mid-lift is essentially eliminated by the mechanical lock. Weight is distributed more evenly across the wrist. And because the connection is mechanical rather than friction-dependent, it holds at any load without the wrist becoming uncomfortably compressed by the wrapping tension.
The figure-8 design is particularly favoured in strongman training — the events that involve near-maximal loads, long holds, or both, where a friction strap slipping under load would be both dangerous and training-disrupting. It is also popular with powerlifters for accessory work and with bodybuilders who want the fastest possible setup between exercises.
Sizing is specific: Small (up to 17.5cm wrist), Medium (up to 19cm), Large (up to 20.5cm), XL (up to 22cm). Choose by wrist measurement, not by feel — a correctly sized figure-8 strap provides secure hold and comfortable wrist contact. An incorrectly sized strap either compresses the wrist or fails to lock properly. 95% cotton, 5% polyester, heavy-duty fabric.
The longest standard loop strap in the range at 71cm length and 4cm width, crafted from premium cotton. The extra length serves three distinct populations.
The first is strongman and strongwoman athletes training axle deadlifts. The 50mm axle diameter consumes more strap material per wrap than a standard barbell — a 50cm strap on an axle often leaves insufficient tail to create a secure second wrap. The 71cm length resolves this, providing enough material to wrap securely around the larger diameter and maintain a firm connection at supramaximal loads.
The second is athletes with larger hands and longer fingers for whom standard 50cm straps do not provide enough material after the wrist loop to wrap securely around the bar. The extra length removes this constraint entirely.
The third is athletes who prefer multiple wraps around the bar for maximum security — a technique some lifters use on very heavy deadlifts where a single wrap feels insufficiently locked in. The 71cm length accommodates two full wraps on a standard barbell.
One-size-fits-all — the length provides the material and the individual adjusts the tightness by how far they wrap. The 4cm width (compared to 3.5cm on the PRO line straps) provides slightly more surface contact with the wrist.
How to use lifting straps correctly
For standard loop straps: thread your hand through the loop so the tail exits on the thumb side. Position the wrist strap on the back of the wrist, just above the wrist joint. Wrap the tail around the barbell in the direction away from you — this is the direction that tightens rather than loosens as the bar is lifted. Wrap once for most exercises; twice for very heavy deadlifts if additional security is needed. Close the hand around the bar and the strap simultaneously and lift.
For figure-8 straps: loop one end around the wrist. Pass the other end under the bar and back up through the first loop, creating the figure-8 crossing point. Grip the bar through the upper loop. The crossing point provides the mechanical lock — no wrapping or friction required.
The most common technique error with loop straps is wrapping in the wrong direction — so the wrapping motion loosens the strap rather than tightening it as the bar descends. Always wrap in the direction that the load will tighten: for a conventional deadlift, wrap so that the downward pull of the bar tightens the wrap rather than unwinding it.
Strap maintenance
Loop straps: wash at a maximum of 30°C. Hand wash is preferable. Air dry — do not machine dry. The cotton-linen material maintains its texture and structural integrity significantly longer with correct washing care.
Figure-8 straps: hand wash with mild detergent in cool water. Air dry.
The strap that is regularly washed and air-dried lasts significantly longer than one that accumulates chalk, sweat, and bar contact residue over months of use. For athletes who use straps multiple times per week, washing every two to three weeks is a practical minimum.
The strap selection decision
For most bodybuilders and general strength athletes: PRO line loop straps (Stealth Black or Dark Leo or any other color) in 50cm for standard barbell work, or 65cm if training with axle bars or if hand size makes the standard length insufficient.
For strongman and strongwoman athletes: Heavy Duty Extra Long at 71cm for axle work and maximum-load events. Figure-8 straps for events or exercises where rapid setup and mechanical security are the priority. Loop straps for general accessory pulling work.
For powerlifters using straps on accessory work: PRO line loop straps in the appropriate length. Reserve gripless training for the competition deadlift and its variations. Use straps on everything else that would otherwise be grip-limited.
For beginner lifters: start with loop straps. Learn the wrap technique — it takes a session or two to become automatic. Introduce straps progressively as the loads increase to the point where grip becomes a limiting factor on target muscle training, rather than using them from the first workout.
FAQ
Are lifting straps cheating?
No. Lifting straps are a training tool that removes grip as a limiting factor on target muscle training. They do not reduce the stimulus delivered to the muscle being trained — in most cases, they increase it by allowing more load and more reps before the set ends. Using straps strategically is no different from using a belt, knee sleeves, or any other training tool that allows the targeted system to be trained more effectively.
Should I use straps on every pulling exercise?
Not necessarily. Light to moderate loads on warming-up sets rarely produce grip fatigue. Save straps for working sets where the load is sufficient that grip would otherwise become limiting. This approach also provides some incidental grip training on the lighter sets.
What length strap do I need?
50cm covers most standard barbell exercises for most people. Choose 65cm if you train with axle bars regularly, if your hands are large enough that 50cm leaves insufficient tail after the wrist loop, or if you prefer more wrapping material for added security on heavy deadlifts. Choose 71cm (Heavy Duty Extra Long) for strongman axle work at near-maximal loads or if the 65cm is still insufficient.
Can I use lifting straps for bench press or overhead press?
No — straps are for pulling movements where the load hangs from the hand. Pressing movements are pushing patterns and do not benefit from straps. Use wrist wraps for wrist support on pressing movements.
Do lifting straps help with deadlifts specifically?
Yes — the deadlift is the exercise where straps produce the most direct and immediate benefit for most athletes. The load is highest, the grip demand is greatest, and the target muscles (posterior chain) are capable of handling significantly more work than the grip can support at maximum training loads.
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