Why should you use straps and which ones should you choose?

The debate about the use of straps in training often appears on various training forums. But is it good or bad to use straps? The short answer is that it depends on your goals. There are both advantages and disadvantages to straps, and the choice to use them depends on what you want to achieve in your training.

What do you want with your training?

The first question you should ask yourself is what your training goals are. If you do not plan to compete in powerlifting, strongman or other sports where grip strength is essential, straps can be an advantage. For many, it means more effective training when the grip is not a limitation. Let's take a closer look at both the advantages and disadvantages of straps.

Advantages of straps

1. The grip does not become a limitation
   If you don't focus on grip strength, straps can help you lift heavier weights. For example, if you can deadlift 150kg x 6 without straps, but 170kg x 6 with straps, you will get a better back workout using them.

2. Avoid skewed loading
   Many people use a mixed grip in deadlifts, where one hand grips the overhand and the other underhand. It provides a strong grip, but over time can lead to uneven strain on the body. By using straps you can use a double overhand grip and avoid this imbalance.

3. Better focus on the muscle
   Straps can help you focus more on the muscle and less on the grip. When you don't have to worry about holding onto the bar, you can better concentrate on activating the right muscles, especially in exercises like pullups and rows.

Disadvantages of straps

1. Weaker grip
   The biggest disadvantage of straps is that the grip does not develop at the same pace as the rest of the body. If grip strength isn't important to you, it might not matter. But a strong grip can help you in many exercises, such as barbell curls, where a solid grip allows you to lift heavier weights.

2. Less activation of muscles
   When you use straps, you can lose some of the muscle tension that helps activate neighboring muscles during lifting. By squeezing the bar tightly, muscle tension increases, enabling you to lift heavier weights. Straps take away some of this effect, but you can still maintain tension by holding tight, even with straps.

Use straps smarter

You can minimize many of the disadvantages by using straps in a different way. Instead of tightening them all the way from the start, you can leave them slightly loose. This means that the straps only help when your grip starts to fail, acting as a form of "forced reps" for your grip. Some even find that their grip strength improves by using straps in this way.

Choice of straps

There are many different straps on the market, and it is important to choose a pair that suits your needs and training style.

Of course, we believe that you should use Straps from www.nowmakeIt.eu or our own NA straps. This is a shorter and more innovative way of using straps.