Comments on: Will Wrist Straps Increase Your Muscle Gains?

By: Keva Silversmith

Keva Silversmith — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 17:48:58 +0000

I began using lifting straps on my upright rows and my strength gains have been fantastic. I was worried that the straps might hurt at the top of the movement as my wrists flair out, but it’s not an issue. The exercise is much more comfortable this way, with straps.

By: Mark McManus

Mark McManus — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 21:59:43 +0000

Hi Aaron, you should certainly use them and I hope others learn from your experience.
Yes I use them with gloves. The gloves only provide wrist support which is certainly welcome for all lifts but actual wrist straps are required for the heavy lifts I have listed as the strap wraps around the bar itself and basically holds it for you. It’s different from the feature of the gloves. Both can be used together if you want to do that.
Mark

By: Aaron

Aaron — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 21:51:31 +0000

Sorry to double post.

Do you usually use the straps with a pair of gloves? I was just wondering after reading your article on gloves where you recommend a pair with wrist wraps.

https://musclehack.com/weight-lifting-gloves-should-you-use-them/

By: Aaron

Aaron — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 21:30:55 +0000

Why have wraps not occurred to me before? Years ago, I broke a bone on the medial aspect of my right wrist. It’ll never heal, but that’s not a problem outside of the gym. When I go to lift dumbbells > 70lbs off the rack, my wrist always feels like it has dislocated for a moment… a very unnerving moment when you are holding something that could destroy a toe. This also causes me to give out of chinups, lat pulldowns, etc sooner than I should. Amazon.com here I come.

By: Mark McManus

Mark McManus — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 20:07:42 +0000

@ Blake. Good point! They definitely need replacing every so often.
@ Rob. No, it wasn’t here. A back exercise is a back exercise, that’s where we need to direct the overload. When your back gets to a certain level of strength, your wrists will not hold out, period. In order to get the most out of each set, wrist straps are very important. The wrists get so much indirect work throughout the week anyway.
Mark

By: Rob

Rob — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 16:28:17 +0000

I’m not sure if I read it on this site, but I read somewhere that wrist straps mean your wrists dont get alot stronger in terms of the gain in weight you lift so that if you try lift without the straps your wrists cannot take the weight at all?

Does this sound at all likely or am I talking rubbish 🙂

Thanks for an info

By: Blake

Blake — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 13:47:37 +0000

Great topic to discuss. When I worked at a gym in Miami, bodybuilders there would always opt for straps. For a simple reason – their wrist/hand strength just couldn’t catch up to their back strength. While the idea of crazy-strong wrist strength is nice, the back muscles are losing out.

Funny enough, some younger kids in the gym would absolutely refuse straps because they thought it somehow was a cop out. Funny how your mentality in the gym makes all the difference.

To add to your post, I would strongly recommend buying a new pair of straps every year or so. Depending on the weight load you’re pulling on them, you never know what can happen. I was one-arm rowing 150lb dumb bells and one of the wraps snapped. Somehow my brain told me left foot to move in an instance. Thank God. Needless to say, from then on if I noticed my wraps fraying in any way I’d just go out and buy a new pair. Broken feet can’t be fun in a gym. 😉

By: Mark McManus

Mark McManus — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 05:55:49 +0000

@ Bryan – good move
@ SP. Yeah, they’re so cheap it’s a no brainer.
@ shashank. Diet is thoroughly covered on this site. Do a search or download the free book.
Mark

By: shashank

shashank — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 04:58:22 +0000

can u tell me about diet as i have very busy shedule whole the day

By: Bryan

Bryan — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 22:10:47 +0000

Nice one Mark. I started using straps a while ago after I saw a video. so much easier and yes my lifts increased. You dont realise how much strain the wrists are taking until you switch. B