What Is The Best Grip For Women To Use When Deadlifting?
“What is the best grip for the deadlift?”
Here’s the answer…
You really have 4 choices…
– Double Overhand
– Hook Grip
– Mixed Grip
– Straps
Now let’s take a look at the pros and cons of each grip:
Double Overhand
Double overhand is a fine grip because it’s symmetrical.
The downside is that unless you have a grip of absolute steel – you’ll get to a point where this grip style becomes the limiting factor on your deadlift.
In other words – the double overhand grip is unlikely to lead to you to your biggest deadlift ever.
With that said, I like to start my deadlift sessions with a double overhand grip and switch to a STRONGER grip when the weight gets heavier.
The Hook Grip
The hook grip has the same benefit of the double overhand grip because it is a symmetrical grip.
The downside is that it is painful and takes time to
learn.
The hook grip is a double overhand grip with your thumbs overlapping your index and potentially middle fingers.
If you have the patience to get used to the PAIN, it is worth exploring.
Mixed Grip
The mixed grip is generally the one used by most powerlifters.
It involves having one had facing forwards and one facing backwards.
The advantage is that it lets most people lift the most weight and doesn’t hurt like the HOOK grip does.
There are a couple of downsides though:
– It’s not symmetrical, which can lead to imbalances over time
– It puts your supinated bicep at risk of a tear
To minimize injury risks whilst using the hook grip, here’s what I recommend:
– Switch hands on every set (so if your right hand faces forwards on set 1, switch to your left on set 2)
– Start every session with double overhand and use this grip in your warm ups as much as possible.
What about using Straps while Deadlifting?
Is there a place for using straps when deadlifting?
Maybe.
Personally I dislike them as most people tend to use them too much, but in the long run they can be beneficial.
I have seen them work for some lifters. If you like doing heavy partials they can be good because they’ll
allow you to lift more weight than you could without straps.
But I find heavy partials burn me out (at least when they’re heavy enough for me to need straps).
The downside to straps, aside from potential burnout from going TOO HEAVY, is:
– A weak grip
Here’s the bottom line…
Don’t rely on straps. If you want a big deadlift you need a strong grip. So if you do use straps, use them sparingly.
Use straps wisely but don’t rely on them.
Deadlift Tip Videos
Types of grips in doing a deadlift
Why don’t I use or recommend the over/under grip?
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Thanks.
Coach Rob
Rob King is a Competitive PowerLifter, Coach and Writer.