Walk into any gym and you’ll hear a familiar debate: “Lifting straps are cheating!” shouts one guy. “Bro, my grip’s not the point, my lats are!” responds another. It’s a topic of contention, to say the least.
Lifting straps, the wrist-hugging, bar-gripping sidekicks of weight room fiends, are a godsend to some, seemingly allowing them to hoist weights that’d make Hercules jealous. To others, they’re considered a crutch for weaklings who skipped forearm work one too many times. So, what’s the deal?
As a Ph.D. scientist who’s spent just as much time under a barbell as I have peering through a microscope, I’m here to give the verdict on when—and when not—to strap up.
Lifting Straps: What Are They—and Why the Drama?
Lifting straps are basically beefy fabric lassos, usually made of cotton, nylon, or leather, that loop around your wrists and then around whatever barbell you’re about to lift. They take your grip strength out of the equation, letting you focus on pulling, shrugging, or deadlifting hardcore weight without your hands screaming “uncle” and your grip strength limitations holding your other muscles back. Think of them as training wheels for your wrists, allowing you to move heavier weight than you could sans straps.
So why the gym bro beef? It’s a classic clash of philosophy. Powerlifters and strongmen swear by raw grip strength. After all, in competition, straps are usually a no-go. Meanwhile, bodybuilders and hypertrophy hounds argue that straps allow you to target big muscle groups (lats, traps, glutes) without your forearms punking out early. Both sides have a point, but both can get a little preachy. Let’s cut through the noise with some evidence-based scenarios.
4 Times to Strap Up
I’m no absolutist when it comes to gym strategies. In the right circumstances, lifting straps are a useful tool.
1. When You’re Pulling Heavy and Your Grip’s Like, “Nah”
Deadlifting 500-plus pounds? Doing Romanian deadlifts for sets of 10? Your glutes and hamstrings might be ready, but your hands are probably sweating like a nervous teen before a first date. And understandably so, considering research shows grip strength often fails before larger muscle groups fatigue. (Makes sense, right? After all, the muscles responsible for your grip are an awful lot smaller than the other ones you’re using when deadlifting.) Straps let you keep the focus on your posterior chain, not your palms. So, if your deadlift PR is stalling because you can’t hold the bar, straps can help you break through your plateau. Just make an effort to build grip separately with farmer’s walks or fat grips.
2. On High-Volume Back Days (Hello, Rows and Pulls)
Ever try a five-by-10 bent-over row session? By set three, your forearms are toast, and your lats are like, “Wait, I’m supposed to be the star here!” Straps shine in hypertrophy workouts where volume is king. One study found that using straps during pulling exercises increased reps-to-failure on lat-focused moves—and more time under tension means more gains! If your goal is a barn-door back, strap up and let your lats party to really maximize your workout volume and muscle gains.
3. During Shrugs That’d Make Atlas Shrug Back
Your traps don’t care about your grip—they just want to grow. Heavy shrugs (think 300-plus pounds) are a trap-building staple, but holding that weight can turn your hands into Jell-O before your traps give out. Straps keep the bar locked in so you can focus on elevating those shoulders to your ears. Bonus: You’ll look like a badass wrapping up before shrugging half the rack.
4. Any Time You’re Chasing Results For a Specific Muscle, Not a Grip PR
Training for aesthetics or rehabbing an injury? Straps can isolate the target muscle without your grip stealing the show. Say you’re hitting rack pulls to blast your upper back—why let weak forearms cap your potential? Straps are tools, not cheats, when the goal isn’t grip strength itself.
4 Times to Skip the Straps
On the flip side, there are circumstances in which ditching the straps will ultimately best serve your fitness goals (and keep you from getting lots of side-eye in the gym).
1. When Grip Strength Is the Mission
This might be obvious, but I’ll mention it anyway. Want forearms like Popeye? Ditch the straps. Research shows direct grip work—like deadlifts sans straps—boosts forearm size and strength way better than strapped lifts. Plus, if you’re training for a sport or competition (whether it’s powerlifting, strongman, or arm wrestling with your uncle), you’ll need that raw grip power. Straps can’t save you on game day, so don’t rely on them during your training.
2. Low-to-Moderate Loads (Don’t Be That Guy)
Pulling 135 pounds with straps on? C’mon, bro—your grip can handle that. Save the straps for when the weight’s heavy enough that you genuinely can’t lift it without some grip support. We know from research that grip strength adapts nicely to submaximal loads over time, so let it! Build that base, impress your gym crush, and keep the straps in your bag until it’s time to pull something serious.
3. When You’re Doing Functional Training
In real-world strength efforts—think flipping tires or hauling groceries up three flights of stairs—straps won’t be there to bail you out. Raw grip builds resilience for life’s unstrapped moments, so resist the temptation to don lifting straps when doing any sort of functional strength work in the gym. Studies link grip strength to overall health markers, like longevity and recovery, so it’s a good thing for your functional fitness and long-term vitality to skip the straps whenever you can.
4. During Warm-Ups
Warm-up sets are for priming your body for the work ahead, so they’re no place for lifting straps. Going strapless when warming up with lighter weights preps your hands and nervous system for the real deal. Plus, your warm-up is a chance to flex your raw strength before the barbell gets disrespectful.
The Bottom Line: Straps Are a Tool, Not a Religion
Here’s the truth: Lifting straps aren’t “cheating” any more than a spotter is. They’re a strategic choice—awesome when used right, pointless when overdone. Want to max out your deadlift or grow a monster back? Strap up. Training for raw power or functional grit? Keep your wrists bare. The science says both approaches work; it’s all about your goals, not gym dogma. So next time you’re mid-debate with a strap-hater or lover, just smile, cite this article, and keep lifting. Your gains don’t care who’s yelling the loudest.
Known as ‘The Muscle Ph.D.,’ Dr. Jacob Wilson has a knack for transforming challenging, complex concepts into understandable lessons that can support your body composition and health goals. A skeletal muscle physiologist and sports nutrition expert, Wilson is a leader in muscle sports nutrition. As the CEO of The Applied Science & Performance Institute, he researches supplementation, nutrition, and their impact on muscle size, strength, and power.