There has been a lot of discussion around wrist straps in the past few days. Whether you want to use them or not is your choice. I would add an important point to this discussion. Mechanically tying yourself to a loaded bar is a big safety risk. If you get out of your groove or feel something not right, it is imperative that you be able to let go of the bar when DLing. With straps holding your hands to the bar this is not possible. Performing OLs is just as dangerous if not more with wrist straps. If performing a snatch or C&J and you fail you need to get out of the way. Watch the tape of Ken Patera blowing out his knee and you will know what I mean. If he had straps on the bar would have crushed him. Train as you fight, safely. D-Rex
"Whether you want to use them or not is your choice." Seriously? I mean really? It is? I thought I had to do whatever the Internet told me to do!
Seriously though, I'm going to respectfully disagree with the main point of your post. I'm not saying that straps in and of themselves are good or bad, just making a point here. When you use straps to train you can very easily let the bar go. What holds the straps to the bar is just the pressure of your grip. Lets say you're doing deadlifts. If you get part of the way up and decide you want to bail out of the lift all you have to do is release your grip and the strap will slide off of the bar as it descends. In fact I've seen people use straps incorrectly almost get injured because they thought that even with an open/weak grip the strap would hold...and it did not.
Just an observation.
Best in Health and Training, J. R.
I never use straps if I am lifting something over my head. That is just asking for trouble. Matter a fact, I have never seen anyone use straps when snatching.
I use straps for the gay reason, I don't want rough hands. I need that for jerkin' time!
JR, Fair enough. I posted this to add something to the discussion on straps other than the "you need to train your grip" "you need to work around weaknesses" answers that have been beaten to death. I stand by my point that straps compromise safety when DLing and OLing. Train as you fight. D-Rex
P.S. You MUST do what the internet tells you or they will come and get you! I have seen this happen!
*Peeks out from under tin-foil hat...grabs creatine and scampers back under bed*
i tried to clean with straps once and it went
terrible. It gave me a false sense security and i
ended up launching the bar 5 feet in front of me.
Dont use straps on O-lifts
Straps are the devil....
Straps=weak grip!
I'd never use straps for Snatchs of C&J. The Snatch would freak me out but thats just me. I do realise I can get relax my grip but it would put me off too much and I don't need a strap so I go without.
My friend a CommonWealth OL Champion uses straps for his Snatch's and he is solid with them. I would not dare do OL's with straps on. Not even if you paid me.
Good for him but I would never do it.
Koing