Deadlifts and grip.

Hey guys, the deadlift thread on the photo forums inspired this post.

I got whiplash about 2 years ago and since then my grip strength in my left hand has gone to shit. I’m now finding that for me to get a good dead workout I need to use straps. What would the best grip exercise be to help with my deads, I’was just thinking when I’m done deadlifting I’d pick up a heavy bar from the pins and hold it for as long as possible. Whats that like you think?

I’ve tried a lot of the forearm ideas in the articles here but they’ve not really helped, think its more of a neural problem to be honest.

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Hey,
I’ve got a similar problem, after a hand injury I couldn’t hold onto the bar if it had any weight on it at all. I did some of the grip exercises like people have mentioned on here before, and also just started deadlifting as much as I could until my hands gave out and then use the straps to finish my workouts. I went from not being able to hold anything, to lifting 275 last week, without straps.

Occasionally my hand still gives out and opens up right in the middle of a set, but it happens very rarely now.

Oh yeah, I also would do static holds at the end of my DL workout. That seemed to help alot.

Have you brought this to the attention of a doctor or chiropractor?

Have you ever tried hanging from a pull up bar? I usually wrap a towel around a pull up bar and hold for as long as possible.

DB holds and deadlift holds work well too.

Fat bar holds followed by regular bar holds in the 8-15 second range have seemed to help my holding strength more than anything.

Tek & deaddoc are right. Fix the cause of your problem not the symptom (poor grip stength). It sounds like you have some nerve impingement. A chiropractor or doctor may help.

Thanks for the replies all.

I’ve read about ART before and it really does sound good. I’m in the UK though and I dont know of anybody that practices it here.

I’ve had lots of treatment on my neck and shoulders and am now back to training at about 70%. A new sports therapist has just moved to the area who i’ve heard good things about, I’ll probably give her a visit.