My grip is pretty good relative to the rest of my lifts. I’ve closed a COC#2 for 2 reps in both hands. I’ve done a Chin-up w/ 100lbs. But I don’t think I could pull my Max deadlift with anything but a mixed grip.
If you can pull your max Deadlift with a normal grip, chances are you’re weak. If something is easier to grip, your brain will interpret it as a lighter load and you will be able to lift more. This isn’t some mental effect you can psyche yourself out of.
And grip is not always the weak link in one’s Deadlift. It could be…
Hamstrings - Weak off the floor
Erectors - Can’t hold a safe arch
Upper Back & Traps - Miss above the knee
Glutes - Not standing up with it
Abs - Hernia
Well, would any of those weaknesses show up without a mixed grip or straps?
unless your sweating profusely, i think chalk is irrelevant. I think one needs to seperate grip strength from forearm strength to a degree. the double overhead grip is difficult but I think a max lift can be achieved with it if it used exclusively to shoot for that max and you build up the grip and forearm strength indepedent of the deadlift work.
[quote]cougarenegade wrote:
unless your sweating profusely, i think chalk is irrelevant. [/quote]
Wrong. Chalk pretty much always helps.
[quote]dankid wrote:
Well, would any of those weaknesses show up without a mixed grip or straps?[/quote]
It’s possible, but weaknesses like those don’t show up unless you’re lifting near maximal loads. If you can lift near maximal loads with a double overhand, normal grip then you’re probably a rank novice whose max deadlift is somewhere in the neighborhood of 225lbs.
If there were a contest for who had the best double overhand, no hook-grip deadlift then grip strength would always be the limiting factor for anyone strong. What do you think the limiting factor for thick-bar axle deadlifts is?
Magnus Samuelsson used a mixed grip when he competed to be the worlds strongest man. He probably chose the mixed grip because he knew he wold be able to get more reps that way. He has the strongest grip in the world.
If you can deadlift the same amount double-overhand that you can with a mixed grip, then it’s the rest of your body that’s the limiting factor.
[quote]viking666 wrote:
I usually train as heavy as I can without straps and once the grip slips,you can throw them on for a few more.If your numbers are going up each week then thats all that matters.Ive had the same problem because years of bodybuilding made me a big pussy and I used straps for everything since I was 16.Now Im paying for it.
But my best deadlift was with a double overhand.I feel like I can actually pull harder that way.I usually switch back and forth though.Also,dont overtrain your grip.Its very taxing on the CNS and can harm your lifts.Just do what you doin and the grip will come along. [/quote]
I’m kinda late to post on this thread, but I can back up the part about grip training being taxing on the CNS…
I started training the hell outa my grip and screwed my lifting schedule cause of the impact on my CNS.
to the op:
On the plus side, training your grip CAN be the most rewarding thing you’ve ever trained. I went from being able to close a 150 lb pair of ‘Great Grips’ to being able to close a 250 in 5 weeks. And going on forums I found out that what I experienced is not that uncommon. Apparently you can really train the crap outa your grip, but I did get some tendinitis/carpal tunnel type symptoms(tingling and numbness) around week 2 that lasted for about a week. Also my other training suffered. (pressing and pulling)By that I mean I made NO appreciable gains. My forearms would hurt like crazy in some instances.
After I stopped and gave everything a chance to heal though my lifts shot up.
Take it for what it is, anecdotal evidence, but I think direct grip training does improve your big lifts.
[quote]goochadamg wrote:
He did it. I’m sure others have, too. I always use mixed grip for my “work sets”, and I probably always will unless I specifically train to be able to use a double overhand.
Like everyone else said, it’s normal to use mixed grip.[/quote]
he actually uses a hook grip, I think herman goener did a one arm deadlift with 727 but that was also hooked.