7 Tips to Improve Your Grip on The Deadlift

Jul 31st, 2007 by Mehdi Tags: , , ,

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Grip is the limiting factor in the Deadlift. If your hands can’t hold the weight, you can’t Deadlift it. A weak grip makes the deadlift harder to perform. A weak grip sends a signal to your back & leg muscles that the weight is too heavy to Deadlift.

If you want to increase your Deadlift, start with your grip. Here are 7 tips to improve your grip on the Deadlift.


1. Grip the Bar Correctly. Grip the bar close to your fingers. This leads to less calluses formation. The Deadlift can tear your skin if you grip the bar in the palm of your hands. Teared skin can take 2 weeks to heal. Don’t neglect this.

Deadlift Proper Grip


2. Squeeze the Bar. Grip the bar as hard as you can:

  • The harder you grip the bar, the stronger you are.
  • The less the bar moves in your hand the better.


3. Use a Pronated Grip. Deadlift as much as possible with both palms facing you. Perform your warmups using a pronated grip. Try to hold at the top for a few seconds. This will strengthen your grip.


4. Chalk. Chalk minimizes calluses formation from deadlifting. You’ll also avoid sweaty hands so the bar doesn’t slip through your hands.


5. Alternate Grip. Switch to an alternate grip when you can’t hold the bar using a pronated grip. One palm facing you, the other facing away. It doesn’t matter which hand faces you. You can change it up every set.

You can deadlift more with an alternate grip than with a pronated grip. With a pronated grip you have 8 fingers on one side of the bar, 2 thumbs on the other side. With an alternate grip it’s 5 fingers on every side. Your thumbs won’t give out as easily.


6. Lose the Straps. A solution when your grip is weak during the deadlift is to use straps. However this weakens your grip in the long run. Straps are also not allowed in competitions. Build good habits from the start.


7. Train your Grip. And at last, you can always train your grip. Check out The Basics of Grip by David Horne. It’s a great place to start.


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9 Responses to “7 Tips to Improve Your Grip on The Deadlift”

  1. on 01 Aug 2007 at 3:09 am1JH

    I have to use an alternate grip for both deadlifts and shrugs plus wear gloves. I have small hands and it really does hurt to lift heavy using the pronated grip.

    By the way, I made the fried cabbage with bacon. Delicious!!! I will be gassy later!

  2. on 01 Aug 2007 at 5:31 am2Harsh

    JH,
    As mentioned here by Mehdi you can start with Pronated grip but when you feel you can’t hold bar any further then shift to alternate, atleast for warmups. Give it a try if you feel uncomfortable you can reset ur grip within a set.

  3. on 01 Aug 2007 at 8:13 am3galapogos

    You forgot to mention switch to a hook grip(aka thumb-under grip). It gives just about as much grip as an alternate grip, without the cons. The only con is that it’s as pain as a mutha when you just start out. Give it a few weeks and it won’t feel as bad.

  4. on 01 Aug 2007 at 9:35 am4Mehdi

    Thanks for helping Harsh, great advice as always.

    If your hands hurts on the inside during the deadlift:
    -calluses haven’t grown yet
    -you’re not using the bar correctly (put it lower)
    -persist. it takes some time to adapt as always

    You should drop the gloves JH. You’re a woman & have small hands. Using gloves adds inches/cms to the bar. Get used to lift without it. It will take some time (lower the weight if necessary), but eventually it will be easier.

    Glad to read you the cabbage & bacon recipe turned out well ;)

  5. on 01 Aug 2007 at 9:37 am5Mehdi

    I didn’t mention it, because I don’t use it for the deadlift. I can squeeze the bar better using a thumb-around grip. I use the hook grip on the Power Clean however.

    If it works for you galapogos, sure continue. I know big weights have been deadlifted by people using a hook grip.

  6. on 09 Aug 2007 at 9:14 am6Harsh

    I was just having some thought yesterday that dumbbell DL’s could be a good way to develop grip. I took two 100 lbs dumbbells and 1st attempt I failed boz I was able to lift through right hand but my left hand gave up. and have to concentrate really hard in the 2nd attempt to make it through. and It was really a grinder compared to a 200 pond barbell DL.

    My only concern was putting weight down safely, and I was only able to hold weigh for few seconds.

    What are your comments on this :)

  7. on 09 Aug 2007 at 9:23 am7Mehdi

    Yeah why not. You can also try a suitcase deadlift, Harsh. Put the barbell aside & lift as if it was a suitcase. Great way to develop grip & abs.

  8. on 09 Aug 2007 at 10:58 am8Harsh

    Yes will try those …

  9. on 09 Aug 2007 at 11:01 am9Mehdi

    Ok good luck Harsh, tell me how it goes.

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