Genghis Fitness · Equipment and Grip Training

How to Use Lifting Straps: Correct Wrapping Technique, Which Exercises Need Them, When Not to Use Them, and Strap Types Compared

Updated 2026  |  By Team Genghis Fitness  |  22 min read

Lifting straps are one of the most misused and misunderstood pieces of training equipment. Some athletes wrap them incorrectly and wonder why they still lose grip. Others use them for every set of every exercise and inadvertently stall their grip strength development. And a significant number avoid them entirely out of a misguided belief that using straps is “cheating,” sacrificing back training quality at heavy loads for the sake of an ideology that has no support in the performance literature. This guide covers exactly how to wrap lifting straps correctly for the most secure grip possible, which exercises genuinely benefit from strap use, which exercises should never use straps, and how to choose between the main strap types available.

How to Wrap Lifting Straps Correctly

The most common strap wrapping error is looping the strap around the bar too few times before initiating the lift, resulting in a strap that slides or unravels under heavy loads. The correct wrapping technique for standard loop straps: thread one end of the strap through the loop to form a wrist cuff. Slide the cuff over the wrist so the strap tail hangs from the thumb side of the hand. Position your hand on the bar in your normal grip position. Take the hanging strap tail and pass it under the bar, then wrap it over the top of the bar and around once or twice more depending on strap length. Roll your wrist over the bar to tighten the wraps against the bar surface. The strap should feel locked against the bar with no slack. Gripping the bar through the straps rather than relying entirely on the strap to hold the load provides additional security and maintains some finger and thumb engagement. The Genghis Fitness lifting straps use a double-loop construction that provides a secure wrist anchor without cutting off circulation.

Which Exercises Benefit From Straps

Straps are appropriate for exercises where the back, hamstring, or trap muscles would reach their training limit before grip fails, and where using straps allows the primary muscles to be trained to a higher quality stimulus. The primary exercises where straps are beneficial:

Conventional and Romanian deadlifts: At loads above approximately 80 percent of maximum, grip is often the limiting factor before the posterior chain is adequately fatigued. Using straps for the heaviest sets preserves the posterior chain training stimulus. Research published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research confirmed that strap-assisted deadlifts allow significantly greater volume before grip failure compared to unstrapped training, supporting back and posterior chain adaptation without grip being the bottleneck.

Barbell rows and cable rows: Heavy horizontal pulling exercises benefit from straps when the set volume is high or loads are near maximum, allowing the lats and rhomboids to be trained to failure without forearm fatigue ending the set prematurely.

Lat pulldowns and pull-ups: At heavy loads or high volumes, straps remove grip fatigue from the equation and allow maximal lat activation throughout the set. See our back training guide for how straps integrate into lat development programming.

Shrugs and rack pulls: These exercises target the trapezius specifically at loads that almost always exceed grip capacity without assistance. Straps are standard for any serious shrug and rack pull training.

When Not to Use Lifting Straps

Straps should never be used in exercises where releasing the bar quickly is necessary for safety: squats, bench press, overhead press, and Olympic lifts. In any exercise where losing control of the bar requires rapid hand release, straps create a dangerous situation because the wrist is secured to the bar. Power cleans, snatches, and any exercise with a catch position should never use straps. Additionally, straps should not be used for warm-up sets or lighter working sets where grip is not the limiting factor, as these sets provide valuable grip training stimulus that is lost when straps are applied unnecessarily. The balanced approach is to use straps only when grip would genuinely limit the quality of the primary muscle training, typically the heaviest 2 to 3 work sets of pulling exercises per session.

Strap Types Compared

Loop straps: The standard type described above. Versatile, work for virtually all pulling exercises, easy to adjust. The most practical choice for most athletes.

Figure-8 straps: A double-loop design that threads through itself around the bar, providing a more locked connection than loop straps at very heavy loads. Used primarily for heavy deadlifts and rack pulls where maximum security is needed. The Genghis Fitness figure-8 lifting straps are designed for maximum deadlift loads where standard loop straps may shift under extreme tension.

Leather straps: More durable than cotton or nylon and conform to the bar shape over time. Provide excellent grip security for athletes training at high loads over long periods. The Genghis Fitness leather lifting straps offer the longevity advantage of leather with the established loop design.

Wrist wraps vs lifting straps: These are entirely different tools. Wrist wraps stabilise the wrist joint during pressing movements and do not assist grip. Lifting straps assist grip during pulling movements and do not stabilise the wrist. Both serve important but completely distinct functions.

Straps and Grip Strength: The Balanced Approach

The concern that lifting straps weaken grip strength is valid only when used indiscriminately for all sets of all pulling exercises. The balanced approach is to use straps for the heaviest work sets while leaving lighter sets unstrapped to maintain the grip training stimulus. Pairing strap-assisted back training with explicit grip work such as farmer carries, dead hangs, and thick bar training develops grip actively while allowing the back to be trained at maximum quality during heavy work sets. The figure-8 lifting straps provide maximum security for near-maximal deadlift loads, while the standard loop lifting straps serve the full range of pulling exercises. The comprehensive grip strength development programme is in our grip strength guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do Lifting Straps Weaken Your Grip?

Only if used exclusively for all pulling exercises across extended periods without any unassisted grip training. Straps used selectively for the heaviest work sets while leaving warm-up and lighter sets unstrapped do not meaningfully impair grip strength development. Athletes who are concerned about grip development should include explicit grip training such as farmer carries and dead hangs alongside strap-assisted back training. The complete grip training approach is in our grip strength guide.

How Tight Should Lifting Straps Be on the Wrist?

Snug enough to prevent the wrist cuff from sliding during the lift, but not so tight that circulation is restricted or the hand becomes numb during a set. The wrist cuff should stay in place without the athlete needing to tighten their grip to hold it, but there should be no numbness, tingling, or colour change in the hand during use. If any of these occur, the strap is too tight and the wrapping tension should be reduced.