Figure 8 Lifting Straps | Max Deadlift Grip

Description

Figure 8 Lifting Straps For When Standard Straps Are Not Enough

The Genghis Fitness Figure 8 Lifting Straps create a fixed, non-rotating connection between your wrist and the barbell by threading the double-loop design around both your wrist and the bar simultaneously. Standard lasso-style straps connect your wrist to the bar through a single wrap. Figure-8 straps connect your wrist to the bar through a loop that passes around the bar and back through itself to your wrist, creating a closed system where the strap physically cannot unwind or release during the pull regardless of the direction of force applied. Sold as a pair.

The difference between standard straps and figure-8 straps is the type of pulling they are designed for. Standard straps are excellent for a broad range of pulling movements including rows, Romanian deadlifts, lat pulldowns, and conventional deadlifts up to near-maximum loads. Figure-8 straps are specifically designed for maximum-load deadlifts, heavy rack pulls, deficit deadlifts, and any pulling movement where you want the most mechanically secure connection between your wrist and the bar that a strap can provide. The closed-loop design means that even at absolute maximum loads where standard straps might develop slight movement at the wrap point, figure-8 straps maintain a completely fixed connection.

Who Should Use Figure-8 Straps

Powerlifters and strength athletes who regularly pull at or near their maximum deadlift in training are the primary user of figure-8 straps. When your working sets are above 90 percent of your maximum and you are pulling for singles, doubles, or triples, the security of a figure-8 connection provides a level of confidence under maximum load that lasso straps, even leather ones, cannot match. The psychological element of knowing your grip is completely secure changes how you set up and approach a maximum pull.

Strongman athletes who pull atlas stones, cars, and other heavy implements with irregular surfaces use figure-8 straps because the fixed loop design maintains grip security on surfaces where standard strap wraps can shift or rotate. Atlas stone loading events in competition do not typically allow straps but training sessions with heavy stones and heavy deadlift implements benefit from the maximum security of the figure-8 design when loads are at competition maximum or above.

Advanced lifters who are testing true maximum loads in training, whether for record attempts, competition simulation, or periodization peaks, will find that figure-8 straps remove the grip variable entirely from maximum-effort pulls. The goal on a true maximum deadlift attempt is to eliminate every possible failure point except muscular capacity. Figure-8 straps accomplish that for the grip component.

How To Use Figure-8 Straps

Pass one end of the figure-8 loop over your wrist and let it rest at the base of your palm. Hook the bar-side loop under and around the barbell. Pull both loops snug against their respective contact points and close your hand around the bar and the strap body. The loop through the bar and the loop around your wrist are now connected in a closed system. When you pull, the force tightens the system further rather than working against it the way an unwrapping force would work against a lasso strap.

Setup with figure-8 straps takes slightly longer than lasso straps because the double loop requires threading correctly around both wrist and bar. Most athletes take three to five sessions before the setup becomes fast and automatic. The increased setup time is worth it for maximum-load pulling where the security is genuinely different from lasso straps at the highest intensities.

Figure-8 straps are not the right choice for moderate-load pulling or for movements where quick release between reps is useful. For Romanian deadlifts done with touch-and-go reps, for example, the fixed loop design is less practical than a lasso strap that releases more easily between repetitions. Use figure-8 straps for the heavy, deliberate, maximum-load pulling sessions where their specific advantage matters. Use leather or cotton lasso straps for everything else.

Care and Maintenance

Inspect the strap material at the loop junctions after every heavy session. The highest stress concentration in a figure-8 strap is where the two loops join, because this point bears the full pulling force in a way that no other part of the strap does. Any fraying, separation, or discoloration at the junction is a signal to replace the strap before the next maximum-effort session. Do not train with a compromised figure-8 strap at maximum loads. Rinse with water after sessions where chalk is heavy, air dry, and store flat to prevent permanent creasing at the loop point.

Key Specifications

• Design: Double-loop figure-8 closed system
• Sold: As a pair
• Available colors: Multiple options
• Best for: Maximum deadlifts, rack pulls, deficit pulls, near-max loading
• Inspect: Loop junction after every maximum-effort session
• Not ideal for: Touch-and-go reps, moderate-load accessory work

Frequently Asked Questions

Figure-8 Strap Fit and Setup Guide

Figure-8 lifting straps are one size and fit most adult wrists. The dual-loop design accommodates different hand sizes through its closed-loop mechanics.

The wrist loop passes over the hand and rests at the base of the palm. The bar loop goes under and around the barbell. Pull both snug before closing your hand over the bar. Setup becomes fast and automatic within 3–5 training sessions of consistent use.