Using Straps on Deadlift. How do I train my grip?

[Icy]

I recently popped a blood vessel in my palm, while trying to deadlift heavy (for me, 355 lb) on a wobbly platform (I have since fixed the platform). This recurrent bruise makes it hard to deadlift heavy, causing a lot of pain on a max tightness hook grip.

In order to continue deadlifting, I've gotten a pair of straps. However, I'm worried about keeping my grip strength on par with my deadlifting ability. Are there other "sub-max" grip exercises I should consider, to keep training my grip while recovering from this injury?

[Szymon]

I recently popped a blood vessel in my palm, while trying to deadlift heavy (for me, 355 lb) on a wobbly platform (I have since fixed the platform). This recurrent bruise makes it hard to deadlift heavy, causing a lot of pain on a max tightness hook grip.

In order to continue deadlifting, I've gotten a pair of straps. However, I'm worried about keeping my grip strength on par with my deadlifting ability. Are there other "sub-max" grip exercises I should consider, to keep training my grip while recovering from this injury?

Your grip strenght will never be on par with your deadlift. Hook grip is more of a "get use to it" thing. So if you get stronger in deadlift by 100 lb. using only straps and than decide to go back to hook grip it shouldn't be a problem.

[asm44]

Hook grip is more of a "get use to it" thing. So if you get stronger in deadlift by 100 lb. using only straps and than decide to go back to hook grip it shouldn't be a problem.

That's definitely not true. Hook grip requires and builds grip strength.

[Szymon]

That's definitely not true. Hook grip requires and builds grip strength.

Experience seems to contradict your statement. After your thumb gets used to being squashed (3-4 deadlift seasions) you can deadlift around the same what you did with straps. Even if you did not used hookgrip ever before. It happen to me and everybody else who i trained with. Your grip gets stronger from overhand grip warmup sets, preses and pullups. Usualy that is enough.

[asm44]

And my experience says the heavy deadlift sets with hook drive grip strength more than anything else you've mentioned. I've pulled 220kg DOH with my previous best being 200kg, and in-between all I did was deadlift heavy sets of 5 with a hook grip. A 20kg jump doesn't seem possible if the DOH warmup sets are the real driver.

[GioFerrante]

Train all your warmups with the hook grip and build it up. Do that for all of your deadlifts, and your cleans as well. Worked fine for me. I'm at the same PR deadlift as you.

[Sebastian Ohanian]

I recently popped a blood vessel in my palm, while trying to deadlift heavy (for me, 355 lb) on a wobbly platform (I have since fixed the platform). This recurrent bruise makes it hard to deadlift heavy, causing a lot of pain on a max tightness hook grip.

In order to continue deadlifting, I've gotten a pair of straps. However, I'm worried about keeping my grip strength on par with my deadlifting ability. Are there other "sub-max" grip exercises I should consider, to keep training my grip while recovering from this injury?

Not sure how deep your bruise is, but have you considered some lidocaine? Can you use alternating grip?

[Mark Rippetoe]

Lidocaine will not numb a deep bruise.

[Chiaki Nitya]

And my experience says the heavy deadlift sets with hook drive grip strength more than anything else you've mentioned. I've pulled 220kg DOH with my previous best being 200kg, and in-between all I did was deadlift heavy sets of 5 with a hook grip. A 20kg jump doesn't seem possible if the DOH warmup sets are the real driver.

This is true for me as well, though I have stubby fingers and I can't just hool grip and go, I have to hook grip while also squeezing the shit out of the bar. So for me hook grip works grip strength as well as my fingers aren't long enough to do hook grip with an otherwise loose grip.

[Icy]

I'm already well-acclimated to using the hook grip (and it really did make a huge difference, pre-injury). I guess I'll just wait for my injury to heal, and hope that strapless warm-ups on deadlift are enough to keep my grip strength up to par. Thanks for the responses, people!