Grip Strength

[muntz]

So, just curious here. 50yr old intermediate lifter 5'10' 210lbs. My DL 1RM is 475. My DOH grip fails right around 315 in that I can do one rep, but not 2 (in fact this weekend, i failed on my 3rd in the high 200s). What are others' experiences? I'm fine switching to alternate grip, but just something i'm curious about.

[Charlie Davies]

I'm your height and age but about 195 lbs. My DL 3RM is 325, with hook grip. I can DOH 305 for 3 reps -- my back is barely stronger than my grip.

I personally prefer hook over alternating because I have trouble controlling the "windmilling" towards the supine hand in alternating. Also, hook is well-suited for my long fingers -- I can actually start a little higher this way. But it hurts.

[muntz]

I'm your height and age but about 195 lbs. My DL 3RM is 325, with hook grip. I can DOH 305 for 3 reps -- my back is barely stronger than my grip.

I personally prefer hook over alternating because I have trouble controlling the "windmilling" towards the supine hand in alternating. Also, hook is well-suited for my long fingers -- I can actually start a little higher this way. But it hurts.

Hook grip pain is EXACTLY the type of pain I hate, so i avoid it. I agree that it is probably better than DOH due to windmilling, etc.

Im curious, whats the heaviest anyone has pulled DOH? seems that low 300s is a pretty common PR

[SteveL]

Age 60. 5'10" 180lbs - DL 5 rep max 330lbs. Grip fails after one at 300lbs. I don't plan on competing so I just use straps. What I have been doing over time is not using straps on my warm ups and my grip strength has been getting stronger slowly but surely.

[codger]

I'm 63, 6' 205 pounds. My 1 rep max for the deadlift (conventional) to date is 455 with chalk and hook grip. I use the double overhand grip for all my warm-up sets and hook grip for my work sets. So far my best double overhand deadlift is 315 for two reps using chalk, which I pulled last Saturday for my last warm-up set.

[muntz]

interesting. so, low 300s appears to be when people have to switch grips away from DOH.

[Charlie Davies]

interesting. so, low 300s appears to be when people have to switch grips away from DOH.

More specifically, where most average-sized older men must switch grips.

Not-fully-grown teens and women have smaller hands and much lower grip limits, particularly on 32mm globo-gym bars.

[gotlander]

6’2” 225 lb 59 yo. My best DL ever was 437.5 for a single with straps and 410x1 with the hook grip, but I have also gotten 365x3 DOH. One thing that helps is actively using the thumb to squeeze the fingers into the bar, analogous to using the fingers to squeeze the thumb into the bar with the hook grip.

[Str8shutr]

6’2” 41 M 290 Best DL is 506, last DL day I got 405x5, first three reps were DOH, last two were hooked. I normally DL twice per week, on a HLM setup. All volume pulls are done DOH, on limit sets up to 405 I get as many as possible DOH then switch midset to hook. I have found that I have to hook pretty much anything over 405. I have been a fitter welder most of my life. I think all the manual labor helped with grip development.

[MashedTaters]

66, runt (5'6"), 187.

Best DL 365x3; best DOH grip 320x1.