Grip Strength

[76now]

Mark, alternating grip puts a twist in the spine, and a great stress on one of the biceps. If you are going to use it, you need to strictly alternate how the hands are placed.
Love your thread.

[skid]

Mark, alternating grip puts a twist in the spine, and a great stress on one of the biceps. If you are going to use it, you need to strictly alternate how the hands are placed.
Love your thread.

I've never alternated my alternate grip ever and have pulled 550+ at 54years. It would feel too weird to change now...

[76now]

I've never alternated my alternate grip ever and have pulled 550+ at 54years.

Don't doubt your power one bit. How's your spinal alignment?

[Mark E. Hurling]

Mark, alternating grip puts a twist in the spine, and a great stress on one of the biceps. If you are going to use it, you need to strictly alternate how the hands are placed.

I know all that and it's a valid concern, but as you say, recognize the risks and pay strict attention to hand placement during set up.

I only experienced a problem with alternating grip once with the spinal twist you mentioned. Maybe.

On my 3rd DL attempt at the USPA Drug Tested Nationals in 2016, for some reason, the bar rotated to the left as I came up. Maybe because I always supinated the left hand. Maybe because I asymmetrically extended my hips and legs. Maybe because the air conditioning failed in the auditorium from an overnight storm, it was hot as Hell, and I lost lock on my concentration and was fatigued. Or maybe some combination of all three. I dunno. But I still took the gold and set a national record for the old guys in my age and weight class.

Love your thread.

Thank you.

[KarlK]

OK, but why is an alternating grip out of the question?

You'll still get more benefit on grip strength from that rather than resorting to straps.

Let me ask you this -- is 400 or even 425 with the straps better than,say, 350 with a bare grip, alternate or otherwise?

Because right now, I can imagine that 400+, rathers than the 350. And with no risk of spine twist or bicep injury.

I may not compete at all, and if I do, it will be for yuks, not to win. I want to get as much weight up as possible apart from that.

[Mark E. Hurling]

I guess it depends on your overall objectives.

If you don't care about static grip strength that bad, which the DL without straps will develop, than go ahead. If you are more concerned with how much you can DL and don't ever intend to compete, then straps may be the way to go.

Otherwise, go to an alternating grip since a hook grip is out of the question for you.

[Lee Rodgers]

Being almost at the end of LP, I can attest to this very issue. Until I got to 315, the hook grip was doable. But now that I’m in the 340 range, and not wanting to use cross grip, I’m gonna get straps in order to still use the double overhand grip. I also find that I can set my back easier with the double overhand as well. And I have no intention of competing. Just an old guy trying to get strong.