I've had a nice set of Valeo gloves for quite a while, and I think they give me good grip and they're comfortable too. Yesterday I picked up a set of Harbinger wrist straps w/ neophrene on the wrist side so the material doesn't cut in to your wrists...WOW! Straps are the WAY TO GO! Doing shrugs yesterday without my fingers going numb and losing my grip was worth every penny of the SEVEN BUCKS! those bad-boys cost me! I highly recommend them.

What gloves to you use? What straps?

What gloves to you use? What straps?

I don't use straps because I want my forearm grip strength to increase along w/ my deadlifts and pull-ups. I don't have gloves right now, but I've thought about it because my fingers are always sore from gripping the bar so tight.

How much did your gloves cost and where did you get them?

I bought my gloves and straps from Play it Again Sports. I believe my gloves were about 12 dollars and the straps were 7.

BUY GLOVES! Straps are debateable (although I don't think my forearms benefit too much from holding weights when doing things like lat-pulldown, shrugs, and so forth...i wouldn't use them for hammer curls or anything)...but Gloves are necessary IMO. They'll keep you from blisters, and help keep your grip in tact if your hands begin to sweat.

Harbinger #130 Classic WristWrap Gloves, KD Industries 1 Ton Hooks (http://www.1tonhooks.com/1TonHooks.htm), these are awesome for when your arms are dead but your back isn't, and a pair of plain old Harbinger Cotton Lifting Straps.

I have never used gloves but just ordered a pair from bodybuilding.com.

They are $16.00 and I figure they will save my skin from soem ugly wounds as I get back into lifting. :-)

Harbinger (http://bodybuilding.com/store/gl/pct.html)

Pug

Pug, you may want to keep those away from the weights, they're for water, cycling and cardio equipment. I don't know how the neoprene would hold up to heavy lifting, just don't want to see you rip them.

Century Versa Grips

They're a "combination" of strap and "glove".
Take awhile to get used to, and still doesn't feel right with an easy curl bar, but now I love'm.

Be a man, you don't need gloves and/or straps. :)

I dont wear gloves, ive tried, but i just cant get used to them, i prefer the feeling without gloves, kinda feeling more in control of the weight because im connected directly to them.

I BUZZ of straps though, my back has made the biggest gains ever since i started using them. I now do forearm curls to keep them going. Believe me, when doing deads, your grip goes before ur back. If u aint tried them, try them, and then tell me they dont allow you to lift more on your back. And its not that it makes it "easier" on the muscles, it just stops your grip failing before your back does. :nod:

I have never used gloves but just ordered a pair from bodybuilding.com.

They are $16.00 and I figure they will save my skin from soem ugly wounds as I get back into lifting. :-)

Harbinger (http://bodybuilding.com/store/gl/pct.html)

Pug
Thanks for the headsup, I actually ordered the wrong ones! I was thinking about those to replace my mountain biking gloves.

These (http://bodybuilding.com/store/gl/g2.html) should do the trick for lifting, if I find I need them

Pug :tu:

Be a man, you don't need gloves and/or straps. :)I agree with you in theory. My problem is that my grip gives out long before my lats or traps. As I pyramid up, I don't use the straps on the lighter sets. When I get to the point that I simply can't hold the bar, I use the straps. I feel like I'm getting the best of both worlds. I'm gradually improving my grip strength but I'm still able to fully work my traps/lats.

I use the old fashioned, cheap cotton straps. They're not so bad after they break in and get softer.

I do have to say that, while I've got Gloves, Hooks, and Straps...I only use the gloves when I've strained my wrists, since they've got wraps built into them. I do prefer to be able to feel the bar as much as possible. The hooks get used occasionally. Typically if I end up doing dumbbell rows as one of my last exercises of a session, I can just hook onto the bar and pull...no grip problems. I've also used them for deads, and they work great. As far as the straps...I got them because my past trainer suggested having a set. I've never really used them, though I'm sure I probably will at sometime in the future.

Try putting a loaded bar into the power rack on pins just over knee high. Proceed to pick up the loaded bar and just hold it. This is a great way to build your grip strength. You can go way heavier than your deadlifts here since you're not doing a full deadlift, only a few inches. I no longer do these, but my forearms have plenty of strength. I haven't deadlifted in over 14 months, and last week I did 405x5 just to see how it felt on the ol' blown disc. Needless to say, it hurt! At least I know my strength is still good. :)

Try putting a loaded bar into the power rack on pins just over knee high. Proceed to pick up the loaded bar and just hold it. This is a great way to build your grip strength. You can go way heavier than your deadlifts here since you're not doing a full deadlift, only a few inches. I no longer do these, but my forearms have plenty of strength. I haven't deadlifted in over 14 months, and last week I did 405x5 just to see how it felt on the ol' blown disc. Needless to say, it hurt! At least I know my strength is still good. :)

*shakes head in quasi jealosy...I remember when I was young, and didn't have a metal hip* :lol: