Straps, Part Deux
12 May 2005If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!
At some point in your fitness efforts, if you hang at it long enough, back-muscle strength outraces grip-strength. What does that mean in practical terms? Comes a time where while training the muscles of the back, (latissimus, trapezius, erectors, rhomboids, teres all of which are muscularly stimulated by pulling resistance towards the torso) you could squeeze out an additional rep or two or three if you could just maintain your grip. The stronger you become the more likely the poundage will start to uncurl those digits; if the grip wasnt a factor and you could continue to pull with those powerful back muscles.
Straps allow you to take the grip out of the back-building equation.with straps I can magically transform a triple into a five, a 5-rep set into an 8-rep set, a 10 into a 14straps allow me, at the conclusion of a limit set of chins, pull-ups, pull-downs or cable row (using any and all grips) to just hang! At the conclusion of a set of chins or pull-downs or whatever, after I have repped out and have exhausted myself, I can just relax and hang and let the poundage pull and stretch me; this results in an incredible stretch almost a dislocation. And guess what? If you hang long enough muscles will recover and youll be able to squeeze out another muscle-building repetitionor two or three. I can routinely turn a 3-rep deadlift max into a 5-rep set if I wear straps.
After Ive done a limit three, I simply stand erect and huff and puff enough times to recuperate. I might need five or six forced breaths. Then I lower, lightly touch the plates to the platform and snap erect with yet another growth-producing repa growth-producing rep impossible (for me) without lifting straps. Buy a pair of straps at the gym for around $10 then start to fool around with them on the dumbbell rows, barbell rows, deadlifts, pull-downs, chins, cable rows, power cleans, high pulls, stiff-legged deadlifts and deadlifts off a blockanything that requires a grip past what you have currently available. Straps are a tool that allows us to jack up the exercise intensity to the next level. Most of you dont have a clue as to what half the exercises I just listed are - these are the finest back-building, strength-infusing exercises known to man and worthy of practice on a regular reoccurring basis.
Athletes will always seek the most effective way as opposed to the most expeditious way. Athletes are always willing to pay the physical and psychological price required to progress. Most normal folks are not. Regardless you level of physical expertise (or lack of) the willingness to try and push through to the next level regardless the momentary discomfort is the difference between those who actually make progress and those who merely tread water. This ability to venture into the pain and discomfort zone is what separates those who actually change from those who seek to but are unsuccessful. Straps can add reps. Extra reps equate to extra growth. Frankly, unless we seek to extend our comfort zone, consciously expand the limit of that particular envelope, not much of anything is going to happen. Straps are a Purposefully Primitive tool of the first order. I think a pair of straps and a canister of protein powder should be mandatory with the purchase of every barbell sold.
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