(Last Updated on May 11, 2024 by Henry)
Figure 8 Lifting Straps –
- Name: Cerberus Figure 8 Lifting Straps
- Category: Weight Lifting Straps
- Purpose: Smart Leverages to Support Grip
- Rating: 4.8 out of 5 stars
- Vendors: Amazon, Temu
Discover on Amazon Explore a More Affordable Option Claim Your Free 100€ Temu Coupon
- Top Choice of Deadlifters – Lock Your Grip on Bar, Allowing You Solely Focus on Pull
- Durable – Heavy Duty Cotton Canvas, Withstanding Weight Up to 600 kg/1300lbs
- Warranty – One Year
Cerberus Figure 8 Lifting Straps – Review
Overview, Details & Everything Relevant You Need To Know
Overview:
CERBERUS Strength Figure 8 Lifting Straps are specifically designed for heavy-pulling exercises. Reliable workhorse & top choice of strongman & serious deadlifters aiming for both to break records & to push the limits of their bodies. Eddie Hall used this type of lifting strap to break the world record in the deadlift.
Figure 8 lifting straps are ideal for one rep max & high repetition exercises where fatigued grip would be a limiting factor. This smart leverage allows you to effectively take weaknesses of grip out of the equation to put more focus on the posterior chain.
What sets these lifting straps apart from other straps is not only the unique design but also the fact you don’t need to use chalk with these. Figure 8 allows your palms to lock onto the barbell tightly enough that most of the time you find chalk overkill.
One of the drawbacks of figure 8 lifting straps is you can’t use them for Olympic-style weight lifting at all. It’s an entirely different style, going against the concept of Olympic lifts & quick bailouts. Dropping the bar with these straps is impossible.
Made with heavy-duty cotton canvas to be durable & take some beating before wearing down. Withstanding a load up to 600 kg / 1300 lbs. If deadlifting massive weights is your goal, or going all out for repetitions where your grip might fail, these are hands down the most secure lifting straps you can get.
Another interesting part of these lifting straps is the way you apply them. You won’t grab the rope part with your palms at all, meaning there’s minimal interference with your lifting technique. That’s a huge plus. One end of the lifting strap is attached to your wrist & the other goes directly to the barbell, leaving your palms free.
What are the Pros & Cons with Cerberus Figure 8 Lifting Straps?
No Need for Chalk
Pros:
- Figure 8 Closed Loop – In most cases, these are the absolute best lifting straps for strongman-style lifting. If you intend to 100% lock your grip on the bar, this is the way to do it. A good way to enhance your lifting technique is by removing your need to grip, this allows you to put maximum effort towards your posterior chain while in the pulling phase of deadlift.
- Ideal for Max Deadlift – Specifically good equipment if you’re going for the record-breaking deadlift. It enables you to go all out with your overall body strength, locking your grip tightly. Ideal for max deadlifts as well as any deadlift for repetition events and heavy shrugs.
- Super Easy to Use – Simple & effective, easier to use than most traditional lifting straps & provides insanely good grip. Ideal for gyms where chalk is not allowed.
- No Need For Chalk – With any other type of lifting straps you’d naturally use chalk in conjunction to reinforce grip even further. In Figure 8 lifting straps case your grip already is tightly locked around the bar, so in most cases, you don’t have to use chalk.
- 4 Size Options – Choose from small, medium, large, or extra large variants. Extra large is only recommended when you intend to perform lifts on thick bars like axles. SMALL – up to 17.5cm / 6.9″ MEDIUM – up to 19cm / 7.5″ LARGE – up to 20.5cm / 8.1″ X-LARGE – up to 22cm / 8.7″
- Durable – Made of polyester, rugged & durable, rated to 600kg. In addition, the manufacturer offers a 1-year warranty.
- Portable – Lifting straps are light, you can always take them with you. Throw them into your training bag as you hit the gym.
Cons:
- No Bailouts – Perfect for strongman, no go for Olympic-style weight lifter since there’s absolutely no bailout using these straps.
Cerberus Figure 8 Lifting Straps – Ranking 96 out of 100
Excellent Equipment
How Can You Benefit From Weight Lifting Straps?
Use Smart Leverages
- Recovery from injuries – Torn callus, sprain, dislocated finger, recently broken wrist that is going through rehab. Many valid reasons justify the use of lifting straps. A hand injury can prevent you from grabbing the barbell. But also a simple recovery from the previous workout. If you feel burnt out, once in a while your grip work gets too difficult & you need to rest your hands. This is where lifting straps will save the day. Instead of staring at the ceiling, you can continue working out while giving your hands a break from the beating they got from barbells & grippers.
- Assistance work – At some point grip strength becomes a limiting factor. With lifting straps, you can lift considerably bigger weights & do many more repetitions before getting tired. In that way, weaknesses in your grip won’t hold back your overall strength training progress. There are various reasons like rehabbing an injury, or it takes time for your grip to catch up in strength to be on par with the rest of your body. You can compensate for your muscle imbalances. Some exercises are difficult to perform without lifting straps, to begin with, & benefit from the help that stabilizes isometric exercises.
- Purposefully targeting different muscle groups – You can put more focus on your entire posterior chain, including exercises for the upper back, lats, lower back, traps, or quads while not simultaneously focusing on grip strength. Grip is always the very first link & inseparable part of most exercises. Whether you’re doing rows, pull-ups, deadlifts, or pull-downs, you are using your grip. Fortunately, lifting straps can help you out big time if you want to train your grip separately. You don’t have to sacrifice everything else at the expense of your grip & its shortcomings.
- You’ve already trained grip enough – Forearms are one of the smallest muscle groups in your body, and inflammation is quick to follow if you over-train your arms. Using lifting straps can balance your training without wrecking your arms. This is an excellent way to focus on different exercises after you’ve already completed your grip training. Take the load off your fingers, hands, and forearms, prevent possible injuries, and muscle overuse & recover faster. In that case, lifting straps can be highly beneficial, saving you from pain caused by annoying injuries.
Who Should Use Weight Lifting Straps?
Align Equipment With Your Goals
- Beginner Lifters: Take your time, you’re almost there. At the very beginning, regardless of your additional tools you are rapidly improving & greatly benefiting from almost every exercise. Wouldn’t hurt if you own a pair of lifting straps, however, you don’t need to add any fancy tricks to it yet. It’s recommended to train for at least 1 year until you have developed some basic grip strength.
- Intermediate Lifters: At this stage, you should own a pair of lifting straps no matter what. If you take your progress seriously, you can train longer & harder that way. Use lifting straps for everything aforementioned, rehab, assistance work, warm-ups & for deliberately targeting different muscle groups. This is a simple recipe for success.
- Advanced Lifters: At this stage using lifting straps is your second nature. The biggest concern as an advanced lifter is ‘feeling’ your technique correctly if you’re about to enter the competition. Lifting straps are ideal to allow you to train longer & harder but they also might have an impact on your lifting technique by providing a ‘different feel’ on weight. Finding a balance between using & not using lifting straps is important to be well off.
- Competitive Strongmen: You likely won’t leave your house without a pair of lifting straps. Everything you do pretty much has written heavy all over it. Close to competition you’re inclined to use lifting straps even more often to maximize your training efficiency while reducing the risks of getting injured as much as possible. If competition allows the use of straps, you should always use them to get a competitive edge & protect your body at the same time to keep you in 100% winning condition.
1 With no sewn loop:
Designed for Olympic-style lifters for bailouts.
These are the hardest to use for beginners because the ends of those lifting straps are tricky to manage & they come off from the barbell very easily.
But that’s the trick itself & the whole point of those lifting straps: Quick bailouts for maximum safety.
You can perform the most technical of lifts without getting stuck under the bar & retain your mobility at the same time.
2 With sewn loop:
Attached at the ends, sewn into a closed loop.
The easiest of the three & fun to use. For everyone who doesn’t like to manage the ends of lifting straps with no sewn loop.
Sewn loops come off as quickly as they go on & won’t choke up your wrists. Excellent for any athlete.
Recommended for complete beginners. Outstanding weight lifting straps & easiest to handle.
3 Sewn & looped over:
Sewn & passed back through the loop.
Standard Strongman-style lifting straps for maximum heavy lifts.
These are built to secure the weight you’re going to lift as much as possible.
These straps are very easy to use & inspire confidence.
Lifting Straps like these are specifically designed to give you the most secure grip on a bar you could have.
Depending on the style of lifting straps, there are usually three different styles. All straps serve the same purpose – to support your grip for lifting weights & to maintain static holds.
The difference is in minor variance in how they are built & who will benefit the most from each of them. Do not underestimate using these smart leverages, they help to optimize your training routines.
What is My Final Evaluation of Cerberus Figure 8 Lifting Straps?
Deadlifters Workhorse
If you deadlift a lot, figure 8 is hands down go to lifting straps. The best of the best. If you aim to focus on Olympic-style weight lifting, these are no use for you.
As specialty tools with specific intentions, their function is limited to doing one thing & to do it well. Being heavy-duty, allows you to hoist up more than half a ton. The coolest uniqueness factor is that you likely don’t have to use chalk with Figure 8 lifting straps. It doubles their value right on the spot.
As a result of the peculiar closed-loop mechanic, these lifting straps are excellent for max deadlifts, heavy shrugs & deadlifts for repetitions. Everything that involves pulling movements with the main focus on training posterior-chain.
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