How to Place Your Hands on Barbell to Perform a Deadlift?
4 Different Styles
- Double Overhand
- Mixed Grip
- Hook Grip
- Lifting Straps
There are four different styles how to grip for deadlift.
Double overhand grip, mixed grip, hook grip & double overhand grip while using weight lifting straps.
Should You Use Weight Lifting Straps OR Not?
by Alan Thrall
How Wide Should be Your Grip Width on Bar?
You want to set up your grip by focusing on two main details:
- How you grip the bar (Double overhand, Mixed grip, Hook grip, Straps)
- The width you are using to grip the bar with
Once you’ve got both of your feet in place – Your stance width & your toe angle, you’re ready to set up your grip.
It’s simple & straightforward – Take the narrowest grip you can, meanwhile you are:
- Not forcing your knees to cave in
- Not causing excessive friction between arms & thighs
If you use too wide grip – It simply increases the distance you have to pull the barbell. So, if your grip gets wider, technically it makes the lift a little bit less efficient.
For example, you don’t exactly see a lot of guys who can deadlift with snatch grip way more weight than they do it with a narrower grip.
It’s great starting position, & your grip width is excellent, when your arms are brushing against your thighs, meanwhile they’re not forcing your knees or grinding against your thighs.
How to Grip a Bar for Deadlift in Sumo Stance?
the Exact Same Ways
All the barbell gripping styles & the information about it – Double overhand, mixed grip, hook grip, double overhand with lifting straps – applies to they sumo style deadlift exactly the same way as it applies to the conventional style deadlift.
There’s likely only one big difference & it’s your knees position – Your knees won’t be in the way of your arms when you’re lifting sumo style. This also means you can take a narrower grip on the barbell.
You can grip the barbell with your hands directly below your shoulder & this position allows your arms to be potentially at their longest & help to minimize the distance you need to pull the bar to make lift more efficient.
If you’re comfortable with grabbing smooth part of the barbell, you can do that to shorten the distance & make your lift more effective. If not, you should widen your grip just enough, so your hands are on the start of the barbell knurling.
Gripping Barbell for Deadlift
Common Mistakes
Once you set your grip the barbell sits deep into your palms, it’s going to be pulled down by itself & straight into your fingers.
You’re going to tear up your hands without actually achieving a firmer grip!
The correct position is to set the barbell either above or below the calluses at the base of your fingers.
Pull the slack out of barbell as you’re starting to lift & feel how your grip tightens properly.
This is the most effective way to achieve strongest grip.
Eventually as weights get heavier, you’ll end up getting biceps tears. There’s always higher risk to tear your biceps when doing that, you should not pull the bar with your arms at all.
Your back, hips, legs & grip should do all the work.
Biceps tears almost always happen to the supinated/underhand arm when someone is pulling the bar.
Crush the bar with your grip, use all the power you have in your forearms BUT leave your upper arms relaxed.
Remember, you are deadlifting not rowing OR biceps curling!
Always grip the barbell harder than you need – The lift will feel easier if you grip hard enough – It’s already a psychological victory & helps you conquer the lift more easily. It creates much more confidence in you & having a upper hand is never a bad thing.
Thanks for stopping by!
I hope you enjoyed reading my article & learned a lot about Gripping Barbell for Deadlift along the way.
Feel free to ask for assistance & share your thoughts by leaving a comment.
Cheers,
Henry