5 Pros of Using Lifting Straps to Hit Personal Best in Snatch by Gabriel Sincraian

Are you a weightlifter looking to take your snatch to the next level? Lifting straps may be the tool you’ve been missing.

For those unfamiliar with lifting straps, they are simple straps that wrap around your wrists and the barbell, providing an extra layer of support for your grip. While they may seem like a small accessory, lifting straps can provide numerous benefits for weightlifters, particularly when it comes to the snatch.

Here are five pros of using lifting straps to improve your snatch:

✅ Increased Grip Strength

One of the primary benefits of lifting straps is their ability to evenly distribute the weight of the bar across your hand, allowing you to grip the bar more firmly and lift heavier weights. This can lead to improved grip strength, which is essential for successful snatches. If you have struggled with grip strength in the past, lifting straps may be the solution you’ve been looking for.

✅ Reduced Hand Fatigue

Another advantage of lifting straps is their ability to reduce hand fatigue during high-volume training sessions. When you are performing multiple reps of the snatch, the strain on your grip can become overwhelming, leading to fatigue and reduced performance. Lifting straps can help to take some of the burden off your hands, allowing you to perform more reps and lift heavier weights.

✅ Improved Technique

In addition to increasing grip strength and reducing hand fatigue, lifting straps can also help to improve your overall snatch technique. By providing added support for your grip, you won’t have to worry about your grip failing during heavy lifts, which can lead to improved form and efficiency. This can be especially beneficial for those who struggle with the second pull or the catch phase of the snatch.

✅ Enhanced Focus

When you are worrying about your grip, it can be difficult to focus on other important aspects of your snatch technique, such as your leg drive and bar trajectory. With the added support of lifting straps, you can focus more on these critical elements, allowing you to lift more weight and perform better overall.

✅ Greater Confidence

Finally, lifting straps can help to boost your confidence when attempting heavy snatches. When you have the added support of the straps, you may feel more secure and capable of lifting heavier weights. This can be especially beneficial in competition situations, where confidence can be a key factor in performance.

If you are new to lifting straps and are not sure how to use them, it is important to first master the hook grip. The hook grip is a technique used to hold the barbell in which the thumb is wrapped around the bar and the fingers grip the thumb. This allows for a more secure hold on the bar and can help you lift heavier weights. Check out the following YouTube video for a tutorial on how to use the hook grip:

How to use Hook Grip in Snatch!

To sum it up, lifting straps can be a valuable tool for weightlifters looking to improve their snatch performance. Whether you are struggling with grip strength, hand fatigue, technique, focus, or confidence, lifting straps can help you overcome these challenges and achieve your personal best. So, if you haven’t tried them out yet, give lifting straps a shot and see how they can benefit your snatch!

Have you had success using lifting straps in your training? Share your experiences and results in the comments below.

About the Author

Gabriel Sincraian is a highly accomplished Romanian weightlifter who has participated in the Olympics Games twice, in 2012 and 2016. He has also won multiple medals at the European championships.

In addition to his career as an athlete, Sincraian is also an experienced weightlifting coach, having earned a degree in sport and a master’s degree in weightlifting. He has been sharing his wealth of knowledge and expertise as an Olympic weightlifting coach since 2018.