Impact Of Changing to Mixed Grip on Deadlifts

Ive always done double overhand when i deadlift because its my only grip work and the mixed grip feels odd to me. However im in the low 300s for a max dead (320 i would guess) and i havent gone up at all in about 2 months so im thinking of changing over to mixed grips on my last set. Should i expect a nice increasement in strength from here on out and my dead will go up a lot because of this or will my grip just be more comfortable but wont have a huge impact on how much weight i can lift?
 
Thanks!

If your grip is giving out then I would definitely switch, you will still work your grip by doing a mixed grip.  Having a more solid grip on the bar also tends to make the weight feel lighter and should allow you to pull more weight. 

I found when I switched to mixed grip, the previous weight that I was struggling with, could be pulled easily from the ground. If your grip is failing, most likely you'll be able to pull much more weight when you do mixed grip.

A mixed grip + chalk will allow you to pull significantly more weight.

"True genius, in many fields of human endeavor, is often revealed in elegant simplicity."

- A smart man

Journal: http://www.wannabebigforums.com/showthread.php?t=117358

can i go buy any ordinary chalk and crush it or do i need to go buy the stuff from a gym store?

magnesium carbonate, can get it for 10 bucks or less for enough to last a liftetime, and I would definately use chalk on deadlift,  I use it for bench, and on squats I sometimes chalk my shoulders if the bar decides to slip depending on shirt i wear and how sweaty i am.

http://www.discussbodybuilding.com/Seos-Log-2008-m442008.aspx

okay what i guess im trying to get at, is can you buy this chalk at everyday stores like Target for example?

I don't think Target or that kind of place would have it.  But they sell it online very cheap.

"True genius, in many fields of human endeavor, is often revealed in elegant simplicity."

- A smart man

Journal: http://www.wannabebigforums.com/showthread.php?t=117358

http://www.inzernet.com/detail.asp?PRODUCT_ID=CHALK

isn't the cheapest on the internet, you can find it for as little as 7 something.  I don't know what kind of store would sell chalk, rock climbing gym, but it would be over priced.

http://www.discussbodybuilding.com/Seos-Log-2008-m442008.aspx

I bought mine recently from an online rock climbing store. It wasn't the cheapest store, but it offered free shipping so it worked out to be cheaper. It's a bit off topic, but they offered to price match other stores, and every other store was cheaper so I thought I'd do that. The problem though was they said they would need to include the shipping costs of the other stores, which meant no way any other store would beat it.

Anyway I have to say chalk is expensive in Australia in comparison to the US. I bought 280 grams for $14. I don't know how long it'll last but I'll only be using it 1x a week for deadlifts

Mixed grip and chalk is amazing. Once I started chalking my numbers on the deadlift and rack deads took off.

Too bad I you can't get chalk at the pharmacy I work at. I get my chalk for less than $10 and its like this large box full of 12 blocks. It blows I spent money on gloves I don't need anymore.

question on mixed grip - should you switch off which hands are over & under each time you lift, so that you develop in a balanced manner?

No, go double pronated with lighter weights, then when you get into heavier weights switch to supinated/pronated, that way you target more of your lats with the pronated grip.

ACE-CPT, NASM-CPT, AFPA-Nutrition Consultant 

I guess, what I mean is on my first set, should I have my right hand pronated, and my left hand supinated, then on the next set switch them out so the right is supinated & the left pronated, then back again....?

i know what you are talking about Dr. J and from my experience i have heard both sides so its most likely a matter of opinion. I really think if you do most of your sets double overhand your strength on one side shouldnt become to unbalanced especially if you are already doing other exercises as well.

I use straps.  Does that make me a wuss?  ;)

Yea =/

Do yourself a huge favor and lose the straps. You may have to drop the weight down for awhile, but you will thank yourself in the long run.

JMBS


I use straps.  Does that make me a wuss?  ;)

6'3"  @213

Squat 1x20x275

press:200, Deadlift:475, Bench:300, P.clean:235, Squat:385

"The only failure that is final is to stop trying to improve"

You mean to tell me powerlifters don't use straps?  I understand that using them doesn't allow you to develop the grip.  I try to only use them on heaviest sets.  They might mess with wrist mechanics too and put strain where it's not good.  Other than that, what good is a super strong grip going to do for me?  And is it something easily developed or is it going to hold me back on chins, deads, rows, shrugs?

JMBS


I use straps.  Does that make me a wuss?  ;)

I was about to ask the same question.... I have a pathetic grip...
I cant even hang on the pull up bar for 5 seconds... well that maybe because I'm @ 197 lbs.....

There is a very lonely pair of straps collecting dust on the floor in the corner of my home gym.  I keep them there to remind myself not to use them.

A super-strong grip is essential not only on deadlifts, but in chins, shrugs (which requires a truckload of weight to be of any use), and anywhere else you don't want your forearms limiting the outcome of a set.

Of course, I haven't turned my precious Olympic bar into a chalky mess yet -I still fight with a pair of gloves every day.  But now that they're starting to wear out, and for the sheer manliness factor, I think I'm gonna hit my local REI and score some of the white stuff 

My home away from DBB

They will effect everything else in more ways then just your other exercises.

The name of the game is progression.

To keep making gains, and to keep making progression one of the best ways to do that is by simply adding weight to the bar. Now this cant always be done, nor done on a consistent basis, so other forms of progression start to show up there...

Straps are only going to take you so far, and then when you reach the end of the road with straps helping, what are you going to do? your grip will be horrific due to the fact you used straps to begin with.

What your doing is essentially relying on a crutch, thats all they are. Other things like belts/knee wraps are a little different and should be used with caution and intelligence. Straps are doing absolutely nothing for you, when if you would just take a few weeks to lower the weight, work on your grip and let it catch up...you will be relying on your natural grip strength and it will improve and allow you to keep progressing with heavier weight.

Stingray presents a great example of what straps can do to you.

Do you really want to rely on a crutch like that and force yourself to use straps on everything else including shrugs/pull ups/rows just because your grip just cant handle it?

JMBS


You mean to tell me powerlifters don't use straps?  I understand that using them doesn't allow you to develop the grip.  I try to only use them on heaviest sets.  They might mess with wrist mechanics too and put strain where it's not good.  Other than that, what good is a super strong grip going to do for me?  And is it something easily developed or is it going to hold me back on chins, deads, rows, shrugs?

6'3"  @213

Squat 1x20x275

press:200, Deadlift:475, Bench:300, P.clean:235, Squat:385

"The only failure that is final is to stop trying to improve"

N$ hit the nail on the head.

If your grip is failing, invest in some heavy grippers. Your grip can progress fairly quickly.

Or switch to thickbar work for a few sessions with a lighter intensity.

ACE-CPT, NASM-CPT, AFPA-Nutrition Consultant 

Grip strength catches on quick.  I used to have trouble pulling 475 without straps until I ditched them for a month or two and now I can hold in the mid 600s.  Listen to Nmoney and drop the straps.

Like they said if you just do your work without the straps your grip will catch on fast, and if its struggling the more you focus on holding tight the more emphasis will be placed on them.  Only exercise I ever worry about my grip failing is BB hack squats, cause the bar bumps the back of my thighs and I use double over hand with 300+ pounds makes it sometimes a bit iffy.  If you use one over one under grip, you really will be surprised how much weight you can hold with it.

http://www.discussbodybuilding.com/Seos-Log-2008-m442008.aspx

Does anyone here do a hook grip on deadlifts?

i dont as i always have done double overhand when i deadlift until about a week ago. However when i do cleans i use a hook grip.

I'll try to got strapless.  Thanks for the info!  :)

I hook grip singles sometimes, anything over one rep just hurts too bad.