For a new lifter (and to be honest, not just new lifters), figuring out the difference between lifting straps and wraps can be confusing.
First, they both sound about the same. Heck, they even rhyme.
What adds to this confusion is there seems to be A LOT of “information” on the internet that has no idea there is a difference between the two either.
3. For a new lifter (and to be honest, not just new
lifters), figuring out the difference between
lifting straps and wraps can be confusing.
First, they both sound about the same. Heck,
they even rhyme.
What adds to this confusion is there seems to be
A LOT of “information” on the internet that has
no idea there is a difference between the two
either.
4. Both lifting straps and wrist wraps involve lifting weights
and they’re an accessory that is worn in the hand and
wrist area. That’s about where the similarities end
though.
I also believe that part of the issue is that many novice
lifters are only familiar with one or the other and they’re
not even aware the other exists so in their mind it’s just
two different names for the same item.
So, what is the difference between lifting straps vs wrist
wraps? What function do they provide and do you need
one of the two or both?
5. The biggest difference between lifting straps and
wrist wraps is that a lifting strap is designed to
wrap around your wrist and the bar in an effort
to increase your grip. A wrist wrap wraps around
your wrist to help support the wrist for pressing
movements, but doesn’t wrap around the bar.
6. What are Lifting Straps?
Lifting straps are an accessory that is worn around
your wrist that helps you stay attached to the bar
during a lift.
The way a lifting strap works is that you hook the
strap around the wrist joint and then wrap the strap
around the bar. This helps connect you to the bar
and to keep the bar from ‘rolling’ out of the lifter’s
hand, which is the natural tendency of the bar
especially if you are using a pronated grip.
7. They work tremendously well for increasing the
grip strength of a lifter. Obviously, this comes in
handy for a variety of situations and lifts
whether you’re an Olympic Lifter doing Snatches
or a Powerlifter doing heavy deadlifts.
8. Types of Lifting Straps
There are 4 different types of lifting strap: Open
Loop, Closed Loop, Lasso and Figure 8.
• Open Loop and Closed Loop Straps:
Open Loop and Closed Loop straps are primarily
worn for Olympic Weightlifting and many lifters
refer to them specifically as Weightlifting straps.
They’re generally shorter in length and therefore
don’t wrap around the bar quite as much.
9. This is an important quality for Olympic
weightlifters, because the ability to be able to
bail quickly and ‘release’ from the bar is critically
important when Cleaning and especially
Snatching. If a lifter misses a snatch behind the
head and is not able to release their grip from
the bar, it could lead to a devastating injury.
10. The difference between an Open Loop and
Closed Loop strap is that a Closed Loop strap is
basically exactly what it sounds like. It’s a strap
that has been looped onto itself and then
‘closed’ by being sewn together to create a
fixed, closed loop.
11. An open loop strap is essentially just a strap. The
lifter is then required to loop the strap around
the bar and close the loop themselves within
their hand. These are really only used by
advanced weightlifters who enjoy the added
custom fit that an open loop strap can provide.
12. However, they can be really, really hard to get
the hang of. I have a pair, but honestly have
rarely ever used them because I also find them
crazy hard to use. A closed loop strap is much
easier to learn how to use and therefore tends
to be way more popular.
