Do you use Straps?

[BrotherIron]

Using a mechanical device to help you lift more weight and using a chemical to make your body use food better and heal faster are two very different things. If you can't see this I'm not sure what to tell you. Lets use a UFC fighter analogy shall we. There is a difference in two fighters going at it, one taking steroids and the other not, and the same two fighters going at it and one pulling a shot gun. See the difference now? No matter how many drugs I take I'll never dead lift 800 pounds, but using your own logic I could always hook enough pulleys and cables to the weight and move any amount. Your argument to defend straps does not work.

Actually that's not using my logic, you're skewing my point to validate taking as much AAS as you want stating it's not helping you lift the weight. You're stating that taking anything which ENHANCES YOU isn't the same as putting something on which ENHANCES YOU. Either way, both ENHANCE YOU and therefore help you lift more weight.

Also if you're going to use an analogy, use one that's about lifting and not fighting. This thread and topic has absolutely nothing to do with fighting. It's about the use of straps in training so your analogy should also be about lifting.

The gear that lifters wear are attached to themselves and not to a machine so are you planning to hook those pulleys up to yourself? If you're back isn't strong enough to compensate for the load you're trying to lift you're still going to fail.

My comparison does work b/c it's relevant to the topic at hand. You're analogy has nothing to do with lifting. Can I lift more if I have a shotgun in my hand??? Nope. I guess I could shoot at the bar, plates, etc but that won't make it lighter.

 

[gunslinger]

I was using fighting as an analogy for a reason. If one fighter is pretty good and the other sucks, its not gonna matter much if he is on steroids. If the other fighter has a gun, brass knucks, ect then he is not doing the fighting, the equipment is. Yes, steroids enhance you. Straps, belts, ect don't. They give you an unfair mechanical advantage. Same as if you connected a pulley or cable to the weight. If they didn't they would not have Raw events. Any power lifter will tell you if they are honest how much more weight they can lift with equipment. I have talked with a few at my gym and they mostly claim an extra 100 pounds on bench with a shirt. Its not them lifting the extra 100 pounds, its the bench shirt. Same with dead lifts ect. If I'm taking something to "enhance" myself its still my body doing the work not a mechanical device attached to it.


By your logic the straps, shirts, belts ect only "enhance" what the person can already do. Ok, then I should be able to compete in a foot race with a car because I'm still using my feet you operate the gas and break.

I guess I could shoot at the bar, plates, etc but that won't make it lighter.

No, but putting on a shirt that adds so much tension to your arms that you can't put them down will. Again its not enhancing YOU its doing a part of the work for you.

 

[BrotherIron]

I was using fighting as an analogy for a reason. If one fighter is pretty good and the other sucks, its not gonna matter much if he is on steroids. If the other fighter has a gun, brass knucks, ect then he is not doing the fighting, the equipment is.

Of course it's going to matter if one fighter is on AAS and the other isn't which is why they test in the UFC (back to your analogy). Depending on what the enhanced fighter is on, he'll be able to push the pace longer/harder and therefore win b/c of HIS advantage which the AAS gave him.

Yes, steroids enhance you. Straps, belts, ect don't. They give you an unfair mechanical advantage. Same as if you connected a pulley or cable to the weight. If they didn't they would not have Raw events. Any power lifter will tell you if they are honest how much more weight they can lift with equipment. I have talked with a few at my gym and they mostly claim an extra 100 pounds on bench with a shirt. Its not them lifting the extra 100 pounds, its the bench shirt. Same with dead lifts ect.

Exactly how is it unfair? If everyone at the meet is wearing it, explain to me how is it unfair? Unfair b/c you don't wear it and someone else does? That sounds more like a personal problem than an issue with strength sports. Their are rules which clearly state what is and what is not allowed and all lifters abide by those rules.

And do you even know what is allowed at "raw" PLing events. Sorry to break the bad news but wrist wraps are allowed, knee wraps are allowed, and belts are also allowed.

If I'm taking something to "enhance" myself its still my body doing the work not a mechanical device attached to it.

It's not you b/c you couldn't do it without the use of AAS so it's not different. Stop using AAS, perform the feat of strength or whatever you do and than it's just you and nothing else.

You can try to manipulate the argument anyway you want but the fact is AAS enhances you in what you lift, how you look, how you recover, etc SO by you're own argument YOU shouldn't use b/c it's enhancing you (giving you an edge/advantage).

By your logic the straps, shirts, belts ect only "enhance" what the person can already do. Ok, then I should be able to compete in a foot race with a car because I'm still using my feet you operate the gas and break.

You wear a shit, belt, wraps, etc. Can you wear a car? I don't think so. Again, keep the analogy in the correct context. You're skewing things again.

 

[MAYO]

Wow, um I think we need to add a "Give Tampon" button right next to the "Thanks" button. If you use straps and benefit, then great. If you don't use straps and benefit, also great. I have alsways worked with my hands...stone, concrete, steel and now oilfield. My hands are strong, but usually tired and the pads in my palm are often swollen. Straps make it easier for me to get more reps out of the muscle I am training that day. I have great raw, functional strength but sometimes after moving iron or swinging a sledgehammer all day I can barely hang on to a 50lb dumbell. When I need to use straps, I use them...simple as that.

 

[gunslinger]

Great, you can say you can deadlift 500 pounds or bench 500, what ever, but when and if you had to use that strength (for real world shit like working, moving furniture, a fight ect) chances are you wont have those straps, or a bench shirt. The juice is always with me....lol


You still cannot understand the difference between taking steroids and using a mechanical device to help move the weight for you can you? Real S L O W: With juice, I'm using my own body to move the weight, With straps, and bench shirts I'm using a device to made to put less stress on me.

 

[Fish77]

No straps for me. When I started I used them and became dependent. I stopped and now work grip nearly daily. I want to be strong when I need it, in real life. I doubt I will be able to strap up if I am called on to be strong. And I like to play on the monkey bars and such with my kid, straps don't help hold me up there.

To each there own.

 

[Halo]

What is a fact is that if you are building a bigger back you will be able to do it quicker with using straps as your grip fails and it will fail when you go heavier and longer, however your back will still be able to go further.

I realize these arguments will never go away and I don't care if an individual uses straps belts wraps etc to each his own.

 

[mugzy]

I love straps and chalk, couldn't train without them. I usually put the straps on at 225 and work up to 900 on rack pulls moving the bar slightly higher up the rack as I progress. That said straps are not permitted in a meet and I have pulled 735 in an IPA meet with chalk only.

I think it's just the preference of the lifter.

 

[AllTheWay]

I love straps and chalk, couldn't train without them. I usually put the straps on at 225 and work up too 900 on rack pulls moving the bar slightly higher up the rack as I progress. That said straps are not permitted in a meet and I have pulled 735 in an IPA meet with chalk only.

I think it's just the preference of the lifter.

it is about time you wowed us with your abilities admin!

 

[BrotherIron]

Great, you can say you can deadlift 500 pounds or bench 500, what ever, but when and if you had to use that strength (for real world shit like working, moving furniture, a fight ect) chances are you wont have those straps, or a bench shirt. The juice is always with me....lol

You still cannot understand the difference between taking steroids and using a mechanical device to help move the weight for you can you? Real S L O W: With juice, I'm using my own body to move the weight, With straps, and bench shirts I'm using a device to made to put less stress on me.

I am merely playing devils advocate for the purpose of showing you that your argument is a mute point. You still haven't proven anything other than the fact that you like to think using AAS is fine but using any equipment isn't. How very hypocritical of you.

Like I said before stop using AAS and pull that 660lbs raw or whatever strength feat you have accomplished and than you can claim it was ALL you and nothing else. Just b/c you inject yourself with something instead of wearing something doesn't mean you're not getting help. Doesn't that AAS also take the stress out of your liftting? Of course it does, by strengthening you joints/tendons/ligaments which otherwise wouldn't be in the condition they are in b/c of your AAS use.

You're claim is dead and pointless. You have done nothing other than show everyone how very ignorant you are.

 

[BrotherIron]

I love straps and chalk, couldn't train without them. I usually put the straps on at 225 and work up to 900 on rack pulls moving the bar slightly higher up the rack as I progress. That said straps are not permitted in a meet and I have pulled 735 in an IPA meet with chalk only.

I think it's just the preference of the lifter.

That's what I'm talking about. That's a HELLUVA pull. 735lbs is BEAST weight and no belt.... that's insane.

 

[BrotherIron]

The funniest part of this whole debate is.... I'm a RAW lifter. That should be obvious from my avi. You won't see me wearing briefs, squat or deadlift suits, bench shirts, etc. but I def don't down play someone's efforts if they choose to. It's their choice and they're going to have to work just as hard as me to put up the numbers they're chasing.