PROS AND CONS

In lifting, many trainees are inclined to view movement selection in their programming as a question of weighing the pros and cons of each movement.  We specifically will compare movements against each other, curious if one can substitute the other, what the difference is between the movements, and in many cases attempt to find the “best” movement for us.

 
I was originally going to make a joke about "mismatched couples" here, but when I set the image to "medium" it was HUGE and that made me laugh, so here you go

This style of thinking fails on a variety of levels, and primarily hinges on the false notion that one must be married to one movement, never willing to deviate, change, falter or in any way show infidelity to their decision.  This is a lack of long term thinking and vision, fixating on the present and ignoring the reality of the future.  We forget that we can train pretty much any movements we want, we just must understand that we can’t train them all at once.

What this means for a trainee is that there is no need to decide between incline bench, flat bench, dips, dumbbell press, or floor press when it comes to horizontal pressing.  These are all great movements, and they all hold a tremendous amount of value, which means that they all have some worth in training.  All a trainee needs to do is cycle these movements into their training when the time is appropriate, which is generally once their currently selected movement is no longer meeting their goals.  Getting stronger from a variety of angles and with a variety of movements is never a negative thing, and time spent training a variety of movements is typically very beneficial.

Some exceptions apply

When it comes to the initial selection of one movement, we once again witness an analysis by paralysis that is entirely unnecessary, as the big picture has been lost.  A trainee who is fretting about this decision is most likely in such an untrained or undertrained state that they will get stronger from ANY movement, as long as they execute it violently and with purpose.  Specific exercise selection is only necessary when one’s goals are specific, while general movement patterns are more than sufficient for general goals.  A trainee whose concern is growing bigger and stronger will do well to simply follow Dan John’s 5 movement approach

1. Push
2. Pull
3. Hinge
4. Squat
5. Loaded Carry    

If they want to get slightly more specific, they can include “vertical” and “horizontal” for the push and pull, but as long as they are moving weight within these directions, they will grow bigger and stronger.  A need for a more specific exercise develops as one develops specific needs.  If the bench press lockout is lagging, one may need to engage in something more tricep heavy, like a close grip bench or a board press, while a weakness off the chest may require some dumbbell pressing or wider grip benching.  However, the answers to these questions should become evident to the trainee as the problems arise.  Our issue is attempting to problem solve the problems we don’t have, not understanding the blessing that is having only a general goal.  As long as our problems are not specific, we need not waste the time worrying about the pros and cons of all movements, but instead just commit to A movement and grow bigger and stronger.

IN DEFENSE OF STRAPS

I have written/spoken on the benefits of straps before, but I continue to see the same tired arguments against the usage of straps that it compels me to post a rebuttal.  Ultimately, anyone who is secure in their own training, ideas and progress has no need to confront those that expose ideas that are silly, but that being said, my hope is that for those that are either on the fence or have fallen victim to the “logic” being utilized will be able to read this and understand how straps are in fact not the lifting Antichrist, and instead a tool in the toolbox, just like everything else.


ARGUMENT 1: DON’T USE STRAPS WHEN YOU DEADLIFT, THEY MAKE YOUR GRIP WEAK

If you use straps, you'll never get forearms like these

This is by far the most common argument against straps, specifically with regards to their use in the deadlift, but really it applies to the general usage of straps.  It is this belief that the usage of straps actively makes the grip weaker, whereas the absence makes the grip stronger.

What is comical about this argument is that it hinges on the premise that grip strength is a necessary quality that must be developed, yet at the same time is obviously being exposed by one who does not engage in any actual grip strength training.  The notion of using the deadlift as a grip strength trainer, or any other sort of passive means of developing grip strength (not using it on rows, pull-ups, pull downs, etc) is one held by those who quite simply do not have strong grips.  A grip strength athlete would never be content to have their strength only be developed passively, but instead actively seeks to improve the quality of their grip.  They do this with specific grip strength exercises, like using grippers, timed holds, plate/block pinching, the rolling thunder, and a variety of other possible exercises available.  It is absolutely true that grip strength is a valuable quality, and that is why one should not leave it up to the deadlift in order to develop it, but instead should actively improve one’s grip.  Additionally, this makes an argument FOR straps, for an active grip trainee’s grip is either taxed from previous sessions, or needs to be spared so that they can dedicate their full effort to it, whereas the deadlift is being performed as a whole body exercise in this capacity, and removing grip from the equation allows one to be able to focus more on the rest of the movement.

Above: A man who clearly needs to have a strong grip

Below: That same man knowing when it's time to train grip and when it's time to train deads

But let us also examine the lacking value of the deadlift proper as a grip strengthening exercise.  I do not think it is unfair to say that those who speak of the merits of not using straps in order to train the grip with deadlifts most likely have a dogmatic view on the lifting process as a whole.  What this entails would be the following “rules” as it comes to deadlifts.

-All deadlifts are pulled from a dead stop.  No touch and go.
-The eccentric has no value and should be avoided.
-No ramping or hitching, the reps must be clean with “good form”.
-A mixed grip or hook grip may be used with chalk, but absolutely no straps.

There used to be more rules, but the guy holding them had a weak grip

With these 4 “rules”, we have completely removed any potential for the deadlift to be any sort of effective grip exercise.  By making every rep be from a dead stop, we have greatly limited the amount of time the bar is in the hands of the lifter.  When trainees do not attempt to control the eccentric, either by letting the bar go or simply crashing into the floor with it, we’re now reducing any time the bar was spent in the hands of the lifter by half.  By refusing to allow any grinding or hitching, we’re ensuring that it is an incredibly minimal amount of time the bar will be in the hands of a lifter, maybe at most 1-3 seconds.  I ask you, how effective do we imagine that to be for developing lasting grip strength?

Let us also factor in that these same people that speak of the merits of the deadlift as a grip strength builder intentionally utilize a grip while deadlifting that minimizes amount of grip strength needed.  These trainees utilize either a mixed grip or a hook grip, in the case of the former employing a far more dangerous method of gripping the barbell compared to a double overhand style, whether it be hook or strapped.  Why is it that, in our pursuit of grip strength development, we are striving to take grip strength out of the equation?  If the goal was in fact to develop more grip strength, would we not instead use a double overhand grip in order to really tax ourselves?  Would we not abstain from chalk to make sure it was really “us” that was doing all the gripping?  Once again, we bear witness to the peculiarities of this philosophy on grip strength development, wherein to the outside observer, it appears honestly as a means of avoiding hard work, both within the deadlift itself and outside of deadlift training in the training of the grip proper.

As a final aside, allow me to make my biased proclamation that the very things that trainees are willing to speak out against in the deadlift are the things that will most likely make one a stronger deadlifter.  Touch and go reps, grinding, and even the occasional hitch and ramp can be crucial when one goes for a ball busting, maximal effort type of set, and making it a philosophy to always avoid these is a philosophy to avoid ever leaving one’s comfort zone.  However, in order to effectively make use of these tools, straps become necessary, for it is an absurd amount of time for one to be holding a near maximal weight deadlift in one’s hands, while removing the variable of grip endurance from the equation allows one to focus far more on the deadlift itself, attempting to reap maximal benefits.  In truth, I say straps can be crucial to deadlift progression, and I will speak more to that in the next counter argument.

 
At least it works for this guy

ARGUMENT 2: YOU CAN’T USE STRAPS IN A MEET, SO YOU SHOULDN'T USE IT IN TRAINING

This tired argument once again hinges on the pithy witticism of how one should “practice how you play”.  As I have said before though, just because something is repeated often and sounds good to say out loud does not actually mean it is true or holds value.  In the case of this argument, it appears that the person who believes and promotes this idea has not actually taken a look into their own training.

The following things (along with straps) are not allowed in a powerlifting meet on the platform

-Multiple reps
-Safety squat bar, swiss bar, trap bar, dumbbells, or any other unique bar
-Pull ups, rows, GHR, Reverse hypers

And, I mean, to put it into perspective, THIS is legal at meets

Yet, for some reason, people do not have any issues with these “illegal” movements and practices.  This is because, at some point, a trainee has recognized that not every lift performed is intended to be practice, and instead there are times when lifts are performed for the sake of getting stronger, not necessarily better.  On this topic, there is no single successful athlete who practices how they plays.  You will not find any successful powerlifter who simply goes to the gym and does 9 lifts in 8 hours after cutting weight and calls it a day.  Nor will you find a football player who just plays a full game of football every practice, or a basketball player who only plays basketball, etc etc.  In sports practice, we constantly will place ourselves in positions wherein the intent is not to simulate the competitive environment, but to instead isolate a specific skillset and improve upon it within isolation so that it may be applied in competition.  Lifting is no different from this, and as such the notion to avoid anything purely because it’s not allowed in competition is flawed.

Unless these guys are practicing for American Gladiators, they're doing it wrong

But on the topic of the strapped deadlift, I offer one further observation: why is it that one is allowed to modify the deadlift by making it stiff legged, or romainian, or deficit, or a block pull, or against bands/chains, or halting, and all of these are fine, but to add straps is some sort of offense?  Can this not simply be another deadlift alternative, available to a trainee to use when necessity dictates?  So many times I see the critique that “you can lift more with straps than without”, but I fail to see how this is an issue at all.  Isn’t overloading the deadlift muscles a boon, not a bane?  For is it not incredibly beneficial to a lifter to be able to train their body to be able to lift even heavier loads, such that, when competition happens, the lighter loads move much easier?  Yes, it requires one to understand that there is not a direct, one for one relationship between the numbers of a strapped deadlift and a strapless one, but this is true of any alternative movement.  I know that the numbers I can hit with a safety squat bar are not the same as with a barbell, thus I do not use one to anticipate the numbers of the other.  All this means is that a lifter must employ some critical thinking, which should be true of any training decision.

IF YOU AREN’T POWERLIFTING, WHY ARE YOU DOING THE BIG 3?

As I progress further along my training and start reaching goals that at one point seemed impossible, I find myself reflecting upon past decisions made and the ones that hindered my progress more than helped it.  Of these, I think the one I regret the most is my adamant refusal to ever abandon “The Big 3” in my training, insisting that I always have them included in any program that I run.  I am not alone in this dogmatic approach to training, and it is because of this that I must now ask the question that I should have asked myself before: why?

In general, I find my questions seem more profound when posed by a psychotic clown trying to kill Batman

The squat, bench press and deadlift are absolutely movements that can develop size and strength.  There is no questioning this reality.  However, we as a lifting culture have somehow concluded that, since these movements are evaluated as measures of strength in the sport of powerlifting, there must be some magical property that they possess in terms of strength development, and as such, they must be included in any program if strength is the goal.  We fall victim to accepting convention as intention, believing that by sheer nature of the fact that these 3 movements have been selected, it must have been by nature of the fact that they are superior to any and all other movements, and thus the training of them will ensure that one becomes strong.

Additionally, we confuse the outcome of the trainees as a reflection of the benefit of the lifts themselves.  Comically enough, about 10 years ago, the idea of “looking like a powerlifter” was rarely the goal of a trainee, as the stereotype was that of a goatee sporting 300lb sphere of flesh covered in tattoos with a shaved head and about 30% bodyfat.  Regardless of the veracity of that perspective, in the modern era of powerlifting we have impressive physical specimens such as Dan Green, the Lilliebridge family, Stan Efferding, Matt Kroczaleski (even before he became a bodybuilder), Konstantin Konstantinovs, and a sheer litany of others.  This has in turn provided a convenient avenue for trainees to pursue the powerlifts as an end goal, for it is considered non-masculine to be concerned about appearance and ubermasculine to be concerned about strength, and as such they can now convince themselves that, if they become strong on the powerlifts and maintain an appearance of masculinity among their peers, they can in turn achieve their hidden and “shameful” desire of also looking good.  All the while, they can chide and deride bodybuilders for being “weak” and vain, caring only for looks while they are pursuing something “worthwhile”.

"Those silly bodybuilders.  Give me a sport where I have to wear kevlar underwear."

I contend, however, that we are confusing the end for the means here, oversimplifying the entire process to believe that those who got strong at the big 3 did so by doing the big 3, and that since the big 3 is what is used to measure strength, it is the only measure of strength possible.  In reality, strength and size can easily be developed without ever performing the squat, bench press or deadlift, a statement of heresy to many but regardless, still reality.  Furthermore, I believe that is most cases, if the goal is simply to become bigger and stronger with no aspiration of competing in powerlifting, a trainees time could be spent performing better movements than the squat, bench press and deadlift as they are defined in powerlifting.  Though fine movements in and of themselves, they are far from the alpha and omega of training.

Fundamentally, many of the issues I witness in the training of others is that they attempt to fit a square peg in a round hole when it comes to the powerlifts.  Some people are simply not constructed to perform these lifts well, whether it be due to unique leverages, height, mobility issues, prior injuries, or a variety of other reasons.  These trainees beat their heads against walls for years, if not longer, trying their hardest to be able to squat, bench press or deadlift effectively, when all the while they could have easily employed some manner of substitute that would have been just as, if not MORE effective for simply becoming bigger and stronger.  With no aspirations of powerlifting, it seems silly to invest so much time developing proficiency in these three lifts when others will suffice.

This appears to be working just fine

By what other lifts do I speak of?  Having any familiarity with my previous writing, I imagine it would be of no shock to others what I would suggest, but ultimately I believe that a non-competitive trainee would be far better off seeking less technical alternatives to these lifts.  I have written about this previously in my two entries about what lifts I would do if I did not compete in strength sports (located here http://mythicalstrength.blogspot.com/2014/04/training-movements-for-non-competitive.html and here http://mythicalstrength.blogspot.com/2014/04/training-movements-for-non-competitive_21.html), but those were more personal choices.  The big takeaway is that the powerlifting definition of how these lifts are to be performed are not all inclusive, but simply parameters established by competition.  For a trainee seeking to get bigger and stronger, one must instead perform these lifts in a manner that suits their goals, not instead change their goals to a manner that suits these lifts.

If one cannot squat to depth with a powerlifting style squat, one need not engage in hours of mobility training, stretching, warming up, form practice, etc.  One can simply squat to the depth that they find to be comfortable.  Or they can squat to a box, or perform a box squat proper.  Or, this trainee could use a safety squat bar, or a front squat or high bar squat, or even a power squat machine.  As long as some manner of squatting is being performed, the trainee will get the benefits of a squat, as the movement pattern itself is far more vital than the specifics of competition form.  One need not deadlift from the floor if it causes pain or anxiety, as a partial pull will develop great size and strength, as would a top down deadlift with no breaking off the floor, and a romainian deadlift, or a stiff legged deadlift.  A bench press need not be performed with a barbell as a powerlifter would in order to be effective, as one can also gain the benefits from an incline press, or using dumbbells, or a swiss bar, or even completely abandoning the bench entirely for dips or focusing purely on overhead pressing.  Without any goal of competing in powerlifting, all one does is limit themselves by handcuffing themselves to the powerlifts, refusing to ever abandon them even if a better alternative exists.

Handcuffed to the bench!  You get it?!

On the topic of the powerlifts producing a certain “look” and how we now see an era of powerlifters with impressive physiques, we once again must realize that we cannot confuse cause for effect here.  We must not deduce that powerlifting must make you have a good physique, but instead that this is the physique that produces good powerlifters.  This is one of those mistakes that is only made with some sports and not others, and I believe it’s because the absurdity only becomes apparent within certain parameters.  For example, the fitness community is also led to believe that long distance running makes one skinny, because they observe successful long distances runners, note that they are skinny, and deduce that this must be a result of their training/competition.  However, no one ever deduces that playing basketball must make you tall, even though we can once again observe a common shared characteristic among successful basketball players.  The point here is that, when observing physical characteristics of athletes, one must understand that they are witnessing a process akin to natural selection, wherein only those most adequately constructed to thrive in the environment will do so, and those who cannot will be weeded out before they can reach the higher echelons.  Go to any marathon and you will see dozens, if not hundreds of runners that would be considered “obese”, but still regularly engage in running training.  They will never be elite, but they still perform the activity that the elite perform.

Extrapolating this to powerlifting, we must also understand that the current era of powerlifting physique is also a recent phenomenon due to the increased popularity of raw powerlifting (note the absence of my use of RAW, because I am not using the acronym for “Redeemed Among the World”, which is what the RAW federation stands for and many seem to mistakenly employ when they wish to talk about powerlifting without equipment).  Prior to this increase in popularity, the word powerlifting inherently referred to equipped powerlifting, as there was no possible option to compete without equipment.  Your options instead were based purely around how much equipment you wanted to use, from single ply to multi ply.  Those who competed in equipment (especially in the heaviest weight classes) had the physique that was the most successful for an equipped lifter, one where leverages were maximized and the effect of the suit/shirt could be maximized by having as much size as possible.  The images of an overfat lifter squishing their mass down into a way too tight suit can still be seen on youtube and the internet in general, and as a strategy, it worked, meaning more weight got moved.  Additionally, the suits and shirts altered the mechanics of the lift, placing vital importance on the ability to essentially explode a lift from a deadstop or maximize the reversal strength of the equipment, in many cases fighting the actual eccentric of the lift.  This in turn placed an increased importance on the posterior chain for squats and deads with the deprioritization of the quads, along with increased significance on the lats and triceps in the bench at the expense of the pecs and shoulders.  As raw powerlifting has become more popular, we are now witnessing the physiques that are necessary to move heavy weights without assistance, meaning that extra squishiness is of no benefit, while increasing quad and pec work becomes vital since there is no suit or shirt to assist at the start of the lift.

This got a 3000lb total in multi ply

However, we must again understand then that it was not the competition lifts in and of themselves that created these physiques, but instead the need to succeed in these lifts and developing the body that was necessary in order to do so.  It’s not that being strong at the raw bench makes one have bulbous shoulders, pecs and triceps, but instead that these muscles must be significantly developed in order to be successful.  A strong deadlift does not necessarily give you a big back, but instead it is the case that a big back becomes necessary for a strong deadlift.  We must not confuse the end for the means here, and instead must understand that it is the pursuit of strength that necessitates building the physique that will support it, which means that in many cases, rather than it being the big 3 that makes us bigger and stronger, it is all of those things we do to get better at the big 3 that we can attribute to our success.

In closing, I acknowledge that some trainees grow very well using the powerlifts.  Some trainees even grow very well using only the powerlifts, altering their programs by changing volume, rep ranges, rep speeds, frequency of training, etc, while keeping the movements the same.  However, I contend that, like many things in training, it’s going to boil down to the individual, and the sheer statistical probability that the powerlifts are exactly the right thing for you are pretty slim, simply because most humans are unique in terms of leverages, limb length, mobility, prior injuries, and a variety of other factors, and as such different lifts will have different “fits” for each lifter.  You may need to squat as a powerlifter would, or maybe you need to squat like an Olympic lifter, or front squat, or use a safety squat bar, or squat above depth, or make usage of a multitude of other options to be able to maximize your potential with squatting.  If you have no need to compete in the big 3, you do not need to do them in order to be successful.