Choose a deadlift grip that matches the task

Know which grip or piece of equipment you are naming

Wrist wraps are another item: they wrap the wrist rather than fastening it to the bar. Do not treat wraps and lifting straps as interchangeable when reading competition rules. Likewise, hook grip is a hand position, not a separate strap design. Precise names help a coach understand what you performed and help you avoid comparing two records that only look identical in a spreadsheet.

Prepare for the grip you can use on the platform

The IPF deadlift permits a choice of grip with both hands on the bar, which includes double-overhand, mixed and hook grips. Lifting straps are training grip aids and are not included in the IPF approved competition equipment. Prepare IPF attempts without them. Its regulated wrist wraps and permitted thumb tape are distinct from fastening the hands to the bar. The rulebook limits thumb tape and says it cannot act as an aid for holding the bar.

For meet preparation, keep evidence of controlled unstrapped work with the grip you intend to use. A strapped set can serve another training purpose, but it does not demonstrate the competition hold. Check your meet’s federation and equipment instructions before entering; a rule from a strongman event or gym challenge is not permission for an IPF platform.

Sources: IPF Technical Rulebook: March 2026, version 3; IPF Approved Apparel and Equipment List, 2023–2026

Understand what strap research actually compares

A primary 2021 study by Jukic and colleagues tested 16 trained men across three deadlift protocols. One used no straps, another used straps at the same absolute load, and a third used straps with a load based on the strapped maximum. The study reported differences in bar velocity, grip fatigue and perceptions across those conditions.

The useful lesson is that equipment and the denominator for a percentage both matter. Results at the same absolute load answer a different question from results at a higher load chosen from a different maximum. This acute study does not show a guaranteed long-term strength advantage, establish injury prevention or identify the best grip for every lifter. Use its findings to improve comparisons, not to promise a particular PR increase.

Sources: Jukic et al. (2021): straps, load and deadlift performance

Choose the grip by the work you need to observe

1. Name the goal: competition-grip practice, general pulling work or a specific variation.
2. Identify whether your current grip holds the planned load under control through the intended finish.
3. If grip is limiting the session, decide with your program or coach whether to adjust the load, practice a different permitted grip or use straps for a separately labeled training task.
4. Keep the choice consistent when the purpose is to compare performance across sessions.
5. Review comfort and control before making the option part of heavier planned work.

No entry in this list requires a maximal grip test. A slipped hold gives information; it is not a command to keep pulling until failure. If you are unsure how to set up or release a strap safely, learn the specific equipment with qualified instruction before loading it heavily.

Treat a new grip as a change in skill

Switching from double-overhand to mixed or hook grip changes hand position and the setup you need to repeat. Familiarize yourself with it using manageable loads within the program rather than introducing it during a record attempt. For mixed grip, note which hand is underhand. For hook grip, note whether you used tape and whether the setup was repeatable.

Keep the arms straight through the pull rather than trying to curl the bar. Do not force a grip through pain, numbness or damaged skin because another lifter calls it mandatory. This guide does not rank injury risks among grips from a single photograph or an acute strap study. Individual comfort, equipment and coaching matter, and symptoms need appropriate individual assessment.

A worked comparison of two different denominators

Suppose a lifter has separately recorded 180 kg without straps and 190 kg with straps. Eighty percent of the unstrapped record is 144 kg; eighty percent of the strapped record is 152 kg. Both entries could be labeled 80%, yet the loads differ by 8 kg. These are illustrative numbers, not suggested session targets or instructions to test either maximum.

If the next 144 kg set uses straps, annotate that change. If the next 152 kg set does not, do not assume equal relative demand because the spreadsheet says 80%. Preserve both the reference maximum and the equipment used for the actual set.

Use grip notes to interpret progress toward your total

A 185 kg strapped single after a 180 kg unstrapped single is evidence of completing 185 kg with straps. It does not by itself demonstrate 5 kg of improvement in the unstrapped lift. When the aim is a meet total, use accepted attempts from that meet. When the aim is a personal gym milestone, state the lifting standards and equipment rather than silently changing them.

The free total calculator can add clearly labeled completed singles. Keep grip-specific records in your current log while you train. The upcoming 1000 Pound app is still on the waitlist; joining requests release updates and does not validate grip technique, save a workout or certify a competition total.

• Review the full deadlift finish standard
• Check a deadlift plateau before changing the program

Sources and scope

These references support the specific factual points cited above. The examples and decision aids are original illustrations, not individualized coaching or medical advice.

• IPF Technical Rulebook: March 2026, version 3

  Sections 4.3 and 4.3.1 support grip choice, both-hand control and completion; sections 3.9 and 3.11 distinguish wrist wraps and limited thumb tape from bar-holding aids. Checked 2026-10-06 against the English version 3, effective 01 March 2026; applies to IPF rules, not every federation.

• IPF Approved Apparel and Equipment List, 2023–2026

  Lists competition personal equipment; lifting straps are not an approved competition grip aid. Checked 2026-10-06 from the list linked by the official IPF Approved List page; PDF dated 08.04.2025, valid through 31.12.2026. Check again before a later meet.

• Jukic et al. (2021): straps, load and deadlift performance

  Primary acute study in 16 trained men comparing unstrapped, same-load strapped and strapped-reference-load protocols. Supports comparison context, not long-term strength or injury claims. Abstract and publisher record checked 2026-10-06.