Pulling aids in strength training: How to use lifting straps sensibly

Some people demonize them, others swear by the little extra kick in strength training. Hardly any other tool is as controversial in the fitness community as pulling aids. The straps made of textile or leather, also known as “lifting straps”, don’t look particularly spectacular even at second glance. The article reveals what exactly pulling aids are about, which variants are used, what they are supposed to help with and what exactly divides the fitness community.

Classic pulling aids are straps made of textile (e.g. neoprene or cotton) or leather about five centimeters wide with a loop at one end. The side closest to the wrist is slightly padded on some models. So-called pulling or lifting hooks are even more convenient. And the name suggests it: the band that you wrap around the dumbbell or pull-up bar during training is replaced on the palm of the hand by a hook covered with non-slip rubber.

The principle of pulling aids is simple. With the classic straps, you slip your hand into the loop and tighten the clasp. Depending on the length, the remaining band is wrapped neatly around the bar several times. The pulling aids with hooks are attached to the wrist so that the hooks rest on the palm of the hand with the open side facing up. Now they can be attached from above for pull-ups and guided to the bar from below for deadlifts.

Pulling aids were primarily developed for free weight training and strength training with your own body weight. What does that mean specifically? Pulling aids work wherever dumbbell bars are involved. It doesn’t matter whether you pull yourself up on the bar – like when doing a pull-up or whether you lift the bar from a standing position with appropriate weights. A classic for this is the so-called deadlift, a basic exercise from strength sports. Here, from a slight squat, a barbell is raised from the floor until the legs are straightened. Pulling aids can also be used when training with dumbbells. Important: Pulling aids are prohibited in official competitions.

To improve your grip on the dumbbell bar and to bind sweat on the palms of your hands, you usually use it Chalk (also known as Magnesia). However, if you slowly lose grip strength during the last set of exercises, the chalk can’t do much. And this is exactly where the pulling aids come into play. Whether with a hook or a sling: the pulling aids on the dumbbell bar relieve the strain on the forearms, which are heavily strained during deadlifts, and thus also influence grip strength. When deadlifting you mainly train the back extensors and the front thigh muscles. The juice often runs out first in the forearms and hands. The pulling aids offer the opportunity to train the target muscle (in the back or legs) for a little longer. Significantly heavier weights can also be lifted and pulled using pulling aids. Sounds like a useful training tool. And that’s it if you keep one important basic rule in mind: clean technique when performing the exercises has top priority.

As practical as the pulling aids are for burning forearms, the little helpers are still being discussed eagerly. Central point of criticism: The fact that the forearm muscles sound the alarm is a signal from the body that the training load limit has been reached. Using pulling aids undermines this protective function and risks injuries resulting from overloading. Rather, you have to specifically train your grip strength, according to the pulling aid skeptics. Their thesis: Anyone who regularly uses pulling aids in training promotes muscular imbalances between grip and forearm strength and the power in the back, (upper) arms and legs.

Last important note: Beginners should avoid using pulling aids for their first sessions in the gym or at home. If you are a bit more ambitious, you can use pulling aids every now and then at the end of training sessions to squeeze a few more percent out of yourself.