As a beginner to the world of deadlifting, you might not be familiar with all the different grip types.
Although the deadlift is a very conventional and common exercise, there are a few different grips or hand positions that can be used to help you lift more and develop strong grip strength.
Today, we want to provide you with an in-depth breakdown of the three main grip types for deadlifts. Let's get to it and take a look at deadlift grips.
What is the Deadlift?
Before we talk about what the best deadlift gribs are, it's a good idea for you to familiarize yourself with the exercise itself.
A deadlift is a specific type of strength training exercise that has you lifting a barbell off of the ground using a hip hinge movement pattern.
The deadlift is very common in weightlifting and powerlifting alike, and it's meant to build muscle all along your posterior chain. It's a fantastic exercise for your lower back muscles, trapezius, lats, hamstrings, and your erector spinae.
When it comes down to it, both your lower back and legs benefit greatly from the deadlift. With that being said, there are different ways to hold the bar when doing the deadlift, and that's the main issue that we're here to tackle today.
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Why Changing Deadlift Grips is Important
You might think that it doesn't matter what grip you use for your deadlift, but this really isn't the case.
There's a reason why there are several hand positions that can be used for holding the barbell while doing a deadlift, and it's because each of them has slightly different advantages and drawbacks.
For the record, the three most commonly used grips for deadlifting include the double overhand grip, the mixed grip, and the hook grip.
One of the main reasons you should alternate between different deadlift grip styles is to prevent muscle imbalances from occurring. By consistently changing up the way you hold the bar, you work out all of your muscles evenly.
Furthermore, by alternating the type of grip you've used for deadlifting, you also reduce the risk of injuries occurring.
Always using the same grip for deadlifting while trying to lift a monumental amount of weight and resulting in injuries, but by switching grip positions, you put less stress on the same muscles repeatedly.
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Three Deadlift Grips
When practising deadlifts, Olympic lifters and other weightlifting professionals practice three main types of deadlift grips. Once again, these include the double overhand grip, the mixed grip, and the hook grip.
Double Overhand Grip
First, we have the double overhand grip. The double overhand grip is also known as the pronated grip.
The double overhand grip involves holding the barbell with both of the palms facing you, or in other words, with your palms facing backwards and your knuckles facing up and forwards.
This is the most commonly used and straightforward grip, especially as far as beginners are concerned.
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Pros
One of the biggest benefits of the double overhand grip for deadlifting is that it's very simple. It's easy to execute and to learn.
Furthermore, the fact that the double overhand grip allows for great symmetry is a plus. This allows you to maintain symmetry and balance in your upper body, preventing muscle imbalances from occurring.
This is also a grip type where the bar usually rolls out of your hands when you lift very heavy loads. This will help you develop stronger hand and forearm muscles, it's a great grip to consider.
Cons
One of the downsides to the double overhand grip is that as weight increases, you likely find your grip strength will give out before you reach your full potential. This is because the bar will try to roll in your hands and it is your thumb trying to stop it.
Mixed Grip
Next, we have the next grip. The mixed grip is very unique as it involves placing one hand in an underhand position and the other in an overhand position.
This means that one of your hands has your palm facing down and back, and your other hand has the palm facing up and forward.
Many people use this deadlift grip because it helps prevent the bar from rolling out of your hands which is the downside we saw above with the double overhand grip.
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Pros
Without a doubt, the biggest benefit of using a mixed grip is that it reduces the chances of the bar slipping out of your hands. This in turn allows you to lift heavier loads. At the same time, it provides you with a good mix of the simplicity of the overhand grip with the grip security of the underhand position.
Cons
One of the downsides to using a mixed grip when deadlifting is that it may lead to asymmetry and muscular imbalances. Because you're placing stress on different parts of your arms and body, it can create these imbalances. But you can alternate which hand it over and under to balance out the development.
What you also need to be aware of is that the underhand or supinated grip can also lead to bicep strain and bicep tear. This is because when you use the supinated grip, you involve your biceps to a high degree.
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Hook Grip
The final type of grip often used for deadlifting is known as the hook grip. Here, you place your thumb between the fingers and the barbell, with your fingers wrapping around your thumb for a more secure grip.
Just like with the double overhand grip, here you have both of your hands in a pronated position.
The only real difference is that instead of having your thumb on the outside of your fist when holding the bar, you have it on the inside.
Pros
The advantage of the hook grip is that it provides you with great hold on the bar, preventing it from slipping out of your hands when lifting heavy loads. At the same time, the hook grip is also symmetrical in nature, therefore reducing the chances of you developing muscular imbalances.
Cons
The downside to the hook grip is that it's just not very comfortable because your thumbs are being squeezed in between your fingers and the barbell. At the same time, this type of grip also requires a lot of adjustment and practice.
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What is The Best Grip for Deadlifting?
The bottom line is that the double overhand grip, the mixed grip, and the hook grip are all have their own strengths and weaknesses. If you want to lift as much as you can then the mixed grip might be the one for you.
If you want to do powerlifting then you might be required to use the double overhand or hook grip so you likely want to use them the most.
If you want to avoid the muscle imbalance issue with the mixed grip, you can always use lifting straps to prevent the bar rolling and helping your grip stay strong in the overhand grip options.
We recommend experimenting with these different deadlift grip types to see which one works best for you.
