Lifting Straps vs. Wrist Wraps: What's the Difference and When to Use Each
You hit a new deadlift PR, then your grip gives out on the next set. Or your wrists start to ache halfway through bench. Two different problems, two different tools. Lifting straps and wrist wraps get lumped together all the time, but they do completely different jobs. Here's how to tell them apart, when to use each, and how to make them work for you on pull day, push day and everything in between.
The Short Answer
- Lifting straps help you hold onto the bar. They connect your wrist to the bar so your grip stops being the weak link on heavy pulls.
- Wrist wraps help support your wrist joint. They stabilize your wrists under heavy loads that press down into your hands, like bench, overhead press and front squats.
Straps = grip. Wraps = support. If you only remember one thing, remember that.
What Lifting Straps Do
Lifting straps loop around your wrist, then wrap around the bar (or dumbbell, or machine handle). Once they're cinched, the load is shared between your hands and the strap, so you can keep pulling even when your forearms are fried.
That matters because on most pulling movements, your back and legs can handle way more weight than your fingers can hold. Without straps, your grip taps out first and your target muscles never get the work they need.
When to use lifting straps
- Heavy deadlifts and Romanian deadlifts
- Rows: barbell, dumbbell, cable and machine
- Lat pulldowns and heavy pull-ups
- Shrugs and rack pulls
- High-rep back work where grip fatigue builds up fast
When to skip them
Don't strap up for every single set. Your grip gets stronger when you make it work. A good rule: do your warm-ups and lighter working sets with no straps, then bring them in for your heaviest sets or when your grip is clearly giving out before your back. Some strength competitions don't allow straps, so if you compete, train your raw grip too.
What Wrist Wraps Do
Wrist wraps are stiffer bands that wind tightly around your wrist joint. They keep your wrist from bending back too far when a heavy bar is sitting in your palms. Think of them as a brace that helps you stay stacked: bar over wrist, wrist over elbow.
When to use wrist wraps
- Heavy bench press and incline press
- Overhead press and push press
- Dips
- Front squats and other front-rack positions
- Low-bar back squats, if your wrists get cranked in that position
How tight should wrist wraps be?
Snug enough that your wrist feels locked in, not so tight that your hand goes numb or changes color. Wrap them right over the wrist joint, not way down on your forearm, or they won't do much. Loosen them between sets.
Lifting Straps vs. Wrist Wraps: Side by Side
| Lifting Straps | Wrist Wraps | |
|---|---|---|
| Main job | Grip assistance | Wrist support |
| Best for | Pulling: deadlifts, rows, pulldowns, shrugs | Pressing: bench, overhead press, dips, front squats |
| Attaches to the bar? | Yes | No |
| Use on | Heavy sets when grip fails before the target muscle | Heavy sets when the wrists bend back under load |
Do You Need Both?
If you lift more than a couple of days a week, honestly, probably yes. A typical split looks like this:
- Pull day / back day: straps on your top deadlift and row sets.
- Push day: wraps on your heaviest bench and overhead press sets.
- Leg day: straps for heavy RDLs, wraps if front squats or low-bar squats bother your wrists.
They're small enough to live in your gym bag together, and at $14.99 each they're one of the cheapest upgrades you can make to your training.
How to Put On Lifting Straps (Quick Version)
- Slide your hand through the loop so the tail hangs down across your palm.
- Place your hand on the bar and wrap the tail around it in the opposite direction your fingers wrap, so the strap tightens as you grip.
- Twist your hand to tighten the strap around the bar until it's snug.
- Repeat on the other side, set your back, and pull.
It feels clumsy the first few times. By your third session it'll be automatic.
Gear Up
Everything here is built to match the rest of your gym fit:
- PINK GGRIPZ Lifting Straps: $14.99. For pull day, in our loudest color.
- GGRIPZ Lifting Straps Black: $14.99. Same straps, clean black. Also available in Sky Blue, Purple and Red.
- GGRIPZ Wrist Wraps Black: $14.99. Lock your wrists in for bench and overhead work. Also in Retro Red.
Pair them with a fresh set of GGRIPZ grip socks, and you're covered from your hands to your feet. Tag us on Instagram @ggripzsocks when you hit that next PR. We want to see it!