Lifting straps wrap around the wrist and the bar to take grip out of the equation, and belts are worn around the trunk. Both are sold as aids for heavy pulling. This article summarises the abstracts of three small studies published between 2021 and 2023 and a 2026 narrative review, and states what they can and cannot support. It is about equipment performance, not injury prevention, and it is general information, not medical advice. The competition rules for belts and related kit are covered separately in the guide to what IPF equipment rules specify.
Study one: 16 men and four sets of four deadlifts
Jukic and colleagues, in Physiology & Behavior (2021), had 16 men complete three protocols of four sets of four repetitions at 80 per cent of their one-repetition maximum (1RM): without straps, with straps using the same weight based on the without-straps 1RM, and with straps using a weight based on a with-straps 1RM. Using straps at the same weight allowed higher mean and peak bar velocity than either other condition. Grip fatigue was smaller with straps, perceived grip security and power were greater, and perceived exertion was lower in the strapped, same-weight protocol. The authors concluded that straps allow better maintenance of grip strength, faster grip recovery and greater perceived grip security, while increasing mechanical performance and reducing perceived exertion.
Study two: 10 women and three sets to failure
Trahey and colleagues, in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research (2023), tested straps in women because earlier work had been in men. Ten women with about 3.2 years of training experience performed three sets of as many repetitions as possible at 80 per cent 1RM, with and without straps. With straps, they completed significantly more repetitions, with no statistically significant difference in mean or peak bar velocity, and they lost less grip strength. The authors concluded that straps appear beneficial for deadlift performance in women.
Study three: belts and straps in 20 recreational male lifters
Fong and colleagues, in Medicine (2022), used a repeated-measures design with 20 male recreational lifters (average age 23.1) who deadlifted with combinations of belt and straps. Wearing both a belt and straps reduced knee flexion angle in the setup phase, but not hip flexion. Straps alone increased thoracic kyphosis at lockout compared with a belt alone, and no changes in cervical or lumbar lordosis angles were seen with any aid. Participants completed deadlifts faster wearing both, and perceived less exertion wearing a belt, straps or both. The authors recommended using a belt and straps together, and not straps alone, for recreational lifters. This was an observational study of posture angles measured by video, so it does not show that any combination is safer or more dangerous.
The 2026 narrative review
Martins and colleagues, in the International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance (2026), reviewed the evidence on lifting straps, noting that the tool is meant to enhance grip and reduce grip limitation, especially in deadlifts, weightlifting movements and pulling exercises. They reported that evidence suggests straps can enhance maximal strength and grip perception, but for pulling and back exercises no consistent effects have been observed. Straps may increase mechanical work in the deadlift but, contrary to common belief, appear not to increase muscle recruitment. The review said no scientific evidence supports chronic effects of strap use in training, calling this “still a hypothesis”. It is a narrative review, so it summarises the literature without pooled statistics.
Reading the evidence together
- Straps reduce grip fatigue and raise deadlift reps and bar speed in short tests. This was seen in two small experiments, one in men and one in women.
- No study shows that straps build a bigger back or stronger grip over months. The 2026 review says chronic effects are unproven, and that strapped lifting may not raise muscle recruitment.
- Straps bypass grip as the limiting factor. Using them on every set means grip is no longer the limit, which matters for anyone also training grip; the guide to grip strength training at home covers that side.
- Belt evidence here is thin. The one belt study measured posture angles in 20 men, not maximum strength or safety.
What the evidence does not show
All three studies were small (10 to 20 people), used young adults, and tested the deadlift only. None of the abstracts reports injury outcomes or long-term training results, and none compares brands or strap types.
Practical points for buying
- Straps are inexpensive kit, and the evidence supports their use as a way to complete more work when grip limits a pulling set, not as a shortcut to a stronger back.
- A lifter who wants to train grip can save straps for heavy or high-volume sets and go without for lighter work.
- Choose belts and straps by the competition rules if entering an event, which is where the IPF equipment guide applies.
The bottom line
Two small experiments found that straps let lifters do more work on the deadlift with less grip fatigue, and a 2022 observational study found belts and straps used together reduced perceived exertion and time to complete a lift. A 2026 review adds that long-term benefits are unproven and that straps may not increase muscle recruitment. The evidence is limited to small samples of young lifters in short tests, so straps are a convenience aid, not a proven training upgrade.
Sources
- Jukic et al., “Ergogenic effects of lifting straps on movement velocity, grip strength, perceived exertion and grip security during the deadlift exercise”, Physiology & Behavior (2021)
- Trahey et al., “The Effect of Lifting Straps on Deadlift Performance in Females”, Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research (2023)
- Fong et al., “The influence of weightlifting belts and wrist straps on deadlift kinematics, time to complete a deadlift and rating of perceived exertion in male recreational weightlifters: An observational study”, Medicine (2022)
- Martins et al., “Are Lifting Straps a Game Changer for Resistance Training or an Overrated Tool? An Exploratory Review of Current Evidence and Future Research Directions”, International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance (2026)