I like this guy. He's insightful, walks the walk, and is also down to earth. Friendly, at times immature, but relatable, and very knowledgeable. Great dude.
Immature? I guess some people take any brand of humor that they don't get or approve of as immature. It's just one guy sitting in front of a camera talking casually about a subject matter. I don't see how can it get immature in any way.
Just did a max test on my DL last week with my Versas. Even with a false grip the bar felt like nothing in my hands. Mike does not exagerate when he calls these things magic.
i’ve been lifting for around 30 years and that’s no joke. I started when I was a little kid before I was even a teenager. My dad had set up an Olympic weight rack in one of the rooms of our house. Right now I’m in my mid 40s and I would have to say for the most part I have a pretty much have abandoned squats as my main leg builder. are used to be heavy into squats in my 20s and my teenage years as I got into my 30s and then 40s the stimulus to fatigue ratio has just gotten progressively worse . To the point where even when I am totally fresh, if I do a good 4 to 5 sets of squats around 8 to 10 reps range with moderate weight, it quickly zaps my energy and I get a lot of fatigue, but don’t ever feel particularly stronger in my legs. Now I have adjusted to different exercises and have seen better results with a lot less fatigue. You have to analyze your own body even when something is a staple and a tried and true exercise it may not be right for you. That doesn’t mean it’s bad just that you have different needs for your body.
Couldn't agree more, and even for beginners, I might add. I've been training only for a couple of months after a 10 year break and my grip is definitely the first to give in after one or two working sets, especially with chest supported rows and deadlifts. Not saying they are absolutely necessary in any way at this point already but it definitely helps also mentally knowing that the actual target muscles are for sure the limiting factor.
May favorite piece of equipment is Mooncookie’s big purple strapon. It provides the gluteal stimulation that a ex mercenary and FBI agent such as myself. This training has helped me in many a snatch and grab mission. I’m able to store way more than my fellow mercenaries in my colon, and it’s all thanks to Deep Purple. The increased pressure in my abdomen has brought my squat and deadlift way up too. I hope this was informative and I’ll talk to you guys next time. Blaha out.
Got a question for you, Jason Blaha. Why do you keep talking about your "road to a 700lb dead lift" when you've not even pulled 600lbs in competition? You claim to have pulled 625 in your living room. Or is it your garage now? But you also said that only lifts on the platform count. Why have your lifts not improved since 2014 when all you do is train, as well as coach savages, pit bulls, pit bulls that are savages, and savages that are pit bulls?
Getting a belt early on really helped me with bracing properly. Having something to push against really drills it into you what bracing should feel like. Never felt like my core strength was hindered by using a belt for longer.
A normal belt can be used to help you feel the brace too. No way it's as effective as a real lifting belt in terms of IAP, but it's good for feeling when you lose the brace.
Ex gymnast here. My wrists are trash. Love my Versa Gripps. I can pull what i want/deserve to pull as the help is awesome. Gains are not possible for me without assistance. ❤
I can HIGHLY back the Versa Grips! I ordered a pair after seeing mike use them a few times even before he even mentioned them and WOW, they are so nice to have, the grip you get when pushing is immensely better than just going raw hands, and they shine with ALL pulling exercises that perform especially when your grip wants to give out before you actually achieve a proper muscle stimulus. For example, single arm lat pulldowns really stretching and targeting each single lat, man these come in clutch. Trust me they are worth the price. I got the extremes
@@Mindfullifting Sometimes your grip will want to "walk out" and get wider during certain movements like bb bench and overheads, especially if the barbell knurling is worn out. I presume they would keep your hands more planted where you started.
Grip strength/endurance became a limiting factor SO QUICKLY with dumbbell lunges. Even after pushing it further back in my routine Versa Grips were a massive help with those sets.
I'm sort of a re-beginner (after a long break from lifting) and tried Versa Gripps for the first time. I was shocked at the difference in pump/soreness in my back. I didn't realize my grip was such a limiting factor until trying Versa.
Versa grips rock! I bought them to help lift heavy while not aggravating my elbow tendinitis. They work wonders for me and allow me to avoid having to take breaks from tweaking my damn brittle tendons. At 59, almost 60, anything that helps with my many bumps and bruises is much appreciated. Think I'll try some weight lifting shoes...
@Smallville Hi, everyone is different but for me, striving for neutral grips with most of my movements helps and if I'm not using neutral grips I'm *very* careful with form and don't load a bunch of weights on whatever I'm doing. I don't even bother with pronated pull ups or dead lifts anymore - too much risk of tweaking things. I'm neutral grip or even underhand grip (but I've gotta be careful with that and I use an EZ curl bar when doing weighted chin ups). I don't really strive for 1 or even 2 rep maxes anymore since I know my form is the first thing to go and I'm way more likely to tweak a tendon. I have to be mindful of finding the best wrist angle as well, trying to keep even my wrists neutral and in line with my forearm. My back workouts consists of: weighted chins with an EZ curl bar, neutral grip narrow and medium pull ups, neutral grip Tbar rows, lat prayers with a rope (to keep a neutral grip) or an EZ curl type bar, Hammer machine neutral grip chest supported rows, pull overs with a tricep bar that allows neutral grips, TBar deadlifts (neutral grip), trap bar deadlifts. For biceps I use either dumbbells or an EZ curl bar to keep my tendons happy. Some oddball things I do: I avoid taking NSAIDs like Ibuprofen if I badly tweak something. I think they actually slow the healing/recovery process. Something I discovered in my rock-climbing days. I consume a few scoop fulls of collegen every day. I stretch my chest and arms a bunch. It may sound crazy but a PT of mine thought a lot of my tendon issues came from having a crazy tight chest so she had me start doing sort of snow angels trying to keep my fingers touching the floor while lying on my back with a foam roller under my spine. I thought she was nuts but she was gorgeous and who was I to argue. Well damn, it works for me. I can even feel my tendons stretch and almost complain during a certain portion of the movement. I do those pretty religiously after a workout and maybe at night. I never found cross friction massage or ice or ultrasound or acupuncture or even wrist flexion stretching to help. Tried them all🤷🏻♂️
@@SEAKPhotog hi, thanks for the detailed reply I appreciate your time and effort in doing that. I’ll try some of those things to see if it helps me. I’m 42 so want to be careful now rather than regret it later because I ignored it etc. 👍
Versa grips and weightlifting shoes have really been game changers for me, been able to survive without a belt for a long time, but I mainly do back supported leg lifts
As an Elite level Powerlifter with good ankle mobility I never thought I needed Weightlifting Shoes. But you brought up a good point about using it for engaging the Quads, something I’m more interested as I’m switching my focus to Hypertrophy. Could probably use the Versa Grips too now for the same reason. Thanks.
I couldn’t be happier with weightlifting shoes, my brother saw how awesome they were, he bought his own and was still surprised how much he loved his. Highly recommend em
Got versa gripps on your recommendation like a year ago now, they really are amazing Same for squat shoes- the other day I tested out pendulum squats in my tennis shoes and then the squat shoes and it’s such a better feeling. And that’s even though I’m weak af lol
Got my first set of lifting straps from Versa. I've been lifting for about 2 years now and my forearms have been failing on a lot of rowing movement before my back. What a great product, cannot recommend more.
You forgot cuffs. These have been a game changer hitting my delts. I take your hyper ROM approach and attach myself to a cable machine, lay down or lean on a bench and I can hit all 3 heads in all kinds of angles. 🔥 I also love doing pullovers with them, I can isolate my lats and my tris don’t get in the way.
I use cobra grips, just because they cost a bit less and do the exact same thing and do it just as well. Whichever way you go, grips are awesome. They eliminated my tennis elbow pain from pulling movements completely.
I am a noob, but I bought Versa Gripps a year ago at Dr Mike's suggestion, and they really helped with my pull ups. The grips helped me focus much more on my back rather than inadvertently worrying about my grip. If you've got the money, buy em!
@@Flahtort nope, I haven't: I'm mostly just lifting for longevity. I'll usually do as many sets without the versa gripps as I can before using them so I can maintain my grip, but I haven't specifically trained it
One thing about Versa gripps, if your hands sweat or produce a lot of oil even the slightest bit they WILL NOT work, the leather will become super slippery. I find the normal woven fabric kind of lifting straps work better. Also since I already invested like $100 in versa gripps before finding out this problem (lol) now I just have to use chalk all the time with them. When I use chalk they work amazingly well but then it takes a lot longer to set up and having to keep reapplying chalk.
I got the Versa Grips and the Versa Lifts on your recommendation. The grips are amazing and really help with my RDLs; without them my grip would definitely have been a limiting factor. The Versa Lifts are good too. Much cheaper than lifting shoes, provides similar benefits, and fits easily in my bag. Since I typically do full-body workouts, it's easy to take them on and off when I need them.
Oh yeah? Well if you like Versa products why don't you marry them? uh? uh? are you gonna take them with your everywhere to show every person you meet? Yeah, that's what I thought.
It is a great tool for my 7 hour arm workout. This workout is grueling so I use the only squat rack in my gym. I often catch fellow gym members staring at me (in admiration).
As a beginner, weight lifting shoes was the biggest thing for me to help me improve. The stability they provide help keep me safer too, I feel. Its a must for leg days..
I’m intermediate, been lifting for 25 years but never will be a power lifter. I wear Nike metcons for squats and deadlifts. They have an elevated heel and side support. But I really like them and that makes me want to be at the gym more. It can be that simple.
Strongly considering buying this gear now that I'm on the upper end of intermediate with my fitness. I feel like increasing my Deadlift without injury this year by more than 15kg is going to be near impossible without the addition of one or all of these items.
Grip is king in most circumstances. Kevin Faires is able to hang with dudes like Tom Stoltman because of his grip. Most people never train grip. Vastly underrated/under trained muscle group.
Barefoot, beltless squatter here. Paused atg squat 200kg. If you're interested in joint health and longevity, sounds cliche but go naked and natural. My knees and back have never been healthier. Took a lot of work to get here (15+ years, regular mobility and stability work) but it's worth it. Belts and lifting shoes let you hide your weaknesses. Going naked exposes them as long as you're cognizant.
Wish I could find versa gripps anywhere near me. Due to arthritis (sucks to have issues with that in early 40s), grip tends to be an issue, and hands sometimes hurt after training. Wrist wraps help tons, but for pull ups they are bit complicated to set up. Since I live access the pond, ordering rather pricey item like versa gripps, without being sure I'll get correct size is tricky. Shipping and customs will be high, especially if I have to return for different size. Hopefully I'll find it somewhere when I go travelling. Wouldn't mind lifting shoes as well. Due to long femur, back squats are not ideal as it should be. Little help with lifting shoes would be good. Alas, also can't find near me. Doesn't help that I wear size 13-14 😂 thanks dr. Mike for all the info you put out there!
do pull ups with the bar only in your finger tips , will fix grip strength for most people to most practical weight loadings outside of heavy deadlifts. that said i have only ever used old school straps and these look cool so will probably buy a pair :)
I Have to say I'm the minority that doesn't agree with straps or versa grips! I'd consider myself an advanced lifter after 12 years but with pulling movements (bar 1rm deadlifts) my back is definitely the limiting factor and gives up way before my grip? Perhaps years of training strap free and plenty of strength exercises is the reason?
I’ve always wondered if knee sleeves actually provide anything useful, beyond the keeping the joint warm thing, it’d be interesting to see a video over it, or maybe debunking useless gym equipment
Anecdotally they keep my knees from popping when I squat, which I'm not sure is of any benefit but not hearing that is definitely better than wondering if they're going to blow out. Also, the thicker ones help with recoiling out of the hole making the initial push out easier than without.
If you're having doubts about buying weightlifting shoes, just buy them. I had a hunch for years but never followed through, literally years. Then I bought them and now I love them. Stable, easier to keep full foot pressure, easier to squat upright, easier to go atg. A pair of Nike Savaleos is about 120$, just get them. The first shoe I bought was an Adidas Powerlift. I liked them a lot, until the sole started ungluing.
@@nicksmith3851I have the romaleos 4, absolutely incredible. Main difference in them and the savaleos is the amount of heel lift. Savaleos are lower heel raise, so more glute activity when squats performed, vs more quad stimulus.
Dr. Mike, what about squat wedges? As a trainer you can help a lot of clients with them! What do you prefer, individual ones or separate? The separate ones can change position midway and alter the movement, while the individual one cannot be adjusted in it's angle and provides the same incline regardless of foot positioning, which doesn't seem ergonomic to me. Sorry I might have used words that don't really make sense, I'm hoping you can shine some light on this, thanks!
I asked my dad to buy me weightlifting shoes for my birthday back in jr year of high school and till the day they’re in pretty good condition despite years of use (around 9 years and still going strong) One of the best investments a lifter can make. Shout out to adidas for making a quality shoe as well
I use a versagrip knock off and they make a huge difference. For shoes I lift in barefoot shoes but recently I have started using a squat wedge and it has been a total game changer as far as being able to squat heavy and deep without lower back pain. I don't like belts because I press out to stabilize when I wear a belt instead of properly stabilizing my core. The other piece of equipment that has made a huge difference for me is a bite guard.
Only exercise I use Versa Gripps are during assisted pull-ups. My finger muscles get a huge burn otherwise, causing me to stop the set at 8 RIR because my forearms are burning so much. Normal pull-ups are fine.
I had my versa grips for 11 years. Just now am I about to retire them and get a new pair. From doing 600lb dead’s and other exercises where my grip can’t keep up I can’t recommend them enough like Mike said.
I broke my ankle 20 years ago and have limited mobility in that ankle. I was only ever able to squat to 90° as the ankle would not flex any further. Since buying a pair of weightlifting shoes, holy s*** I can get all the way down now!! Best investment I ever made!! I've also had lower back issues and a belt has been amazing! And lastly I had some versa grip style grips until they accidentally got melted somehow... But wow they were incredible for overhand deadlift when my grip couldn't handle 300 lbs... I have small hands lol. So for me these three items were absolute game changers.
I have small (6.5inch) wrists and im starting to press heavier DB's (65lbs) so I could use that extra support from the wrist wraps. Also for pulling as well.
I've been training casually for 3 years, then I got myself a strength coach. After 1 year of coaching he still doesnt let me use my weightlifting shoes for squats (whether its low bar or high bar squats, strength or hypertrophy phase) and I would love to. I understand that he meant to teach me proper foot control for stability, but he already stopped correcting my squat form over half a year ago... yet he stil doesnt let me use my shoes and I have to squat barefoot every time. Any of you guys wanna comment on that? I also dont feel my quads too much when I'm doing high bar squats (even tempo), so I thought that shoes could help a little bit
You need a new coach is what it sounds like… I am a minimalist… my normal workout shoes are Vivobarefoots and my casual ones are Splays but most of the time I’m wearing flip flops or no shoes at all… but there needs to be an understanding about the right tools for the right job. It is a true statement that you need to learn how to feel the ground and be able to correct your pressure into the mid foot. However, once you have that down you should be able to use what ever tool (as long as it’s a good one) to optimize your results. Something like a weightlifting shoe (or just elevating the heel a little bit) puts your torso in a better angle (no matter who you are) for more optimal leg usage. Doing so helps in all sorts of mobility including your ankle if it’s lacking because it load sets movement. Just like most anything else you need external force applied for properly change the body. Getting in a deeper squat with a more stable shoe is going to increase the force on your leg muscles and tendons to reinforce the movement pattern. You should never shy away from being minimalist to strengthen your foot but nothing at the gym is “natural” or “functional fitness” so that should be thrown into the garbage and die off. An example of load setting the body is I had an intern from the company I work for who ran into me at the gym and wanted to be workout buddies until his internship was up and he headed back home. He had some lagging issues with his leg/knee from a football injury he had in high school he needed surgery for. Could not squat well or very low. So for our mesocycle one of the couple movements we did was the horizontal leg press (which is basically a hack squat) going with full ROM. By the time we were done with that 8 weeks he did have any pain, could squat MUCH deeper than when we met and probably went up almost 50LBs on that machine. Correct movement is medicine and there’s always the right tool for the w right job.
Versa grips do NOT take grip completely out of the equation, yes they make it significantly easier but you still absolutely have to apply gripping pressure to hold on with them, and you CAN STILL absolutely reach the point of grip failure before your back with them if your grip isn't strong enough and you're lifting heavy enough
I recently started using grips and it removes almost all thumb pain I get at times. (Office jobs hitting the ALT and SPACEBAR key a lot... left thumb gets shot).
I'm not advanced, I got the gear as soon as I knew I was serious about attending on a constant basis (3 years ago now). First thing I got was a lever belt (Rise), mostly because Jeff's content is what I was very actively watching as I dropped just over 90lb. Then I got lifting shoes (Adidas PL4s which have the higher heel), note that I do zero dead-lifting as my SFR is completely off on it. I got lifting straps, wrist wraps, knee sleeves (I NEVER use these, they're just collecting dust - the belt and shoes do enough for me typically, only once did I rush through the rep in suboptimal fashion which brought some knee discomfort), and a standard 7mm prong belt as well. The reason why I would suggest using items like this, EVEN AS A BEGINNER, is because any sort of errors that you might be making will at least in part be smoothed out by the gear. Squatting bigger weights feels more comfortable with a lever belt, doing rows or pulldowns with lifting straps allows for better mind-muscle. Yes, it's not Versa-tier, but I definitely get better mind-muscle (less biceps activation) with straps than I do without.
I use oly shoes and a PL belt. I shy away from straps on everything but RDL's. For conventional off the floor I use mixed grip. I chalk up for practically everything. Not sure if I agree on that you should use straps early or at all unless grip is a limiting factor while using chalk. I'm about 190lbs and do weighted pullups with 50lbs extra for reps, grip has never been a problem and I have small hands. Learning how to wedge in your grip and take advantage of leverages is a skill in itself along with the obvious strength benefits, you're missing out on this if you use straps all the time when it's not strictly necessary. Get a bottle of liquid chalk and start making your contribution to the communal mural of white stripes on every single piece of equipment :o)
Versa Grips are awesome! I bought them because you use them. Best gym equipment I ever bought. It's like having my hands superglued to a bar, or dumbell.
Thanks for the info! I’m lifting for about 1 and half year. My weight is 170 lbs but I press 550 lbs on the incline leg press. I do need to use knie supporters for it, but my back is fine. I also use lifting shoes on leg days. You mentioned when you start to get more advanced you will discover which equipment you need in order to get the support to climb up the ladder further. I can’t agree with you more!
My femurs are 237 feet long and i find heel elevation helps me engage my quads, I'm probably gonna pull the trigger on some shoes. Thanks Dr. Mike for enabling me to spend money
I’ll take my Sheik power wraps over Versa Gripps any day. I’ve tried Versas. The Sheik power straps r far superior in my opinion. Complete wraparound tightness control. Way better. Been using them forever.
Just picked up some Adipower III. I've been training for over 10+ years and I've been fine with just some chucks and metcons. But want to try something new and see how it feels with the elevated heels.
Not long before someone points to the fact that grip strength is related to longevity and that it should be trained. Im here ready to point them to the closest library to learn about correlation and causation and 10% off on their next order of Versas.
I never used to use knee sleeves and i built to 405 squat. Goal then became to lift 500. Now i use sleeves and i wish i used them much earlier. Protect your knees people!
One thing I don't like about versa gripps is that when my hands get really sweaty, they do become undone rather easily. I don't use chalk, but when I used straps, I never had that problem.. due to the fact that there's more material to wrap around the bar.
Do-Win weightlifting shoes are awesome. They are the original. Thanks to RP for getting me on Versa Grips. I was never actually training my lats before. And I got a 6.5mm stock Pioneer belt for pretty cheap with AMAZING quality.
I purchased my Versa Gripps because of your recommendation and they are fantastic! I recommend them to everyone I see struggling with wrist straps or training back without any grip support.
exercise scientists HATE this trick
Increase your growth over 3 inches in 30 days 😩
Vshred to the rescue
@@BetelgeuseGaming I read that wrong the first time lmmfao. Thought you wrote girth 😅
Weird trick
Number 7 will shock you
I like this guy. He's insightful, walks the walk, and is also down to earth. Friendly, at times immature, but relatable, and very knowledgeable. Great dude.
You're implying that I'm at times mature and I resent that! - Dr. Mike
Dr mike is like if George costanza became a bodybuilder love him
Ok, dr. Mike's mom. You almost got me, but I know it's you.
lmao
Immature? I guess some people take any brand of humor that they don't get or approve of as immature. It's just one guy sitting in front of a camera talking casually about a subject matter. I don't see how can it get immature in any way.
Just did a max test on my DL last week with my Versas. Even with a false grip the bar felt like nothing in my hands. Mike does not exagerate when he calls these things magic.
i’ve been lifting for around 30 years and that’s no joke. I started when I was a little kid before I was even a teenager. My dad had set up an Olympic weight rack in one of the rooms of our house. Right now I’m in my mid 40s and I would have to say for the most part I have a pretty much have abandoned squats as my main leg builder.
are used to be heavy into squats in my 20s and my teenage years as I got into my 30s and then 40s the stimulus to fatigue ratio has just gotten progressively worse . To the point where even when I am totally fresh, if I do a good 4 to 5 sets of squats around 8 to 10 reps range with moderate weight, it quickly zaps my energy and I get a lot of fatigue, but don’t ever feel particularly stronger in my legs. Now I have adjusted to different exercises and have seen better results with a lot less fatigue. You have to analyze your own body even when something is a staple and a tried and true exercise it may not be right for you. That doesn’t mean it’s bad just that you have different needs for your body.
+1 for the Versa's. It's so convenient and worth the price.
Couldn't agree more, and even for beginners, I might add. I've been training only for a couple of months after a 10 year break and my grip is definitely the first to give in after one or two working sets, especially with chest supported rows and deadlifts. Not saying they are absolutely necessary in any way at this point already but it definitely helps also mentally knowing that the actual target muscles are for sure the limiting factor.
agreed!
Versa Grips are insanely useful for higher rep sets of RDLs 💪
@@LawAndTheory You can probably find similar straps for cheaper. Versa is a great brand but its not super unique either.
@@TheGreektrojanwhat’s a good cheaper brand?
May favorite piece of equipment is Mooncookie’s big purple strapon. It provides the gluteal stimulation that a ex mercenary and FBI agent such as myself. This training has helped me in many a snatch and grab mission. I’m able to store way more than my fellow mercenaries in my colon, and it’s all thanks to Deep Purple. The increased pressure in my abdomen has brought my squat and deadlift way up too.
I hope this was informative and I’ll talk to you guys next time. Blaha out.
Got a question for you, Jason Blaha. Why do you keep talking about your "road to a 700lb dead lift" when you've not even pulled 600lbs in competition? You claim to have pulled 625 in your living room. Or is it your garage now? But you also said that only lifts on the platform count. Why have your lifts not improved since 2014 when all you do is train, as well as coach savages, pit bulls, pit bulls that are savages, and savages that are pit bulls?
This sounds like my by Hemmingway!
@@tdylan This line of questioning counts as espionage and will get you reported to the FBI and other authorities.
@@tdylan is Jason blah still a thing? That’s insane
@@kozmo7 ah done take kindle to yer tone hoss
Getting a belt early on really helped me with bracing properly. Having something to push against really drills it into you what bracing should feel like. Never felt like my core strength was hindered by using a belt for longer.
A normal belt can be used to help you feel the brace too. No way it's as effective as a real lifting belt in terms of IAP, but it's good for feeling when you lose the brace.
Ex gymnast here. My wrists are trash. Love my Versa Gripps. I can pull what i want/deserve to pull as the help is awesome. Gains are not possible for me without assistance. ❤
You often talk about weightlifting shoes being very necessary, I would love a breakdown of the best ones/what to look for.
Dude I just got Versa Gripps a few weeks ago and it took my back training to A NEW LEVEL
I can HIGHLY back the Versa Grips! I ordered a pair after seeing mike use them a few times even before he even mentioned them and WOW, they are so nice to have, the grip you get when pushing is immensely better than just going raw hands, and they shine with ALL pulling exercises that perform especially when your grip wants to give out before you actually achieve a proper muscle stimulus. For example, single arm lat pulldowns really stretching and targeting each single lat, man these come in clutch. Trust me they are worth the price. I got the extremes
How do you use them for pushing?
@@Mindfullifting Sometimes your grip will want to "walk out" and get wider during certain movements like bb bench and overheads, especially if the barbell knurling is worn out. I presume they would keep your hands more planted where you started.
@@Mindfullifting im sure he meant to say pulling
Grip strength/endurance became a limiting factor SO QUICKLY with dumbbell lunges. Even after pushing it further back in my routine Versa Grips were a massive help with those sets.
Same! Grip was the limiting factor, not leg strenght
I'm sort of a re-beginner (after a long break from lifting) and tried Versa Gripps for the first time. I was shocked at the difference in pump/soreness in my back. I didn't realize my grip was such a limiting factor until trying Versa.
Versa grips rock! I bought them to help lift heavy while not aggravating my elbow tendinitis. They work wonders for me and allow me to avoid having to take breaks from tweaking my damn brittle tendons. At 59, almost 60, anything that helps with my many bumps and bruises is much appreciated. Think I'll try some weight lifting shoes...
Anything else you have found that helps/eases your elbow tendinitis?
@Smallville Hi, everyone is different but for me, striving for neutral grips with most of my movements helps and if I'm not using neutral grips I'm *very* careful with form and don't load a bunch of weights on whatever I'm doing. I don't even bother with pronated pull ups or dead lifts anymore - too much risk of tweaking things. I'm neutral grip or even underhand grip (but I've gotta be careful with that and I use an EZ curl bar when doing weighted chin ups). I don't really strive for 1 or even 2 rep maxes anymore since I know my form is the first thing to go and I'm way more likely to tweak a tendon. I have to be mindful of finding the best wrist angle as well, trying to keep even my wrists neutral and in line with my forearm. My back workouts consists of: weighted chins with an EZ curl bar, neutral grip narrow and medium pull ups, neutral grip Tbar rows, lat prayers with a rope (to keep a neutral grip) or an EZ curl type bar, Hammer machine neutral grip chest supported rows, pull overs with a tricep bar that allows neutral grips, TBar deadlifts (neutral grip), trap bar deadlifts. For biceps I use either dumbbells or an EZ curl bar to keep my tendons happy.
Some oddball things I do: I avoid taking NSAIDs like Ibuprofen if I badly tweak something. I think they actually slow the healing/recovery process. Something I discovered in my rock-climbing days. I consume a few scoop fulls of collegen every day. I stretch my chest and arms a bunch. It may sound crazy but a PT of mine thought a lot of my tendon issues came from having a crazy tight chest so she had me start doing sort of snow angels trying to keep my fingers touching the floor while lying on my back with a foam roller under my spine. I thought she was nuts but she was gorgeous and who was I to argue. Well damn, it works for me. I can even feel my tendons stretch and almost complain during a certain portion of the movement. I do those pretty religiously after a workout and maybe at night.
I never found cross friction massage or ice or ultrasound or acupuncture or even wrist flexion stretching to help. Tried them all🤷🏻♂️
@@SEAKPhotog hi, thanks for the detailed reply I appreciate your time and effort in doing that. I’ll try some of those things to see if it helps me. I’m 42 so want to be careful now rather than regret it later because I ignored it etc.
👍
😂😂 I love this guys humour. My fave fitness channel without a doubt. Also making mad gains listening to this mans advice. Much respect.
Versa grips and weightlifting shoes have really been game changers for me, been able to survive without a belt for a long time, but I mainly do back supported leg lifts
Versa gripps for me, as an intermediate, is insanely needed. Especially for db reverse lunges, heavy SLDL's. Pretty much it.
As an Elite level Powerlifter with good ankle mobility I never thought I needed Weightlifting Shoes. But you brought up a good point about using it for engaging the Quads, something I’m more interested as I’m switching my focus to Hypertrophy. Could probably use the Versa Grips too now for the same reason. Thanks.
I love versa grips. Another reason to use them is elbow tendonitis
Love watching a fresh RP video less than an hour old 😍
You can still smell Mike's body hair shampoo it so fresh.
@@moonill That's just my B.O., sir. - Dr. Mike
I couldn’t be happier with weightlifting shoes, my brother saw how awesome they were, he bought his own and was still surprised how much he loved his. Highly recommend em
Got versa gripps on your recommendation like a year ago now, they really are amazing
Same for squat shoes- the other day I tested out pendulum squats in my tennis shoes and then the squat shoes and it’s such a better feeling. And that’s even though I’m weak af lol
Got my first set of lifting straps from Versa. I've been lifting for about 2 years now and my forearms have been failing on a lot of rowing movement before my back. What a great product, cannot recommend more.
Versa grips work just like described. Including trying to separate yourself from the bar if you lose your balance deadlifting.
You forgot cuffs. These have been a game changer hitting my delts. I take your hyper ROM approach and attach myself to a cable machine, lay down or lean on a bench and I can hit all 3 heads in all kinds of angles. 🔥 I also love doing pullovers with them, I can isolate my lats and my tris don’t get in the way.
Cuffs are amazing for rear and side delts. I also started using them for unilateral triceps exercises.
What are cuffs
This is the most serious video I've seen of Dr Mike
I use cobra grips, just because they cost a bit less and do the exact same thing and do it just as well. Whichever way you go, grips are awesome. They eliminated my tennis elbow pain from pulling movements completely.
I use cobras as well. I haven't seen versas (so I cannot compare them), but cobras quality is superb and really help in the workout.
+1 for cobras
I have the elbow tendinitis also and it’s time for me to get the versa grips or something comparable
I have flip flops, duct tape and crocs. 🥺
Commenting for Dr Mike's algorithm.
I am a noob, but I bought Versa Gripps a year ago at Dr Mike's suggestion, and they really helped with my pull ups. The grips helped me focus much more on my back rather than inadvertently worrying about my grip. If you've got the money, buy em!
Just wondering, have you ever trained your grip separately?
@@Flahtort nope, I haven't: I'm mostly just lifting for longevity. I'll usually do as many sets without the versa gripps as I can before using them so I can maintain my grip, but I haven't specifically trained it
One thing about Versa gripps, if your hands sweat or produce a lot of oil even the slightest bit they WILL NOT work, the leather will become super slippery. I find the normal woven fabric kind of lifting straps work better. Also since I already invested like $100 in versa gripps before finding out this problem (lol) now I just have to use chalk all the time with them. When I use chalk they work amazingly well but then it takes a lot longer to set up and having to keep reapplying chalk.
Good thing my hands dont sweat while lifting just the rest of my body. I just bought them today during the Amazon prime sale for $60
I got the Versa Grips and the Versa Lifts on your recommendation.
The grips are amazing and really help with my RDLs; without them my grip would definitely have been a limiting factor.
The Versa Lifts are good too. Much cheaper than lifting shoes, provides similar benefits, and fits easily in my bag. Since I typically do full-body workouts, it's easy to take them on and off when I need them.
Oh yeah? Well if you like Versa products why don't you marry them? uh? uh? are you gonna take them with your everywhere to show every person you meet? Yeah, that's what I thought.
@@382u3uuej My state doesn't allow multiple marriages, so I told them that I love them both equally and won't marry either so they don't get jealous.
I have the figure 8 straps and they do the same thing but are literally 10 times cheaper
I love my weightlifting belt for my biceps curls, I can really focus on my biceps contraction and get a crazy pump!
It is a great tool for my 7 hour arm workout. This workout is grueling so I use the only squat rack in my gym. I often catch fellow gym members staring at me (in admiration).
yeah bro, most of the time i wear a belt for 10 lbs pushdowns or 5 lbs forearm extensions
@@emiel7479 that’s what I call a real workout of an advanced lifter. I would definitely be caught starring too!
I bought an Inzer belt 25 years ago and it still looks new. Use it all the time. Best investment ever
As a beginner, weight lifting shoes was the biggest thing for me to help me improve. The stability they provide help keep me safer too, I feel. Its a must for leg days..
Excellent video sir 🙌
I’m intermediate, been lifting for 25 years but never will be a power lifter. I wear Nike metcons for squats and deadlifts. They have an elevated heel and side support. But I really like them and that makes me want to be at the gym more. It can be that simple.
Strongly considering buying this gear now that I'm on the upper end of intermediate with my fitness. I feel like increasing my Deadlift without injury this year by more than 15kg is going to be near impossible without the addition of one or all of these items.
Grip is king in most circumstances. Kevin Faires is able to hang with dudes like Tom Stoltman because of his grip. Most people never train grip. Vastly underrated/under trained muscle group.
Barefoot, beltless squatter here. Paused atg squat 200kg. If you're interested in joint health and longevity, sounds cliche but go naked and natural.
My knees and back have never been healthier. Took a lot of work to get here (15+ years, regular mobility and stability work) but it's worth it.
Belts and lifting shoes let you hide your weaknesses. Going naked exposes them as long as you're cognizant.
Wish I could find versa gripps anywhere near me. Due to arthritis (sucks to have issues with that in early 40s), grip tends to be an issue, and hands sometimes hurt after training. Wrist wraps help tons, but for pull ups they are bit complicated to set up. Since I live access the pond, ordering rather pricey item like versa gripps, without being sure I'll get correct size is tricky. Shipping and customs will be high, especially if I have to return for different size. Hopefully I'll find it somewhere when I go travelling. Wouldn't mind lifting shoes as well. Due to long femur, back squats are not ideal as it should be. Little help with lifting shoes would be good. Alas, also can't find near me. Doesn't help that I wear size 13-14 😂 thanks dr. Mike for all the info you put out there!
If you're in europe look up Climaqx ultra grips
do pull ups with the bar only in your finger tips , will fix grip strength for most people to most practical weight loadings outside of heavy deadlifts. that said i have only ever used old school straps and these look cool so will probably buy a pair :)
If you can do pull ups on fingers you already have good grip lol..
I've tried doing two finger pull ups once..dang shit hurt.😂
I Have to say I'm the minority that doesn't agree with straps or versa grips! I'd consider myself an advanced lifter after 12 years but with pulling movements (bar 1rm deadlifts) my back is definitely the limiting factor and gives up way before my grip? Perhaps years of training strap free and plenty of strength exercises is the reason?
Good intermediate shoes are Adidas Powerlift. Way cheaper than going full Oly shoe and a good middle ground for heel elevation.
I’ve always wondered if knee sleeves actually provide anything useful, beyond the keeping the joint warm thing, it’d be interesting to see a video over it, or maybe debunking useless gym equipment
Anecdotally they keep my knees from popping when I squat, which I'm not sure is of any benefit but not hearing that is definitely better than wondering if they're going to blow out. Also, the thicker ones help with recoiling out of the hole making the initial push out easier than without.
If you're having doubts about buying weightlifting shoes, just buy them. I had a hunch for years but never followed through, literally years. Then I bought them and now I love them. Stable, easier to keep full foot pressure, easier to squat upright, easier to go atg.
A pair of Nike Savaleos is about 120$, just get them. The first shoe I bought was an Adidas Powerlift. I liked them a lot, until the sole started ungluing.
Thanks bro I was lookin at the Nike ones, their hot too
@@nicksmith3851I have the romaleos 4, absolutely incredible. Main difference in them and the savaleos is the amount of heel lift. Savaleos are lower heel raise, so more glute activity when squats performed, vs more quad stimulus.
Pioneer belts are the best. Mine is 6 years old and it looks almost new still.
any specific weightlifting shoe recommendations?
I see Scott the video guy accidentally used the picture from his private folder for this videos thumbnail...
Wide FOOT SHAPED squat shoes were a game changer for me.
Dr. Mike, what about squat wedges? As a trainer you can help a lot of clients with them! What do you prefer, individual ones or separate? The separate ones can change position midway and alter the movement, while the individual one cannot be adjusted in it's angle and provides the same incline regardless of foot positioning, which doesn't seem ergonomic to me. Sorry I might have used words that don't really make sense, I'm hoping you can shine some light on this, thanks!
I asked my dad to buy me weightlifting shoes for my birthday back in jr year of high school and till the day they’re in pretty good condition despite years of use (around 9 years and still going strong)
One of the best investments a lifter can make. Shout out to adidas for making a quality shoe as well
I use a versagrip knock off and they make a huge difference.
For shoes I lift in barefoot shoes but recently I have started using a squat wedge and it has been a total game changer as far as being able to squat heavy and deep without lower back pain.
I don't like belts because I press out to stabilize when I wear a belt instead of properly stabilizing my core.
The other piece of equipment that has made a huge difference for me is a bite guard.
thank you big man
Only exercise I use Versa Gripps are during assisted pull-ups. My finger muscles get a huge burn otherwise, causing me to stop the set at 8 RIR because my forearms are burning so much. Normal pull-ups are fine.
That thumbnail got me bricked up ngl
When is the app going to be available in Dominican Republic?
I’m not advanced and I literally have all three of these. Love my Versa Gripps and Pioneer belt.
Versa Grips! Best thing I have purchased so far! I'd consider myself intermediate. Now I'm considering weight lifting shoes...
I had my versa grips for 11 years. Just now am I about to retire them and get a new pair. From doing 600lb dead’s and other exercises where my grip can’t keep up I can’t recommend them enough like Mike said.
Straps are huge
I used all of them very early on. Especially the belt helped a lot, because I learned how to brace with it.
I find the squat plug has greatest stimulus to fatigue ratio.
Any idea when the app is coming?
I broke my ankle 20 years ago and have limited mobility in that ankle. I was only ever able to squat to 90° as the ankle would not flex any further. Since buying a pair of weightlifting shoes, holy s*** I can get all the way down now!! Best investment I ever made!! I've also had lower back issues and a belt has been amazing! And lastly I had some versa grip style grips until they accidentally got melted somehow... But wow they were incredible for overhand deadlift when my grip couldn't handle 300 lbs... I have small hands lol. So for me these three items were absolute game changers.
I have small (6.5inch) wrists and im starting to press heavier DB's (65lbs) so I could use that extra support from the wrist wraps. Also for pulling as well.
Rock climbing for grip, calisthenics for core, tibialis raises for ankle mobility. Do it RAW.
I've been training casually for 3 years, then I got myself a strength coach. After 1 year of coaching he still doesnt let me use my weightlifting shoes for squats (whether its low bar or high bar squats, strength or hypertrophy phase) and I would love to. I understand that he meant to teach me proper foot control for stability, but he already stopped correcting my squat form over half a year ago... yet he stil doesnt let me use my shoes and I have to squat barefoot every time. Any of you guys wanna comment on that? I also dont feel my quads too much when I'm doing high bar squats (even tempo), so I thought that shoes could help a little bit
You need a new coach is what it sounds like…
I am a minimalist… my normal workout shoes are Vivobarefoots and my casual ones are Splays but most of the time I’m wearing flip flops or no shoes at all… but there needs to be an understanding about the right tools for the right job.
It is a true statement that you need to learn how to feel the ground and be able to correct your pressure into the mid foot. However, once you have that down you should be able to use what ever tool (as long as it’s a good one) to optimize your results.
Something like a weightlifting shoe (or just elevating the heel a little bit) puts your torso in a better angle (no matter who you are) for more optimal leg usage. Doing so helps in all sorts of mobility including your ankle if it’s lacking because it load sets movement. Just like most anything else you need external force applied for properly change the body. Getting in a deeper squat with a more stable shoe is going to increase the force on your leg muscles and tendons to reinforce the movement pattern.
You should never shy away from being minimalist to strengthen your foot but nothing at the gym is “natural” or “functional fitness” so that should be thrown into the garbage and die off.
An example of load setting the body is I had an intern from the company I work for who ran into me at the gym and wanted to be workout buddies until his internship was up and he headed back home. He had some lagging issues with his leg/knee from a football injury he had in high school he needed surgery for. Could not squat well or very low. So for our mesocycle one of the couple movements we did was the horizontal leg press (which is basically a hack squat) going with full ROM. By the time we were done with that 8 weeks he did have any pain, could squat MUCH deeper than when we met and probably went up almost 50LBs on that machine.
Correct movement is medicine and there’s always the right tool for the w right job.
What are your squat numbers at?
Versa grips do NOT take grip completely out of the equation, yes they make it significantly easier but you still absolutely have to apply gripping pressure to hold on with them, and you CAN STILL absolutely reach the point of grip failure before your back with them if your grip isn't strong enough and you're lifting heavy enough
I recently started using grips and it removes almost all thumb pain I get at times. (Office jobs hitting the ALT and SPACEBAR key a lot... left thumb gets shot).
I'm not advanced, I got the gear as soon as I knew I was serious about attending on a constant basis (3 years ago now). First thing I got was a lever belt (Rise), mostly because Jeff's content is what I was very actively watching as I dropped just over 90lb. Then I got lifting shoes (Adidas PL4s which have the higher heel), note that I do zero dead-lifting as my SFR is completely off on it. I got lifting straps, wrist wraps, knee sleeves (I NEVER use these, they're just collecting dust - the belt and shoes do enough for me typically, only once did I rush through the rep in suboptimal fashion which brought some knee discomfort), and a standard 7mm prong belt as well.
The reason why I would suggest using items like this, EVEN AS A BEGINNER, is because any sort of errors that you might be making will at least in part be smoothed out by the gear. Squatting bigger weights feels more comfortable with a lever belt, doing rows or pulldowns with lifting straps allows for better mind-muscle. Yes, it's not Versa-tier, but I definitely get better mind-muscle (less biceps activation) with straps than I do without.
I use oly shoes and a PL belt.
I shy away from straps on everything but RDL's. For conventional off the floor I use mixed grip. I chalk up for practically everything.
Not sure if I agree on that you should use straps early or at all unless grip is a limiting factor while using chalk.
I'm about 190lbs and do weighted pullups with 50lbs extra for reps, grip has never been a problem and I have small hands.
Learning how to wedge in your grip and take advantage of leverages is a skill in itself along with the obvious strength benefits, you're missing out on this if you use straps all the time when it's not strictly necessary.
Get a bottle of liquid chalk and start making your contribution to the communal mural of white stripes on every single piece of equipment :o)
As an intermediate lifter, my grip is stronger than all my other lifts. Maybe one day Ill have a back muscle and need to use straps
1) Anavar
2) D-bol
3) Tren
4) Water
????
Pioneer cut, 4" 10mm, single prong. Buy it.
Versa Grips are awesome! I bought them because you use them. Best gym equipment I ever bought. It's like having my hands superglued to a bar, or dumbell.
Thanks for the info! I’m lifting for about 1 and half year. My weight is 170 lbs but I press 550 lbs on the incline leg press. I do need to use knie supporters for it, but my back is fine. I also use lifting shoes on leg days.
You mentioned when you start to get more advanced you will discover which equipment you need in order to get the support to climb up the ladder further. I can’t agree with you more!
Grips/wraps. Dudes who act like they're a joke are clueless. I just tell em to continue training their grip, I'm gonna continue to work my back.
My femurs are 237 feet long and i find heel elevation helps me engage my quads, I'm probably gonna pull the trigger on some shoes. Thanks Dr. Mike for enabling me to spend money
I’ll take my Sheik power wraps over Versa Gripps any day. I’ve tried Versas. The Sheik power straps r far superior in my opinion. Complete wraparound tightness control. Way better. Been using them forever.
I recommend cobra grips over versa grips, personally.
i recently found this chanel. pretty good
Quality information as always and the joke about having to catch a train had me cracking up pretty good 😂😂😂😂
Just picked up some Adipower III. I've been training for over 10+ years and I've been fine with just some chucks and metcons. But want to try something new and see how it feels with the elevated heels.
I like the spud inc Grippaz opposed to versa grips because the quality seems better
I bought versa grips because of this man! Someone get him a sponsor stat!!!
Is there a channel like this but for strength only?
Love your content bro your amazing
Not long before someone points to the fact that grip strength is related to longevity and that it should be trained. Im here ready to point them to the closest library to learn about correlation and causation and 10% off on their next order of Versas.
I never used to use knee sleeves and i built to 405 squat. Goal then became to lift 500. Now i use sleeves and i wish i used them much earlier. Protect your knees people!
Pioneer belts are sooo good.
“Once you get through the piñata, you turn your attention to the clown”
Oh, so you HAVE been to a Mexican birthday party?
Thumbnail got me feeling some type of way for you Dr. Mike!
Versa gripps are amazing. Completely cured my tendonitis
One thing I don't like about versa gripps is that when my hands get really sweaty, they do become undone rather easily. I don't use chalk, but when I used straps, I never had that problem.. due to the fact that there's more material to wrap around the bar.
Gloves and straps are my essentials; tried a belt, but I only do leg press and hack squat, so it made little difference.
Do-Win weightlifting shoes are awesome. They are the original. Thanks to RP for getting me on Versa Grips. I was never actually training my lats before. And I got a 6.5mm stock Pioneer belt for pretty cheap with AMAZING quality.
I was honestly amazed when I first got my versa grips. Game changer.
Btw get the expensive ones and be good
I am intermediate and use HARDBODY premium grip straps they super comfortable too. Not heard of versa grips, will have to have a look.
Cobra grips>>>>> versa grips
I purchased my Versa Gripps because of your recommendation and they are fantastic! I recommend them to everyone I see struggling with wrist straps or training back without any grip support.