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Think of lifting straps and you’d be forgiven for thinking of heavyweight champions and Olympians, but they’re anything but the preserve of professionals. Of all the things there are to think about when strength training, grip strength is one of the hardest to – ahem – get to grips with, and lifting straps can take it out of the equation almost entirely. This goes for both beginners and advanced weightlifters – newbies can benefit by building a grip strength foundation with lifting straps, while pros can lift heavier with the help of grip from the straps.

How? Lifting straps are simply a piece of cloth or leather, that form a loop around your wrist and are then wrapped around a barbell. In doing so, the weight you're using (they work with everything from barbells to dumbbells and kettlebells) can’t slip out of your hands. There are some things to think about, though, so we called upon Natasha Ram, a trainer at F45 Mill Hill to break it down. Read on for everything you need to know, including our edit of the best lifting straps to buy in 2022.

Lifting straps are pretty easy to use once you’ve got the hang of it. Here are four easy steps to follow.

Check out this handy tutorial.

It’s a resounding yes from both WH Fitness Editor Bridie Wilkins, and Ram. ‘One of the main purposes of lifting straps is that they allow you to focus on the pulling phase of your lift, without being distracted by slipping or grip failure,’ Ram explains. ‘Used properly, they’ll maximise your training and results.’ She caveats: ‘Knowing which type of lifting straps to get is important.’ Which brings us onto our next point.

There are three main styles of lifting straps to be aware of. They all have their benefits, but it’s about nailing down what you want them for, and how heavy you’ll be lifting with them.

Sometimes called Olympic straps, these offer the ‘least grip assistance’, according to Ram. ‘The advantage is that they allow you to easily drop the weight, as you would if you weren’t using lifting straps,’ she explains.

Ram dubs these the ‘middle ground’. ‘They offer more stability and grip assistance than the close loop, but they’re probably not stable enough if you’re just starting out,’ she explains.

‘These offer the most grip stability, anchoring the wrists,’ Ram tells us. ‘As a result, they don’t allow you to drop the weight.’

As we’ve mentioned, lifting straps can be a wise choice for beginners looking to build confidence when weight lifting, but know that working on your grip strength for a few months beforehand is key. ‘It’s usually recommended to give your grip strength at least three months to improve and get familiar with lifting, before implementing lifting straps,’ Ram explains. ‘It’s unlikely that, as a total beginner, you’ll be lifting enough to benefit from lifting straps from the get-go, and it’s important that you have some foundation of grip strength.’

It makes sense – lifting straps can’t do all the leg work themselves (though they can help you improve), so if you have absolutely zero grip strength, you’ll struggle when it comes to lifting heavier weights.

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 1.5k ratings

Best for: All levels on a budget, who may be using lifting straps for the first time, or beginners who may be reassured by straps that can wrap around weights various times

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5.2k ratings

Best for: Those of all fitness levels, who want a sleek design that will do the job and help them break through plateaus, on a budget

Rating: 5 stars out of 6k ratings

Best for: People who have lifted before and are looking to up their weight, and happy to spend a bit more for something that will last a ‘lifetime’, according to one reviewer who has been using theirs for six years and are still ‘good as new’

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 66 ratings

Best for: Beginners on a budget, who want to get familiar with lifting straps but aren’t lifting so heavy that they need all the add-ons just yet, and who want to make a fashion statement with their straps

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 1.7k ratings

Best for: Beginners and professionals, who may be prone to blisters and are looking to avoid them, and those who want extra wrist support, without breaking the bank

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 1.7k ratings

Best for: People of all levels who want ultimate stability through a wrist support and thumb loop, who may be recovering or have had a wrist injury in the past, are prone to injuries in general, or are looking to lift so heavy that injury risk is increased

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 650 ratings

Best for: Those who are ready to lift heavier than usual, who would benefit from the most stability by anchoring the wrist with a figure 8 style, and are ready to spend a little more for something that will last years to come (several reviews say so)

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 7k ratings

Best for: Those after both super grip and comfort at once, of all levels of fitness looking to enhance their technique, but who may not have used lifting straps before

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 2.3k ratings

Best for: Those of all fitness levels who want to find their full muscle potential without risking injury, on a mid-budget

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 2.3k ratings

Best for: First-time lifting strap buyers who want something that will last and allow them to lift medium to heavy weights