"When I reached the point where I was using 350lbs for 15 reps in the stifflegged deadlift while standing on an elevated surface, I used straps, rationalizing their use by telling myself that I wanted to give me low back and hamstrings a good workout without being limited by a lack of hand strength. When I made the decision to forego the use of straps and persevere until I could handle heavy weights without them, I surpassed previous bests. In fact, the entire exercise became much more intense and my overall gains in strength and muscular size were quite unexpected. Perhaps my level of concentration was higher because I was so intent on maintaining my grip on the barbell. As neuroanatomists know, the area of the brain that exerts control over the hand muscles has a much higher representation relative to actual muscle size than other muscle groups. Although it is strictly conjecture, perhaps intense forearm/hand work heightens neural stimulation for all muscles, worked during a particular movement. My experience has showen that taking the time and energy to directly stimulate the forearm musculature leads to increased ability to handle heavy weights in many exercises."