My review on the flexsolate training straps.

TheGreekHulk84 · 07-27-2007, 10:50 AM

I ordered a new pair of flexsolate training straps and didnt think they would make a difference at all, but when i first used them they were amazing! Used them on tri pressdown first up and i could notice the pump quicker, the positioning of my hands was alot better for me and the wrists felt better when i was upping the poundage. I must say they are one of the best equipment ive used in awhile so im going to try them out on various other excersises and post back with more results.

TheGreekHulk84 · 07-28-2007, 06:38 AM

Used the flexsolate training straps on shoulders today, and found it really makes a difference with front, side and rear should raises as i used it with cables, found a more natural movement due to the fact that i didnt need to grip something! Man these thing are excelent! Got a very good pump by using them and im convinced they will provide me with some more shoulder size down the track.

Dinotrainer · 07-28-2007, 10:10 AM

Glad the straps are "working out" for you. I may look into those for myself for days when I want to workout, but my grip hasn't fully recovered since the last workout. Since adding kettlebells into my routine, I'm finding this to happen often (your grip gets fried if you do high reps), so those straps may be the answer.

TheGreekHulk84 · 07-28-2007, 11:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dinotrainer

Glad the straps are "working out" for you. I may look into those for myself for days when I want to workout, but my grip hasn't fully recovered since the last workout. Since adding kettlebells into my routine, I'm finding this to happen often (your grip gets fried if you do high reps), so those straps may be the answer.

Yeah exactly, i mean when i was powerlifting i would have never used these straps at all, but since starting bodybuilding its obviously more focused on the mind/muscle/pump so i try to eliminate the feeling of my grip burning out before i can fully get pumped and train grip/forearms on arms day. I am going to use these straps on back day and i will post back some more results.

PTB · 07-30-2007, 01:45 PM

Thanks for sharing on the straps. I'm looking into those myself.
Can they only be purchased on the flexolate website, or can they be purchased elsewhere? I'd like to get an upclose look before I decide.

TheGreekHulk84 · 08-03-2007, 05:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PTB

Thanks for sharing on the straps. I'm looking into those myself.
Can they only be purchased on the flexolate website, or can they be purchased elsewhere? I'd like to get an upclose look before I decide.

Sorry for not being online as i had a mini vacation, but the straps can be purchased from the bodybuilding.com website or directly from the flexsolate website.

TheGreekHulk84 · 08-03-2007, 05:29 AM

Ok, i tried the straps on back day and the first excercise i used them on was lat pulldowns, front and rear and i was impressed at the strech i was getting at the bottom of the movement, they worked really well with wide grip movements as i could strech the muscles better than id usually would doing them without the straps, i found them especially usefull when my forearms didnt really play a major role in the strech since the straps provided an extra movement for the bottom which was all back. I also tried them on seated rows with was also really good since i could bring back my shoulders further than i could before making my upper and middle back flex more, and it also kept my forearms out of it a little more. I will give the straps a rating out of ten based on the excercises i performed , but since i did a couple of the many uses of the straps, im going to rate them based on what i did.

Ill give it a 9 out of 10 for overall use in the gym.
I wasnt sure about the poundages it can take so that will be known in the near future if it frayes or damages under heavy load.
It will be in my gym bag for years to come and i will see results from using this ingenious piece of equipment.

Skidmarx · 08-03-2007, 06:46 AM

Dude, how dare you do a product review without a pic.

TheGreekHulk84 · 08-05-2007, 07:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skidmarx

Dude, how dare you do a product review without a pic.

Yeah, your right sorry about that guys.........

Eclectic1 · 08-05-2007, 07:58 AM

I like Flexsolate straps too especially on exercises like triceps pushdowns, lateral raises, curls. But on back exercises I've tried both and prefer using hooks ( One ton hooks ). The straps are a grip-free device. You still need to bend your hand somewhat to keep them from sliding off. When you use very heavy weights this can cause discomfort. Hooks are a hands-free device and allow me to comfortably use heavier weights without having to grip anything nor engage my arms to pull the weight.

TheGreekHulk84 · 08-07-2007, 02:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zachariya

I like Flexsolate straps too especially on exercises like triceps pushdowns, lateral raises, curls. But on back exercises I've tried both and prefer using hooks ( One ton hooks ). The straps are a grip-free device. You still need to bend your hand somewhat to keep them from sliding off. When you use very heavy weights this can cause discomfort. Hooks are a hands-free device and allow me to comfortably use heavier weights without having to grip anything nor engage my arms to pull the weight.

Yeah i hear you mate, i did try them on the pulldowns and i might try using hooks since i want to pull down the maximum weight possible and the straps felt a little like they couldnt the weight i had on there.

shuunka · 08-20-2007, 10:45 AM

Just a point of interest to you Flexsolate userws; the straps have been tested to a weight of 800 lbs PER STRAP! There was absolutely no fray or tear at that weight. That would mean an aggregarte weight of 1,600 lbs. Also, there are new test results going to be posted in Muscle Ftness Magazine. It will show the SEMG results.
I agree when using very heavy weights, the straps can pinch. I use a set of gloves when lifting heavy with the straps and the issues of discomfort is eliminated.
Remember, you should go down in your weights in order to perfect the exercises. Gunter Schlierkamp uses much lower weights when using the straps as the isolation during the exercise is remarkable.
NOTE: When using the hooks, your hand is still locked in to the same position as if your were gripping. I agree the grip is gone, but the FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT you get with the Flexsolate straps, is not there. Your hand must stay in the same position throughout the lift and that is when the injuries will take place in the joints and tendons. If you cannot experience the natural movement of your hands during a lift to go along with the natural movement of the rest of your body during that same lift, then you are not maximizing the lift.
By the way, the SEMG study revealed amazing results and they will be available in the very near future.
Thanks for the opportunity to be heard.
Jerry, President of Flexsolate

Al Shades · 09-07-2007, 07:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zachariya

I like Flexsolate straps too especially on exercises like triceps pushdowns, lateral raises, curls. But on back exercises I've tried both and prefer using hooks ( One ton hooks ). The straps are a grip-free device. You still need to bend your hand somewhat to keep them from sliding off. When you use very heavy weights this can cause discomfort. Hooks are a hands-free device and allow me to comfortably use heavier weights without having to grip anything nor engage my arms to pull the weight.

What are hooks? Have you got a pic or a link?

TheGreekHulk84 · 09-09-2007, 09:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shuunka

Just a point of interest to you Flexsolate userws; the straps have been tested to a weight of 800 lbs PER STRAP! There was absolutely no fray or tear at that weight. That would mean an aggregarte weight of 1,600 lbs. Also, there are new test results going to be posted in Muscle Ftness Magazine. It will show the SEMG results.
I agree when using very heavy weights, the straps can pinch. I use a set of gloves when lifting heavy with the straps and the issues of discomfort is eliminated.
Remember, you should go down in your weights in order to perfect the exercises. Gunter Schlierkamp uses much lower weights when using the straps as the isolation during the exercise is remarkable.
NOTE: When using the hooks, your hand is still locked in to the same position as if your were gripping. I agree the grip is gone, but the FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT you get with the Flexsolate straps, is not there. Your hand must stay in the same position throughout the lift and that is when the injuries will take place in the joints and tendons. If you cannot experience the natural movement of your hands during a lift to go along with the natural movement of the rest of your body during that same lift, then you are not maximizing the lift.
By the way, the SEMG study revealed amazing results and they will be available in the very near future.
Thanks for the opportunity to be heard.
Jerry, President of Flexsolate

Thanks for your reply Jerry and i want to congratulate you on designing a fine piece of equipment, and thanks for the information regarding the poundages that can be used with the straps.

shuunka · 09-20-2007, 04:26 PM

My name is Jerry and I am one of the Flexsolate team members and I have unbelievable news! Flexsolate recently had an independent lab in Idaho (BB.C home state) test the grip free lifting straps against not wearing straps or gripping equipment. This was done using an SEMG state of the art machine measuring the microvolt output during exercise in the specific muscles targeted. The same subject was used for each exercise on the same machine at the same rate of exercise. The results yielded the following; there was a constant increase in the measurment of microvolts firing in the muscles when using the Flexsolate grip free straps by between 25% and more than 400% over not using them. The lab went on to measure the amount of microvolt output in the secondary muscles not being targeted and the results were even more astounding. It showed that when USING the straps, the amount of microvolts present during a simple wide grip lat pulldown
in the forearm, biceps and triceps was 800 microvolts. When the straps were removed and these areas measured again during the same exercise, the amount of microvolts present during the exercise jumped to a whopping 2771 microvolts that were expended on the secondary muscles NOT BEING TARGETED! These tests will be published on the website www.flexsolate.com in the next month. Muscle Fitness Magazine has done some tests of their own that will appear in the December/January issues of the magazine and they promise to be equally astounding. I wanted to pass this along simply because when I realized I could do the same exercise and gain between 25% and 400% advantage over not using the straps, I just had to tell someone. Thanks for listening!

X-REPPER · 02-08-2009, 02:06 AM

I am very glad i found this thread you see i have been thinking about the flexsolate straps for quite awhile now and now that i know more i am more likely to get a pair.

However one thing concerns me alittle and that is the seemingly limited amount of exercises that can be done with them someone please tell me if you can use them for more excersises than what are shown on the flexsolate site
because it seems to me like you would be able to use them on more exercises.

also are they limited to just machine and cable work?
all in all they look like a great idea to me.
i just want to know more.

bordeaaj · 05-11-2009, 09:34 PM

I've use these straps for about a year or so and love them. You can use them on just about any pulling and several pushing motions with either cables or free weight. When free weights are used, for example when performing bicep curls using a barbell, you have to get used to balancing the bar but the learning curve there is minimal. They can indeed get a little uncomfortable when using very heavy weight or when doing weighted pullups but that's just temporary...if it gets too uncomfortable just drop the weight a little and focus on form. Your max will be quite a bit lower using the straps as well because you are isolating the desired muscle groups and taking many of the muscles that help you cheat out of the equation...but your reps will increase on exercises where your grip and forearms fail before the stronger target muscle group because you no longer have to waste energy gripping the bar.

I should let you know I am not a bodybuilder...I've been an athlete all my life, was a high school and college wrestler and martial artist, and continue the same workouts today. Like all wrestlers I work out for athletic performance: explosive strength, power, speed, and endurance. Now I'm 44 years old and bigger, stronger, and faster than I ever was even in college and using these straps for the last year has made a very noticeable difference in both strength and muscle development. Over the years I've used many types of gloves, straps, hooks, etc and the only ones currently in my bag are the Flexolate straps and Versa Gripps Pros...both are the best of the bunch and highly recommended.