I use a Captains of Crush Hand Gripper (only trainer level) to increase my hand strength but on some work-outs, mostly deadlift and shrugs, I still feel my hands tire before my muscles do. Thats the only reason I'd use the hooks.
check out the FAQ's section on grip training. you're going to want a heavier gripper for one, and you'll find most people don't thing grippers translate well into support strength (for holding a bar). But just that you have a COC says something about your willingness to educate yourself.
The wrist straps on the glove definitly do help. On some lfts I can do much more, just because I can focus less on my wrists. I also use a wrist strengthener at home so I feel it evens it out.
I was talking specifically about lifting straps not neccesarily wrist wraps. If you have weak wrists, I recommend some levering work (there's a thread on the first page of S&P right now about wrist strength, check it out). Unless you're lifting competitively I see no reason for most supportive gear (shirts, wraps, briefs, suits, etc.), with the exception of maybe belts at a certain level.
I'd be willing to bet the wrist wraps that come attached to gloves don't offer much more than a psychological advantage. If you wore real wrist wraps for use in competition, you'd know there's a significant difference. And lifting STRAPS are a totally different animal. they assist in holding onto the bar, but not as much as lifting hooks (which can be used with virtually no hand strength at all).
Because I have to shake hands all day with people prior to getting them to give me money, I feel callused hands are unattractive and unneccesary and definitly won't help my career. Nobody likes shaking a crusty hand. Gloves help here too.
I don't know what your career is, but if you're getting money from blue collar workers I think they'd appreciate some character on you hands more than you realize. Even still, just because you work out bare handed doesn't mean you have to have gnarled coarse hands. learn to take care of your hands and they'll take care of you. I do a lot of grip training and while my hands aren't baby soft, I do a lot to keep them from being sandpaper. Lotion ("look ma, new hands" is the best I've found) once a day, and using the sanding bit on a dremel tool to "exfoliate" the dead skin off and sand down my callouses keeps them less like a brillo pad and more like treated leather. Additionally taking care of your hands this way will keep you from worrying about tearing callouses when you life bare handed. You'll also find you have a better grip on the bar for lifts like deads, rows, and oly lifts (hook grip or regular, both will improve) and of course grip training in general. The bars are gnurled for a reason.
I can understand wanting to maintain the condition of your hands to make a good impression at work, but honestly I feel much more comfortable giving my money to somebody who's handshake feels like they've been doing more than pushing pencils all they're life.
I support the following:
- Lifting bare handed with chalk as much as you can.
- Using straps only when your grip fails to finish up your last set or two
- Taking care of your hands
- Not worrying about wraps unless you're lifting competitively or have some sort of injury
- Training your lower arms (grip & wrist)
