Just a simple question - do you wear gloves when lifting weights? I don't and have frowned on it so far. But now I'm getting into heavier deadlifts, the bar wreaks havoc on my hands. Yes they have some great callouses going on but it seems every other week, a layer of dead skin is peeling off. The heavier the bar gets, the worse my hands get. I assumed eventually they would get used to it but the bar really pinches the calloused areas and it doesn't look to be getting better. Is it worth not wearing gloves to toughen the hands to lifting, or do you say whats the point when you can just wear gloves for heavy lifting?
You should only wear gloves if you are: 1) A woman, or 2) A surgeon, or 3) A hand model, or 4) If you wish to look like a pansy. In the case of #2, you'll probably make so much money you won't care. In the case of #3, you probably are a pansy already, so it won't matter.
True that. You can also get a decent file or pumice stone and file down the callouses you get from lifting. It will help them from ripping into flappers. There are probably other methods as well. I dunno if it would work but interestingly enough male gymnasts often use grips - which are a leather thong of sorts that buckle around the wrist and has a leather thong that goes up from your wrist across the palm to ring finger and your middle finger... this helps them with grip on the high bar and on the ring... as well it keeps them from building up the massive palm callouses they get... which when ripped into a flapper are a nightmare to heal - take time away from training - and... really hurt. :cry: Now I dunno if those would work for weight lifting but worth checking out. err... but don't let the site name put you off... http://www.leotardcrazy.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=DOG&Store_Code=L I always thought that by using gloves you were in a sense holding back the development of your grip strength. I never ran into a problem with callouses so I just have foregone the gloves.
Bad grip position is probably the culprit. You have to grip the bar so that it starts in the position it ends at in your hands. Most people tend to over grip it and place the bar too high up in their hands which lead to slipping and ripping. Also, make sure your callouses dont form too thick. Keep it thick enough to protect your hands but not too thick that it would rip off easily.
I never wear gloves, not because I think I'm tough, but I just don't like the feel of wearing gloves. Its much more comfortable for me to lift without them.
I've been glove-free for years, and I really can't imagine wearing them again. I've got one wicked nice callous under one of my ring fingers. I mean, I should probably give this thing a name. It's adorable. An article of possible interest, from DrSquat.com: How to treat hand wounds P.S. - I love this pic. (Notice the Farmer's Walk Handles blurry in the background. Tell me this doesn't scream e-f-f-o-r-t.)
And what about those soft spongey thingies people put on the bar when they squat? What the heck is that for?
do you mean on their necks? http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?i...v=/images?q=squat+pad&svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&sa=G
Alright, so I'm on the right track. I was starting to wonder since 95% of the dudes at my gym wear gloves. After a while you start wondering if you are missing something. Nope, guess thats just typical gym stuff. Cheers for the replies and poll participation. SlipTheJab - thanks for that with the chalk but its not really something I need yet. HarHar - I think you hit it right on. I over grip when my hands are getting tired on the last set and the bar rolls a bit pinching the callouses. Then they flap open. So far, there has always been enough skin underneath that tearing them off the top hasn't been a problem. Nice topic... tearing off flaps of skin.
Well, I guess you can call me a pansy. I started wearing gloves when my hands hurt so much I couldn't lift and I wear them lifting ever since. If you have a problem with that, we can take it outside. I bust my ass in the gym 10X harder than everyone else in there combined. I'm no sally, I just don't need to mess up my hands... I see no reason for it. Skin ripping off, painful blisters and calluses will also interfere in my work and training, I'd rather not deal with these things. If it makes any difference, they're Schieks...
Hmmm, I never really have had a problem with skin tearing or anything. Although after deadlifts my callus are so thick that they are 3 dimentional for about five minutes. I don't see why guys hate the calluses, but some people say it bothers them.
I don't hate the callouses. I hate when my hands tire, the bar rolls and pinches the callouses. They are really thick and hard and when they get pinched they can rip from the non-calloused skin. Not a problem yet... but I'm a newb just working up to deadlifting 1.5x bodyweight. Once I get into heavier stuff, I can see it being more problematic. I'll wait and see.
Well, I find that curling my thumb over my index and ring finger keeps the bar from rolling down into the fingers. Although the callus gets pinched, the bar doesn't move and therefore I would say the callus get torn from the skin. If the weight is too much for your hands to hold it like that for the length of time needed, then guess what. . . . ( Yes, I'm going to promote a product ) look up Captains of Crush on Ironmind.com and get yourself a # 1 ! It helps with the grip tremendously.
Well I've been considering these guys for a long time. I bought a powerball first as it looked more fun, but its definitely not as intensive for grip work. And it seems like the rest of my body is developing faster than my grip on the deadlift. No kidding... back, legs, shoulders and arms working together vs hands and forearms. Wheres the weak link going to be? Good thread guys, on a very basic topic I haven't seen discussed anywhere else.
