Prevent/treatment for blisters from lifting weights

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  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
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    eeeeek!.. blisters from dead lifts?

    Let those things dry out and callous over.. but because you use your hands a lot (i hope wash them often as well) this may be counter productive.

    I got nothing..really..
  • julie_broadhead
    julie_broadhead Posts: 347 Member
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    Are your blisters open? If they are, keep them uncovered most of the time (cover them while lifting) and let them heal. Over time, you'll develop callouses which will help keep your hands from ripping.

    You will know it is time to trim your callouses when they start to accumulate dry skin. I take a pumice stone to mine when I get out of the shower. I've seen people use razor blades and actual callous trimmers they make for feet.
  • sgt1372
    sgt1372 Posts: 3,991 Member
    edited September 2016
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    I've got calluses but have never developed any blisters when lifting. I use, chalk, straps and/or gloves (1/2 & full finger) whenever I feel they will be useful.

    If you've already got blisters, unfortunately the only solution is to stop doing what caused them in the 1st place in order to allow them to heal. You could wear gloves or use skin protectors to allow you to contine lifting BUT, just like hiking w/blisters, the discomfort may be alleviated but the pain and discomfort will not ago away until the skin heals. Doing more lifting (or hiking) just prolongs the healing process.

    BTW: Don't listen to people who tell you not to use gloves or straps. The reasons given to not use them is supposedly because it weakens your grip. Maybe so but I could never DL the 300+# that I do now w/o straps or do Farmer Walks w/200+# for 200 ft at a time without them. As for gloves, I've got some bar & handles that are simply too uncomfortable to hold w/o them and wearing them does not negatively affect my performance.

    PS: There's a video put out by Mark Rippetoe of Starting Strength about how to grip a barbell in order to prevent calluses and blisters. If someone else doesn't post a link to it, I'll look for it and will try to post it later.
  • sgt1372
    sgt1372 Posts: 3,991 Member
    edited September 2016
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    Here's the link to Rippetoe's "grip" video:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTqNSgCmM2s

    and here's another to a video on callus-grip connection:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZBmiQm4MF4

    Calluses are a natural consequence of lifting, generally cannot be avoided if you lift regularly and have to be treated properly in order to prevent tearing them. The videos are redundant but I think the 2nd one is easier to understand than the 1st.

    And finally, here's a link to a pretty good article on how to treat calluses to prevent them from ripping and how to heal ripped calluses (or blisters, which are basically the same in the end):

    https://breakingmuscle.com/strength-conditioning/how-to-not-rip-your-hands-and-how-to-fix-them-if-its-too-late

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