Gloves vs. Straps vs. Manning-up

ATLMel

I'm pretty new to lifting and so far i love it hard. I'm doing NROLFW and am just finishing Stage 1.

I've noticed that after a set of heavy deadlifts or squats my hands hurt like f***. I get the bar's pattern on my hands and it stings. During a round of weight lunges I start to feel the chafe as well. My hands are always pretty red and dry after lifting session.

Now, I tried a pair of lifting gloves and wasn't sure I liked it. Should I stick with the gloves and get used to them to protect my hands? Do lifting straps serve the same purpose (protect/assist) and what's the key difference with those and gloves? Is there a negative to using gloves/straps? Would it be better for me just to sack up and deal and my hands will eventually catch up to the rest of me?

Any good advice is appreciated.

creature275

honestly, I think all you need is chalk you can get a pound of it which lasts me about a year for about 10 bucks. as for the hands hurting and stuff...Ranger Up <2>

tigersword

I say no gloves, and definitely no straps. If you need something, go with chalk. Straps are more of a handicap for strength training, as you can't gain hand and grip strength with straps. Gloves can also interfere with grip and wrist strength, depending on design.

Generally, severe chafing is caused by an incorrect grip. You may want to go back and recheck your form. For deadlifts you want to grip the bar in the fleshy part of your hand, just below the fingers. If you grip the bar too close to the middle of your palm, gravity will cause the bar to pull and fold up your skin, causing chafing and callouses.

For squats, your hands shouldn't hurt at all, as they aren't supporting any of the weight. Are you using the thumbless grip on the bar? The bar should be resting in your back, with your hands trapping it in place, but your hands and arms shouldn't be supporting the weight at all.

ATLMel

honestly, I think all you need is chalk you can get a pound of it which lasts me about a year for about 10 bucks. as for the hands hurting and stuff...Ranger Up <2>

Unfortunately I don't think my gym looks kindly on using chalk.

ATLMel

For deadlifts you want to grip the bar in the fleshy part of your hand, just below the fingers. If you grip the bar too close to the middle of your palm, gravity will cause the bar to pull and fold up your skin, causing chafing and callouses.

I think you might have nailed part of my problem. I've been so focused on other aspects of form I haven't really thought a lot about my grip.

Elizabeth_C34

It hurts for a while, but after you get your calluses, it doesn't hurt as bad. I don't like lifting gloves as I feel like I don't have a steady grip with them like I do with my bare hands.

Suck it up buttercup

*wink*

chrishgt4

I use both gloves and straps - the gloves I use cos my hands are messed up enough as it is without tearing them apart with metal, but I do keep intending to go gloveless. Don't really know why though. It doesn't aid my grip, so I don't feel like I'm cheating, it just means I don't scratch things with my palms...

Straps I use them for a couple of exercises where my grip can't hold - the way I see it there's no point restricting other exercises. However, I do steer clear of them as often as possible. I use them for deadlifts when I'm doing 5 seconds up 5 seconds down, because after holding it for 2 solid minutes it starts to get a bit dangerous.

IT's horses for courses I'd say. If you physically don't need them then why bother?

LBachynsky

I wear gloves to protect my hands from callouses because the dumbbells at my gym have a deep pattern on them. Otherwise, I wouldn't need them. I'd use chalk and man up, but these are female hands!

badgerbadger1

Yep man up, the grip strength will come with time, it's generally what determines whether I can advance on my weight or not. I my callouses....until they rip, lol.

ATLMel

Thanks for the input, y'all. I'll stick with just manning-up then...I like that answer .

docktorfokse

I wear gloves to protect my hands from callouses because the dumbbells at my gym have a deep pattern on them. Otherwise, I wouldn't need them. I'd use chalk and man up, but these are female hands!

Similar problem here since I free-hand it, but I've always had ugly hands so it's not too big a deal for me.

UponThisRock

Straps are more of a handicap for strength training

^^I disagree with this, I think it depends on the context.

Rae6503

I wear gloves. I don't like the callouses or the pain. I lifted for 3 months without them and the pain never went away. I'm okay with being slightly less bad *kitten*.

tigersword

Straps are more of a handicap for strength training

^^I disagree with this, I think it depends on the context.

True, but in my personal opinion, for practicality and functional strength, straps don't help. I'd rather build grip strength than rely on straps. The way I see it, I won't have lifting straps in my back pocket outside the gym in case I suddenly need to lift something heavy, so I'd rather train without them, unless absolutely necessary.

UponThisRock

Straps are more of a handicap for strength training

^^I disagree with this, I think it depends on the context.

True, but in my personal opinion, for practicality and functional strength, straps don't help. I'd rather build grip strength than rely on straps. The way I see it, I won't have lifting straps in my back pocket outside the gym in case I suddenly need to lift something heavy, so I'd rather train without them, unless absolutely necessary.

I don't mean to minimize the importance of grip strength, however, I would rather the amount I could RDL be limited by my posterior chain strength than my grip strength.

ATLMel

Straps are more of a handicap for strength training

^^I disagree with this, I think it depends on the context.

True, but in my personal opinion, for practicality and functional strength, straps don't help. I'd rather build grip strength than rely on straps. The way I see it, I won't have lifting straps in my back pocket outside the gym in case I suddenly need to lift something heavy, so I'd rather train without them, unless absolutely necessary.

I don't mean to minimize the importance of grip strength, however, I would rather the amount I could RDL be limited by my posterior chain strength than my grip strength.

See, this is where my questioning really comes in.

I do feel that I could max out a bit higher on DL and a few other exercises that right now I'm still having trouble holding on to. If the rest of my strength increases faster than my grip strength, which is the best to focus on? As a heavy weight beginner I want to make sure I don't learn bad habits and work on my strength as holistically as possible. But when a new plate is taunting me and my raw hands, it makes me want to glove up.

chrishgt4

Straps are more of a handicap for strength training

^^I disagree with this, I think it depends on the context.

True, but in my personal opinion, for practicality and functional strength, straps don't help. I'd rather build grip strength than rely on straps. The way I see it, I won't have lifting straps in my back pocket outside the gym in case I suddenly need to lift something heavy, so I'd rather train without them, unless absolutely necessary.

I don't mean to minimize the importance of grip strength, however, I would rather the amount I could RDL be limited by my posterior chain strength than my grip strength.

Exactly, and if your grip strength is lacking then focus some more exercises on that, but don't restrict all your other exercises until it is up to scratch.

ATLMel

Straps are more of a handicap for strength training

^^I disagree with this, I think it depends on the context.

True, but in my personal opinion, for practicality and functional strength, straps don't help. I'd rather build grip strength than rely on straps. The way I see it, I won't have lifting straps in my back pocket outside the gym in case I suddenly need to lift something heavy, so I'd rather train without them, unless absolutely necessary.

I don't mean to minimize the importance of grip strength, however, I would rather the amount I could RDL be limited by my posterior chain strength than my grip strength.

Exactly, and if your grip strength is lacking then focus some more exercises on that, but don't restrict all your other exercises until it is up to scratch.

Any suggestions on those exercises?

UponThisRock

Straps are more of a handicap for strength training

^^I disagree with this, I think it depends on the context.

True, but in my personal opinion, for practicality and functional strength, straps don't help. I'd rather build grip strength than rely on straps. The way I see it, I won't have lifting straps in my back pocket outside the gym in case I suddenly need to lift something heavy, so I'd rather train without them, unless absolutely necessary.

I don't mean to minimize the importance of grip strength, however, I would rather the amount I could RDL be limited by my posterior chain strength than my grip strength.

Exactly, and if your grip strength is lacking then focus some more exercises on that, but don't restrict all your other exercises until it is up to scratch.

Any suggestions on those exercises?

Use straps when needed for now, work on your grip strength separately in the meantime.

http://stronglifts.com/7-ways-increase-deadlift-grip-strength/

DixiedoesMFP

I ordered femme fitale gloves, specifically for women. I like them. I don't want my hands covered with calluses or cracked and bloody. I work in health care and that's just gross.

I'm okay with being girlie on this issue.