Lifting Gloves? Callouses?

jfrankic

Does anyone use lifting gloves? I'm getting callouses on my hands and wondering about gloves. I know they are not recommended for some lifts, especially the deadlift, because it affects grip strength. Should I be concerned with grip strength?

So...gloves or just tough it out and feel better when my callouses get harder and they aren't tender? I mentioned gloves to my husband and he was like NO WAY!! You don't need gloves. I showed him my hands and he didn't think I was starting to look all "man hands."

I'm still in Stage 1 and a total noob, so any feedback is appreciated. Thanks STRONG ladies!!

mermegan

I tried lifting gloves but they didn't do anything to stop callouses—maybe someone here has had luck with that? I like lifting without. The only time I think I might need them is when I'm holding heavy dumbbells and they're slipping. Now my callouses make me feel like a badass, lol!

girlie100

I wouldn't bother with gloves, use some chalk or liquid chalk to stop the skin roll on the palms of your hands. The skin will toughen up and get better and your grip strength will come along :happy: :drinker:

jfrankic

Thanks gals! I didn't know what to call it or how to explain it, but I do get skin rolls. That's what is so tender right now across the top of my palms. I'll try some chalk if I can get to pick some up this weekend.

I'm all for feeling badass, so bring on the callouses!

heidimaggott78

I use gloves. They have slowed the rate at which i get callouses but i still get them. I got them as my hands were hurting and i wasn't able to complete my workouts.

AlsDonkBoxSquat

I've never used gloves as I've heard that they can really impact the quality of your grip. If you can hold out, don't do it.

holleysings

Does anyone use lifting gloves? I'm getting callouses on my hands and wondering about gloves. I know they are not recommended for some lifts, especially the deadlift, because it affects grip strength. Should I be concerned with grip strength?

So...gloves or just tough it out and feel better when my callouses get harder and they aren't tender? I mentioned gloves to my husband and he was like NO WAY!! You don't need gloves. I showed him my hands and he didn't think I was starting to look all "man hands."

I'm still in Stage 1 and a total noob, so any feedback is appreciated. Thanks STRONG ladies!!

Ummmm...what? I have never heard that about deadlifts. I have used gloves throughout Stages 1 and 2 and have ZERO callouses. If you make sure the gloves are almost too tight for your hand, you shouldn't get callouses at all. I just switched to Versa Gripps because my grip was holding me back from deadlifting more than 135lbs. Definitely look into some gloves!

xiamjackie

I actually just bought gloves for this same reason and because my hands were getting sweaty during deadlifts and I couldn't do more than one lift at a time without resting because my hands were that slippery. And I'm in stage 1

Polly758

I get the skin roll too, which is a bit painful and does get in the way. However I decided to use gloves after I hurt myself because of sweaty hands-- the deadlift was slipping and I should have dropped it but I didn't. I had some nerve damage which hurt like the devil and I had to take a couple weeks off lifting. So I used leather work gloves from the garage for awhile and eventually bought some Power Pads.

I didn't find that gloves hurt or helped my grip strength-- only lifting helped

But the sweaty hands seemed like a risk.

In short, you should try a pair and see what you think.

perfect10isha

I"m currently in stage 4 and I have used gloves for every single workout and no callouses here. I like using gloves personally and haven't had any problems with grip or lifting. I did take my gloves off once to feel the difference and it really hurt my fingers to lift without them (not my hand)...

I will also mention I've read the book Starting Strength which gives extremely detailed instructions on how to lift. One of the things he spends alot of time on is how to grip the bar. You should be holding the bar (on a deadlift) ABOVE your palm on your fingers. He says when we hold the bar in the palm of our hand the skin is shifting with the bar when we pull it up and lower it down and the bar is resting on the balls of our fingers/top of our palm which causes callouses. When you hold the bar on your fingers it and use chalk it should decrease the callouses. I don't know how well I'm explaining that, but I hope it makes sense. Whatever you decide do what makes you feel comfortable lifting.

PetulantOne

I wouldn't bother with gloves, use some chalk or liquid chalk to stop the skin roll on the palms of your hands. The skin will toughen up and get better and your grip strength will come along :happy: :drinker:

I'm a chalk girl too. When I was on the weightlifting team in high school, we weren't allowed to wear gloves during a meet, so we weren't allowed to were them when we were working out either. i guess I was just expecting the calluses.:drinker:

jfrankic

I will also mention I've read the book Starting Strength which gives extremely detailed instructions on how to lift. One of the things he spends alot of time on is how to grip the bar. You should be holding the bar (on a deadlift) ABOVE your palm on your fingers. He says when we hold the bar in the palm of our hand the skin is shifting with the bar when we pull it up and lower it down and the bar is resting on the balls of our fingers/top of our palm which causes callouses. When you hold the bar on your fingers it and use chalk it should decrease the callouses. I don't know how well I'm explaining that, but I hope it makes sense. Whatever you decide do what makes you feel comfortable lifting.

Wow, thanks for all of the responses!!! I've watched countless videos on deadlifting and watched Medhi's deadlift video but haven't seen that about gripping the bar. NROLFW just says to not be afraid to grab it like you're mad at it! This makes SO much sense though. That's exactly what is happening. Okay...looks like I need to work on my grip form and look into chalk or gloves.

Again, you ladies are awesome. Thanks!!