Gym gloves

LeonnieH
LeonnieH Posts: 209 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I'm thinking about getting some gloves to wear when I do strength training. My hands are starting to feel calloused and I don't want to lose my soft hands. Before I buy, does anyone have any recommendations or things that I should look out for or avoid?

Replies

  • ilovedeadlifts
    ilovedeadlifts Posts: 2,923 Member
    gloves will not prevent callouses. it all depends on the way you hold the bar.
  • PaulFromEssex
    PaulFromEssex Posts: 245
    Hi Leonnie

    Stay away from very cheap and make sure you try them on before buying. Need to be a good fit.
  • __RANDY__
    __RANDY__ Posts: 1,036 Member
    I'm thinking about getting some gloves to wear when I do strength training.


    You mean b!tch mittens? Yea you don't need those.
  • rsv1
    rsv1 Posts: 1 Member
    Wearing gloves is a personal thing. You,ll find I think that you can grip bars etc better without them.
  • LeonnieH
    LeonnieH Posts: 209 Member
    gloves will not prevent callouses. it all depends on the way you hold the bar.

    Can you explain further? I think it's from the assisted pull-ups and vertical row but the dumbbells I'm using are metal and have a textured grip which might also be contributing.
  • bms34b
    bms34b Posts: 401 Member
    bump. I'm interested on hearing more about this too..
  • Kelly_Runs_NC
    Kelly_Runs_NC Posts: 474 Member
    I got mine at Walmart - they are Gold's gym brand...lasted over year befoer I had to buy antoehr pair.
  • jimmie65
    jimmie65 Posts: 655 Member
    Thought I needed gloves when I started lifting. But I still got callouses. Read up on it, found that gloves don't prevent callouses and they hinder your grip. Now I have less callouses and a better grip.

    When you grip the bar, put the bar where the resistance will be. If you're pulling, the bar should rest more in your fingers. If you're pushing, more on the palm. It's a small adjustment but makes a difference.

    And you can always file the callouses down.
  • wellbert
    wellbert Posts: 3,924 Member
    gloves will not prevent callouses. it all depends on the way you hold the bar.

    Can you explain further? I think it's from the assisted pull-ups and vertical row but the dumbbells I'm using are metal and have a textured grip which might also be contributing.


    The bar should be held in the proximal phalanx of the fingers, rather than the metacarpals.
  • Absonthebrain
    Absonthebrain Posts: 587 Member
    My hands are way better since I got gloves over 4 months ago. I got mine from academy they are H****ger's and they fit good and I can grip the bars much better and do way more pull ups than I could with out them at the gym.
  • KirstenTheFamilyCoach
    KirstenTheFamilyCoach Posts: 327 Member
    regardless of the demeaning words for them I wear leather lifting gloves when I lift because I DO see a difference when I do or don't use them.

    be careful that using gloves doesn't let you hold the bar wrong - placement in your hands is very important.

    don't let people bully you into wearing or not wearing something. do what's right for you.
  • bcf7683
    bcf7683 Posts: 1,653 Member
    I'm thinking about getting some gloves to wear when I do strength training.


    You mean b!tch mittens? Yea you don't need those.

    Haven't heard that name for them before.... :laugh:
  • womersleyr687
    womersleyr687 Posts: 2
    you dont need gloves they wont stop callouses. Use a good moisturiser after
  • ilovedeadlifts
    ilovedeadlifts Posts: 2,923 Member
    I'm having trouble finding a good picture/video explaining how to properly grip bars. but basically you should be gripping with your fingers, while the average person grips in their palms, which causes pinching and leads to the callouses.

    They're part of the game, and they are going to happen with or without gloves. Most of the people reccommending that you don't wear them aren't doing so for the purpose of bullying you. They're just trying to explain the proper choice.
  • MLibby84
    MLibby84 Posts: 87
    Ive used just basic gym gloves, you can get them at walmart or Olypmia, i like them,and they do help w/ using weights.
  • LeonnieH
    LeonnieH Posts: 209 Member
    Thanks, I'll see if I can find something on youtube. I suspect I'm gripping in my palms too much so will look into that first and see if it makes any difference for me :)
  • indymom72
    indymom72 Posts: 8
    I don't care for wearing gloves, they mess with my grip. As for soft hands, well this is going to sound weird, but coat your hands in vaseline and wear cotton gloves or socks on your hands at bedtime. It will keep them nice and soft. I am phobic about washing my hands so they would crack and bleed if I didn't do this.

    Side note..there is this dude at my gym that wears gloves, but only works out on the machines. lol...I can't help but laugh, inside of course. :)
  • LeonnieH
    LeonnieH Posts: 209 Member
    I'm having trouble finding a good picture/video explaining how to properly grip bars. but basically you should be gripping with your fingers, while the average person grips in their palms, which causes pinching and leads to the callouses.

    They're part of the game, and they are going to happen with or without gloves. Most of the people reccommending that you don't wear them aren't doing so for the purpose of bullying you. They're just trying to explain the proper choice.

    Is this what you mean?

    http://youtu.be/zSt3g7brI_c
  • bcf7683
    bcf7683 Posts: 1,653 Member
    I don't care for wearing gloves, they mess with my grip. As for soft hands, well this is going to sound weird, but coat your hands in vaseline and wear cotton gloves or socks on your hands at bedtime. It will keep them nice and soft. I am phobic about washing my hands so they would crack and bleed if I didn't do this.

    Side note..there is this dude at my gym that wears gloves, but only works out on the machines. lol...I can't help but laugh, inside of course. :)

    There's a lady who works in the office at my gym... has gloves on the ENTIRE shift. Very confusing.

    Also, there is a girl who's always on the treadmill with lifting gloves on. They're pink. And I've NEVER seen her lift a weight :huh:
  • Docmahi
    Docmahi Posts: 1,603 Member
    I used to use ****ty (pardon my french) like nike gloves I picked up at ****'s that were like 12 bucks - but I actually like full finger gloves and I deadlift heavy and use mostly all freeweights very few machines and they have been good at preventing toughness in my palms

    http://www.roguefitness.com/mechanix-original-vented-glove-covert.php
    - those ones felt a lot better on my hands

    http://www.amazon.com/Bionic-Finger-Fitness-Gloves-Medium/dp/B001DJDYUA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1359745469&sr=8-1&keywords=bionic+full+finger+gloves
    - these ones gave me a ton of grip I usually use straps when I go heavy on deadlifts, but these helped me get away from that, but I had to break them in and they have some durability issues probably because they grip so well

    those gloves have def helped prevent calluses - but the default fingerless gloves have been useless for me

    Also ironically I have used my diving gloves and found them to be excellent but they are absurdly pricey so I wouldn't suggest them
  • LeonnieH
    LeonnieH Posts: 209 Member
    Thanks for the replies everyone, that gives me lots of options. The vaseline overnight sounds interesting, going to try filing them and doing the vaseline thing to get rid of any roughness - don't like my hands feeling like this. Also going to try changing my grip first and see if that makes a difference before considering gloves/mitts :)

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