Getting callouses from lifting

I am also getting callouses. It's normal.

I ditched the gloves over a month ago when I found out that I can't wear them during powerlifting events.

I have been advised to purchase a pumice stone so that I can "maintain" the callouses (so to speak), so I'll probably try to find one this weekend. I had a callous split on me a week or so ago and it was rather uncomfortable.

But yes, I have found that my grip strength has improved some since I've started lifting bare-handed (although I do use chalk for the heavy working sets in my deadlifts). It could be just normal improvement that comes with strength training though?

If the callouses become a problem, but you don't want to depend on gloves, maybe you can transition your hands slowly through a combination of lifting bare-handed for your main lifts (compound lifts) and then putting on gloves for more isolation work? The idea being that your hands will acclimatize themselves to the lifting, but not get too callous-laden? Heh.

Yeah, wear your gloves if the callouses bother you. I'm kind of proud of mine, personally. :P

Yep, calluses happen. It's awesome.

Same for me! The callouses mess up my grip bad, so I wear gloves that have a snug fit, no problems!

Gloves don't prevent callouses and they mess up your grip... I've heard chalk helps. Also, try to grip the bar closer to your fingers when you deadlift:

Gloves do prevent calluses and don't mess up your grip. That's nonsense. And chalk will get you kicked out of most commercial gyms.

And neither calluses nor doms are required for me to know I'm a bad *kitten*. I just do the work

I don't mind getting the callouses, just means when I b*tch slap someone their cheek is going to come away with my hand.

Lol! Cute post! I have mini- calluses. I always wore gloves, but you get them anyway. That's what happens when you work hard so I got my nails done to complement them.

I personally don't mind the callouses. They never get terrible and they make me proud of the workouts I do.

Yes it's normal

If you don't like them, the best option would be to wear gloves. I choose not to wear them because they do hinder your grip a bit. However, there are other options, chalk (regular or liquid) should reduce the amount of callouses you get a little, and help your grip too! :happy: Or, you could combat the problem by getting rid of / reducing the appearance of callouses when they appear through use of a good moisturiser, or as ninerbuff said a razor (or those ped-egg things to get rid of hard skin on people's feet?) should do the trick.

They appear for a reason though, not just to annoy people. They form to protect your skin when it's regularly handling rough things, going against hard surfaces etc You should also find that your hands hurt less when gripping the bar, than they did before. It's just something which you'll have to weigh up the pros and cons for I think.

you could try moisturising after going to the gym

Watch this:

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

Use chalk.

I use chalk. I've always hated wearing gloves.

I worked out for years without gloves, plus i am always washing dishes. After age 30 my hands looked awful. I now use thin reebok womens gloves. I started used palmolive dish soap... They have some good therapuetic ones now. Or i put on hand lotion under my rubber dish gloves. My callouses are so much better now and my grip is fine!

Thanks for all the suggestions! I will try out my gloves again to see if they help. I will also try lotion and removing them. If the gloves don't work, I can try the chalk. I workout at home so nobody to tell me I can't use it but will it make a big mess?

It won't make a big mess. I use the chalk cone for my pool table. You don't need tons. Just enough to dry out your hands.