Question: Calluses when lifting

bornofthorns
bornofthorns Posts: 143 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
So I have been lifting awhile, and recently have switched over to more free weights. That being said, the calluses (which I consider a badge of honor) have really been going to the next level. I am trying not to be the gloves guy and tough it out, but maybe that is the only real option. Any suggestions for dealing with this?

Replies

  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    a pumice stone
  • Leadfoot_Lewis
    Leadfoot_Lewis Posts: 1,623 Member
    There's no shame in wearing gloves, especially if you're using them to protect existing callouses from opening. Personally I'd much rather have someone wear gloves then have their torn callouses bleeding all over the weights.
  • MaeRenee94
    MaeRenee94 Posts: 175
    I peel mine off.
    If you really can't stand it because of pain try straps for pulling exercise.
  • thinklivebefree
    thinklivebefree Posts: 328 Member
    Soak your hand in warm water, clip them with a cuticle nipper or cutter, file them down with a pumice stone, and then when youre not lifting get the moisturize them hands lol... Mine started bleeding a few days ago so I bought some "Foot Rehab" cream for elbows and knees but it keeps my hand moisturize for a few hours!
  • bornofthorns
    bornofthorns Posts: 143 Member
    Thanks guys! Sounds like maybe I am earning a trip to the spa once a month with all of this pumice stone, clipping and warm water in my future!
  • HelloDan
    HelloDan Posts: 712 Member
    As the above few posters have said, take care of the callouses.

    No point leaving them as a badge of honour, as all that will happen is that eventually they will tear off, diminishing your lifting ability. Some consider thick callouses and ripping them and bleeding the ultimate badge of honour, but I'm more concerned with performance, and think this is a bit foolish.
  • rjmwx81
    rjmwx81 Posts: 259 Member
    Or you could just buy some gloves and not worry about it. Personally, the improved grip allows me to lift more, so I really don't care if strangers at the gym think I'm weak for wearing them. It's my workout and my hands, not theirs, so they can piss off.
  • No_Finish_Line
    No_Finish_Line Posts: 3,661 Member
    either its too uncomfortable and you wear gloves or you just deal with it, not sure why you need the peanut gallory to tell you that.

    I've noticed that dumbells with a more aggressive grip texture tend to produce more of a calluse, if that helps at all.

    i've never known anyone IRL thats torn calluses just through weight lifting, thought that was more of a gymnast thing but i guess it happens.
  • No_Finish_Line
    No_Finish_Line Posts: 3,661 Member
    As the above few posters have said, take care of the callouses.

    No point leaving them as a badge of honour, as all that will happen is that eventually they will tear off, diminishing your lifting ability. Some consider thick callouses and ripping them and bleeding the ultimate badge of honour, but I'm more concerned with performance, and think this is a bit foolish.

    i've never experinced this. mine just get thicker or thinner. i'd have to sit there with a razor blade to try to tear them off.
  • No_Finish_Line
    No_Finish_Line Posts: 3,661 Member
    Soak your hand in warm water, clip them with a cuticle nipper or cutter, file them down with a pumice stone, and then when youre not lifting get the moisturize them hands lol... Mine started bleeding a few days ago so I bought some "Foot Rehab" cream for elbows and knees but it keeps my hand moisturize for a few hours!

    just a guess, but maybe if you don't pic at them with a nail clipper then maybe they wont bleed.

    If your actively trying to get them off, i can see it being painful and bleeding. If you just leave them alone, i don't see what the issue is.

    I didn't think the guy wanted to know how to get rid of them. I've heard soaking a cloth in lemon juice or something with a lot of citrus acid and then leaving the cloth on the calluse over night will help break it down to where moisturiser will be effective
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Gloves are definitely an option...but I'd also check the grip for pulling exercises. If you're gripping too much in your palm and wrapping your whole hand around the bar you're going to get callouses...if you're using more of your fingers curled shouldn't be too much of an issue...of course, straps come in handy as well.
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,219 Member
    I used to apply nail hardening polish to the calluses. Now they are thick patches of smooth skin.
  • Joannesmith2818
    Joannesmith2818 Posts: 438 Member
    My boyfriend has some pretty massive calluses from both rowing and weights, and I have tried to encourage him to wear gloves for a long time. Not because I mind personally, but because they crack and become so sore and he complains about it constantly. But apparently for rowing....no one wears gloves (by gloves I means appropriate rowing gloves not wooly mittens) because its seen as weak or some bull crap. As for weightlifting....I dont no. Maybe he is just stubborn.

    Just try some gloves...I mean who really cares what anyone thinks! I think they look quite fetching and id rather not have my tits grated off by my boyfriends hands!
  • Loss4TheWin
    Loss4TheWin Posts: 249
    If you're going to wear gloves, make sure they match your purse. :laugh:

    ...that was just a joke by the way. I don't wear gloves, but I'm considering it. Even with a pumice stone and lots of moisturizing, I'm only just barely keeping the calluses on the soft side and I do a lot of massage - soft hands = a better massage in my opinion.
  • HelloDan
    HelloDan Posts: 712 Member
    i've never experinced this. mine just get thicker or thinner. i'd have to sit there with a razor blade to try to tear them off.

    Maybe you're just lucky. My advice comes from my weightlifting coach, but is commonly repeated by most top level weightlifting coaches.
  • No_Finish_Line
    No_Finish_Line Posts: 3,661 Member
    i've never experinced this. mine just get thicker or thinner. i'd have to sit there with a razor blade to try to tear them off.

    Maybe you're just lucky. My advice comes from my weightlifting coach, but is commonly repeated by most top level weightlifting coaches.

    what advice are you referring too?

    your advocating actively trying to remove them? seems like a painful waste of time.

    I have experienced the cracking mentioned in another post. never bleed if i wasn't picking at it.
  • bornofthorns
    bornofthorns Posts: 143 Member
    I think that the gloves are probably a good plan. I will give it a couple of more days to see if they sort of regulate themselves, but if not, I will be picking up some proper lifting gloves this weekend.
  • VaTechM3
    VaTechM3 Posts: 13
    I deal with this issue all the time and I usually rip doing pull ups or variations of (Kips, toe to bar, strict, etc.) and they are certainly something that you need to stay on top of.

    I have only been using a pumice stone for a while once the callus forms and is hard enough to file down. I would not recommend cutting them if they are not already open, and even that is still debatable.

    I did a quick google search on callus maintenance related to crossfit and got some really good information when I was having this same issue.

    If you don't feel like dealing with all the maintenance to keep them from ripping, throw on a pair of gloves and get back to work. Now with my ripped callus, I've got to spend extra time taping my hands up so they will heal and hopefully not impede any of my workouts.
  • No_Finish_Line
    No_Finish_Line Posts: 3,661 Member
    I deal with this issue all the time and I usually rip doing pull ups or variations of (Kips, toe to bar, strict, etc.) and they are certainly something that you need to stay on top of.

    I have only been using a pumice stone for a while once the callus forms and is hard enough to file down. I would not recommend cutting them if they are not already open, and even that is still debatable.

    I did a quick google search on callus maintenance related to crossfit and got some really good information when I was having this same issue.

    If you don't feel like dealing with all the maintenance to keep them from ripping, throw on a pair of gloves and get back to work. Now with my ripped callus, I've got to spend extra time taping my hands up so they will heal and hopefully not impede any of my workouts.

    which came first? the taring or the pumice stone?
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    I personally would never wear gloves- I don't like the lack of feel on the bar- but mine pinch and rip long before I Get to them- that's the point of the pumice stone. The ones on my fingers- at the first knuckle past the palm (the middle one) i have two thick ones on my middle and ring finger- those are pinched quiet a bit on deads/pull ups.

    if you take care of them before they get to big- they won't do all those nasty things listed above.

    I have definitely pinched and torn dead lifting with my callouses- it's a thing- also if you are doing power lifts... you can tear.

    This is no new information- lots of people have issue with this.
  • bornofthorns
    bornofthorns Posts: 143 Member
    I also found today that if I slightly change my grips in pulling motions (rows, etc) and let it rest in my fingers more than my palm, that it does help quite a bit. You guys may have known this already, but I just realized it with one of the posts.
  • Cre8veLifeR
    Cre8veLifeR Posts: 1,062 Member
    I wear gloves because I don't want man hands. Workout calluses, otherwise, are sexy!
  • danielle1009
    danielle1009 Posts: 35 Member
    I started wearing gloves a few weeks ago and love them! Finally my hands don't hurt during/after workouts, especially ones involving pull-ups, etc. I used to hate having to do those before b/c it was just downright painful. Now with gloves, pull-ups are my new favorite!
  • Jersey_Devil
    Jersey_Devil Posts: 4,142 Member
    i wear gloves at the gym, but none at home. i dont want to touch someone else's callus juice. lol
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    I also found today that if I slightly change my grips in pulling motions (rows, etc) and let it rest in my fingers more than my palm, that it does help quite a bit. You guys may have known this already, but I just realized it with one of the posts.

    gives you one hell of a grip too....

    Also, this guy explains it way better than me...

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTqNSgCmM2s
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Here's an excerpt from the article here...

    http://tumblrgymmuscle.tumblr.com/deadlift
    My hands hurt and I’m getting really bad callouses. Can I use gloves? Those who are purely bodybuilders will probably end up gravitating toward this, but before you go this route, consider a few things

    The gloves make the bar larger in your hands, which makes it tougher to hold
    Gloves stop some callouses, but won’t stop all of them
    Your grip strength will be very problematic, as you will almost always be forced to use straps when gloves are used.
    The reason you are getting callouses, aside from potential lack of chalk (see above), is that you are holding the bar too high, up near the palm of your hand. The bar is going to pull downward until it bunches up the skin into the “crotch.” If you can feel the bar resting on this “fold” of skin you can count on getting some pretty heinous callouses. chalk up and grip the bar with the “hooks” of your fingers, and you will save yourself a lot of pain and agony in the hands.

    With diligent chalk use, proper grip, and a little moisturizer in your hands when you wash, you can avoid the big nasty callouses and you won’t have to worry about making runs in your pantyhose.

    Proper_Grip.jpg
  • juliewatkin
    juliewatkin Posts: 764 Member
    Like just about everyone else has mentioned, file them, pumice them and moisturize your hands. I've had tearing in the past which occurs on heavier weight and the bar shifting a bit but more so when the callouses have built up. Try and see if it helps.
  • sfbaumgarten
    sfbaumgarten Posts: 912 Member
    I rock the gloves. And now I'll never stop rocking them because this thread just gave me a fear of touching someone else's "callus juice."
  • rllewell
    rllewell Posts: 234
    I figured this one out 25 years ago. My wife loves my muscles but hates rough callused hands caressing her which takes her out of the mood. Therefore I wear gloves! ; )

    Bodily fluids (Callus juice) just added another reason!

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