How do I avoid calluses when lifting weights?

distinctlybeautiful
distinctlybeautiful Posts: 1,041 Member
edited November 10 in Fitness and Exercise
The first few times I went bare-handed, but then I went and bought a pair of gloves. I just bought the first pair I found. Turns out I was still getting calluses, so just yesterday I bought a new pair. I spent a little more money (not much more but a little), and I got a pair with more padding. They're also much more fitted than the first pair. I used them yesterday, and when I took them off my hands looked worse than they did with the first pair.

What advice can you give me about weight lifting gloves and/or any other ways to prevent calluses?

Thanks!

Replies

  • sandrop329
    sandrop329 Posts: 26 Member
    herrspoons wrote: »
    You don't. They're kind of unavoidable.

    Ditto. Just learn to love them.
  • yopeeps025
    yopeeps025 Posts: 8,680 Member
    It comes with being a weight lifter.
  • zipa78
    zipa78 Posts: 354 Member
    Stop wearing gloves and get a good moisturizing and softening hand cream. That's probably the best you can do.
  • EmilyJackCO
    EmilyJackCO Posts: 621 Member
    I use a salt scrub and wonderful hand creams to reduce their roughness.
  • jennifer_417
    jennifer_417 Posts: 12,344 Member
    Huh. I kinda love my callouses. Makes me feel cool.
  • Jams009
    Jams009 Posts: 345 Member
    Use a nail file and hand cream. They will still be there but they will be a lot less noticeable and won't get any of that annoying peeling flakiness. They'll also be much less likely to tear, which can be horrible.

    You should wear your calluses proudly - they are a sign you are lifting heavy enough; like a badge of honour.
  • PwrLftr82
    PwrLftr82 Posts: 945 Member
    jennifer_417 wrote: »
    Huh. I kinda love my callouses. Makes me feel cool.

    I feel the same. I love my callouses. They're hawt.
  • Rogiefreida
    Rogiefreida Posts: 567 Member
    Wear em proud! I love mine. :)
  • rjrobert
    rjrobert Posts: 45 Member
    Your skin will toughen up. You know your really doing a good job when the skin actually peels off :) When you get to that point a lot of us either just deal with it or put a dab of super glue. Not sure if that will end up causing us some weird disease later in life but its worked so far.
  • tedrickp
    tedrickp Posts: 1,229 Member
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTqNSgCmM2s

    A tip from Mark Rippetoe on a grip tweak that can help with calluses.
  • skullshank
    skullshank Posts: 4,323 Member
    lift, build callouses, rip 'em off doing heavy deads, mourn your loss, enjoy the sting in the shower, rebuild.
  • KristaPerseveres
    KristaPerseveres Posts: 87 Member
    I used to have pretty nails and nice soft hands. I'm an accountant, so my hands were always nice. Since I've started lifting, my nails are pretty short, and can't keep polish on to save my life. My hands are so rough and calloused now, you'd think I work construction. I'm kind of embarrassed to shake people's hands, but I freaking love them, and love all that lifting has done for me. They are a badge of hard work, wear them proudly :) And ditto on the super glue advice ;)
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    This content has been removed.
  • thoseAmericanthighs
    thoseAmericanthighs Posts: 24 Member
    I shave mine down using a callus shaver and smooth them out with a pumice stone. Plus plenty of moisturizing lotion.
  • silverinc13
    silverinc13 Posts: 216 Member
    Why would you want to? Love my calluses.
  • Lofteren
    Lofteren Posts: 960 Member
    embrace the callouses
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    tedrickp wrote: »
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTqNSgCmM2s

    A tip from Mark Rippetoe on a grip tweak that can help with calluses.

    ^^^This^^^check your grip.
  • tavob777
    tavob777 Posts: 4
    They are trophies!! EMBRACE THEM
  • al369
    al369 Posts: 170 Member
    Exfoliate/pumice/whatever chosen method. Moisturize. I don't think mine are really noticeable at all. But I agree with viewing it as a sort of badge of honor. It shows you work hard!
  • AmandaHugginkiss
    AmandaHugginkiss Posts: 486 Member
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    tedrickp wrote: »
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTqNSgCmM2s

    A tip from Mark Rippetoe on a grip tweak that can help with calluses.

    ^^^This^^^check your grip.

    Exactly. I lift heavy 3-4 days a week and have almost no calloused skin on my hands.

    I use chalk, check my grip before lifts, and also do exercises to improve grip strength, like farmer's walks.
  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
    herrspoons wrote: »
    You don't. They're kind of unavoidable.

    Yup.

    I wish my hands would callous more because some lifts are extremely painful. I have perma-soft skin or something. Not cool.
  • karllundy
    karllundy Posts: 1,490 Member
    They have a job to do, so leave them there. Lotion helps and I have occasionally smoothed them with a file / pumice as I find that makes them less likely to tear or peel.
  • jenluvsushi
    jenluvsushi Posts: 933 Member
    I love mine. It hurts way less when you have a good set of them. Just don't tear em!
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    DopeItUp wrote: »
    herrspoons wrote: »
    You don't. They're kind of unavoidable.

    Yup.

    I wish my hands would callous more because some lifts are extremely painful. I have perma-soft skin or something. Not cool.

    yeah- i can tell when I've been absent- and or have lost my build up- my lifts SUCK.

    And doing anything with a long hold (pause deads- stiff leg deads- hanging leg raises) just are incredibly crappy.

    get them- love them. lift more.
  • FitFitzy331
    FitFitzy331 Posts: 308 Member
    AmandaHugginkiss wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    tedrickp wrote: »
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTqNSgCmM2s

    A tip from Mark Rippetoe on a grip tweak that can help with calluses.

    ^^^This^^^check your grip.

    Exactly. I lift heavy 3-4 days a week and have almost no calloused skin on my hands.

    I use chalk, check my grip before lifts, and also do exercises to improve grip strength, like farmer's walks.

    Same here. Once I fixed my grip my callouses were basically gone. My hands aren't soft, they are smooth and appear fine but the skin there is strong. I use moisturizer a few times a day since its cold and dry af up here but looking at my hands you probably wouldn't think that I lift regularly.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    distinctlybeautiful wrote: »
    The first few times I went bare-handed, but then I went and bought a pair of gloves. I just bought the first pair I found. Turns out I was still getting calluses, so just yesterday I bought a new pair. I spent a little more money (not much more but a little), and I got a pair with more padding. They're also much more fitted than the first pair. I used them yesterday, and when I took them off my hands looked worse than they did with the first pair.

    What advice can you give me about weight lifting gloves and/or any other ways to prevent calluses?

    Thanks!

    Prevent calluses?

    Slice them off before they form.
  • cbhubbybubble
    cbhubbybubble Posts: 465 Member
    jennifer_417 wrote: »
    Huh. I kinda love my callouses. Makes me feel cool.

    Yep, me, too. I love them. They make me feel tough and I think they're sexy, although I find if I'm lifting consistently they become less pronounced. If I take time off from things like deadlifts, etc, for whatever reason, then my hands get out of practice and I get them more noticeably again...if that makes any kind of sense.

  • Lofteren
    Lofteren Posts: 960 Member
    FitFitzy331 wrote: »
    AmandaHugginkiss wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    tedrickp wrote: »
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTqNSgCmM2s

    A tip from Mark Rippetoe on a grip tweak that can help with calluses.

    ^^^This^^^check your grip.

    Exactly. I lift heavy 3-4 days a week and have almost no calloused skin on my hands.

    I use chalk, check my grip before lifts, and also do exercises to improve grip strength, like farmer's walks.

    Same here. Once I fixed my grip my callouses were basically gone. My hands aren't soft, they are smooth and appear fine but the skin there is strong. I use moisturizer a few times a day since its cold and dry af up here but looking at my hands you probably wouldn't think that I lift regularly.

    If you build up a decent deadlift you'll have callouses no matter what. Your grip can help but you'll still have chunks of skin that need to get shaved off periodically.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    Lofteren wrote: »
    FitFitzy331 wrote: »
    AmandaHugginkiss wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    tedrickp wrote: »
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTqNSgCmM2s

    A tip from Mark Rippetoe on a grip tweak that can help with calluses.

    ^^^This^^^check your grip.

    Exactly. I lift heavy 3-4 days a week and have almost no calloused skin on my hands.

    I use chalk, check my grip before lifts, and also do exercises to improve grip strength, like farmer's walks.

    Same here. Once I fixed my grip my callouses were basically gone. My hands aren't soft, they are smooth and appear fine but the skin there is strong. I use moisturizer a few times a day since its cold and dry af up here but looking at my hands you probably wouldn't think that I lift regularly.

    If you build up a decent deadlift you'll have callouses no matter what. Your grip can help but you'll still have chunks of skin that need to get shaved off periodically.

    Or, as I learned recently, the bar will happily remove them for you.
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