How Do You Prevent Calluses When Lifting Weights?
If you love to lift weights, you know that they are hard on your hands. Weight lifters often complain about calluses or tears in the palms of their hands that are often the natural result of hefting around weights in the gym. Painful calluses can slow down workout schedules and make some lifting techniques tough, and many lifters opt for lifting gloves and straps to try and make this less of an issue.
No matter what kind of regular gym glove that a lifter is using, there will still be issues related to the disconnect between their palms and the bar with this article of clothing in the mix. Gloves can slip around on your hands and create other issues and if you wear them too much, your hands will never get the calluses they need to prevent tears in your skin.
If you love to lift but are tired of the circle of discomfort that is caused by calluses, read on for more information and an even better solution than lifting gloves!
Why do you get calluses from lifting?
Calluses are your skin’s natural response to protect it from damage. You will get calluses anytime that you repeat actions and activities that bruise or break your skin. This can happen to your feet as well as your hands and you need a certain amount of callus build-up on your hands if you want to lift in comfort.
There is a balance, however, and you can get to the point where your hands have not had time to heal in between injuries. This can create calluses that are covering up injuries that have not fully healed. This is usually why calluses are painful rather than helpful.
Ideally, your calluses will not have soft and tender centers and will instead be hard enough to keep your hands comfortable. You need to be sure that your calluses are not so large that they can heal in between workout sessions.
Sometimes lifting weights that are too heavy can lead to calluses being torn open or you might have issues if you start working with more weight on the bar for the first time. Calluses can be caused by normal workout routine activity as well if your hands get particularly sweaty or if you are struggling to hold onto the bar because it is slippery or does not have the same grip design built into it that you are used to.
You should always be careful to use the right lifting technique and be sure to stay away from worn-out or totally smooth bars if you have issues with painful calluses on your hands. If you need a little more support to keep your hands callus free, there are some products that can help you to spare your palms during your daily workout.
Do workout gloves prevent calluses?
They can help with the process of allowing your calluses to heal in between workouts, but they will not fully prevent calluses. Gloves come with their own issues that can lead to other hand injuries and discomfort as well, making them an imperfect solution for this need. In addition, if you wear gloves every time you lift, you will find that your calluses have grown too soft to protect your hands when you are not wearing gloves.
Workout gloves can be hard to fit correctly and can lead to issues with bar grip. Being forced to hold your hands at an odd angle to try and keep control over the bar can lead to shoulder and wrist pain. There are many applications where lifting gloves are actually not helpful and can instead lead to added discomfort.
Some people try to use lifting straps in place of workout gloves, but these are only made to protect your shoulders and wrists from the bar turning in your hand when you lift and will not improve your overall grip strength or help with calluses in particular. This is not really what a lifting strap is meant to do and you will not get the relief that you were looking for when you use this kind of hand protection in the hopes of preventing calluses.
What helps with calluses when lifting?
As stated above, gloves can help alleviate some of the troubles that lifters experience with calluses, but they bring with them other issues. You will have less ability to grip with your hands when you are wearing gloves and this can lead to other lifting injuries related to your lack of control of the bar or the dumbbells in your hands.
Gloves can also create bruising and friction points around your fingers and wrist. This is why many lifters prefer to just tough out their lifting calluses instead of threatening their health with safety issues related to wearing gloves. Thankfully, gloves are not the only option that is made on the market these days, and there are actually better options that you can use for this need.
Use a Better Solution
Thankfully for those who are worried about the painful calluses but don’t want to wear workout gloves, there are better solutions. Gym Skins offer you the chance to lift in comfort without having dangerous issues with grip. STKR Concepts makes these clever devices that are slim, yet sturdy and will protect your hands from pain and skin tears without impacting your ability to grip the bar or dumbbells.
There are no other solutions like Gym Skins on the market made by other brands. Gym Skins are unique and breathable, comfortable, and very effective. You simply insert your hand through the wrist hole in the Gym Skin and then insert your fingers through their respective holes. Make sure that you have placed the Gym Skin correctly over the palm of your hands and you are set!
Gym Skins can handle many different needs:
- Stretch to Fit
The unique design of these grip-enhancing and protecting devices is largely based on the stretchy material that covers your palms and stays in place. The fingerhole design keeps Gym Skins attached firmly to your hands without slipping or rubbing like gloves will.
- Reduce Vibration and Friction
Gym Skins are perfect to prevent friction because they are waterproof and will not hold onto moisture. If you are struggling with vibration discomfort related to sports activities, the soft and cushioned nature of Gym Skins will keep your hands and wrists from being injured by vibration and strain.
- Waterproof
Having access to waterproof grip-enhancing technology makes Gym Skins perfect for use in the water or for rowing and water skiing. Gloves could never take care of your needs with this kind of waterproof protection. Gym skins also help you out if you are working out in a hot gym and struggling with your hands slipping because they are sweaty. This is often a big factor in callus formation or skin tears if you work out in an outdoor gym arrangement.
Prevent Painful Calluses and Skin Tears
Being able to protect your hands with Gym Skin technology will help you to lift in comfort and prevent skin tears and painful calluses. Using the right kind of grip-enhancing products can make sure that your lifting time is well-utilized and that you will not suffer injuries that will lead to having to take time off from the gym.
In addition, if you enjoy other kinds of workouts, like CrossFit, climbing wall visits, and water sports, you will find that Gym Skins can keep your hands healthy during these activities as well. Being able to keep your hands healthy at all times is important if lifting is your passion.
