Blisters/Calluses from weights

cunnins4

Anyone know of a way to prevent getting blisters and calluses at the base of my fingers from weights? Got a couple of pretty bad ones this week and they're quite sore.

Is this an issue with my grip, or more like hard skin on your finger tips from playing the guitar-it just takes time, but hurts like mad until then?

BossArky

If it is from pull ups or deadlifting then try and position your hand or skin in the "final" position before beginning the movement.

This may help prevent the weight shearing your skin as happens if you grip a barbell too much up towards the palms and it slides down as you lift. Got that tip from starting strength.

It is going to be slightly different to the sore fingers you get from guitar playing, as the weights probably move alot more and are much heavier. Also the kurling of the bar which will cut a bit.

HammerHeadGym

gloves is the only way afaik.

Hanley

You're never really gonna prevent them fully. BUTTTT using chalk on your hands will help. The bar will slip less and catch less skin (ala Bossarky's suggestion). My hands are sorer after puling 160 with no chalk on a smooth bar than they are 250 with chalk on a sharp bar!

cunnins4

HammerHeadGym wrote: »

gloves is the only way afaik.

They can't be! I just couldn't wear gloves in a gym, i'm already self conscious enough!

I can't really pin it down to one exercise. Unfortunately my pull ups are still pretty dismal and I'm using the assisted machine which has a smooth finish on the handles, so that's the one thing it isn't. I guess it could be from doing dumbbell bench when I'm starting a set-I think I'm "flipping" the weight back a bit too much, if that's the best way to describe it, and it's shearing the skin.

I bought starting strength a while ago, but haven't read much of it. I'll have to have a look at the grip part.

Supercell

Fcuk it, wair gloves until your hands harden up, the gym isnt a fashion contest. Cut hands are hands that can't lift, simple really.
I wear gloves and still have barbell calluses underneath.

Malteaser!

Are your hands actualy cut or are they just calloused??

xebec

I get this from time to time aswell, it's like a part of the skin of my palm is getting caught between the dumbbell or bar and the inside of my knuckles. The pain, while annoying, isn't unbearable. I've gotten similar sore skin on palms and fingers from sailing - similar to the tips of your fingers getting sore when you learn to play the guitar - and I was always in favour of toughing it out and letting the skin harden as opposed to wearing gloves.

If it really is causing you too much discomfort then maybe try adjusting your grip (eg for pull-ups I hang more from my fingers than palm) or else gloves is the way to go (loads of people in the TCD gym wear them, and you could stick them in a pocket when not using them...).

arybvtcw0eolkf

SPIT is your friend.

Chalk looks cool, and works. Gloves look GHEY & work.

Spit, rub hands together until dried and your good to go - plus you look hardcore

flywheel

cunnins4 wrote: »

They can't be! I just couldn't wear gloves in a gym, i'm already self conscious enough!

don't be worrying try 'em, if it saves your hands then it's worth it. i wear 'em for free weights and they work grand, never a problem with blisters or calluses.

Saabdub

DubWireless wrote: »

don't be worrying try 'em, if it saves your hands then it's worth it. i wear 'em for free weights and they work grand, never a problem with blisters or calluses.

I always workout with gloves:D My hands sweat and sweaty hands would compromise my grip. I buy the cycling gloves from Aldi/Lidl. They're cheap, have a good grip and when they get seriously funky I just through them away. Also have a look at serious lifters like Ronnie Coleman, he wears gloves and no one slags him off.

Saabdub

Colm_OReilly

The body adapts to stress, and calluses are the way your hands adapt.

Sounds to me like you got blisters - which means your hands were overstressed (it's akin to being wrecked for days after too heavy a session)

In which case you'll have to give them some time to heal.

Wearing gloves can lead to greater blistering, as gloves will create an extra layer of friction around the bar, you won't get a decent grip, and you'll never adapt to training with weights.

I'd allow your calluses to build gently and pick at them at parties as a point of pride. But that's just me.

As an aside, anyone here brought chalk into a commercial facility and been told off?

t-ha

Mairt wrote: »

Spit, rub hands together until dried and your good to go - plus you look hardcore

Nice, have you tried SNOT, it works even better.

I used to go for the whole hardcore big calluses thing, but I got sick of tearing my face open every time I wiped some sweat off of it.

I remember for a while I used to use boxing wraps around my palms and fingers, just rolled around a bunch of times. It worked but an unfortunate side-effect is you develop a really strong grip.

cunnins4

Malteaser! wrote: »

Are your hands actualy cut or are they just calloused??

My right hand's pretty bad. I can't go to the gym because of it. Two blisters have split now and they're feckin sore. Add in filthy handlebars on the bike cycling to college and they're getting dirty and infected. The calluses on my left hand are fine, they don't bother me at all.

I'm gonna skip my session today but i'll get a pair of gloves tomorrow and give them a try.

cunnins4

Saabdub wrote: »

I always workout with gloves:D My hands sweat and sweaty hands would compromise my grip. I buy the cycling gloves from Aldi/Lidl. They're cheap, have a good grip and when they get seriously funky I just through them away. Also have a look at serious lifters like Ronnie Coleman, he wears gloves and no one slags him off.

Saabdub

Just read this now, i've a pair of the lidl cycling gloves-i'll give them a shot before I go buying a pair of lifting gloves.

cheers man!

BaZmO*

cunnins4 wrote: »

Is this an issue with my grip, or more like hard skin on your finger tips from playing the guitar-it just takes time, but hurts like mad until then?

I think that's a good analogy. When I started to play the guitar the tips of my fingers used to get so unbelievably sore, so much so that at times I couldn't play the damn thing. But over time the tips just harden. Now it's not a problem at all.

The same goes for lifting. Callouses used to kill me, particularly after pull ups, but now they don't bother me at all. Just give yourself some time and the pain will pass.

Personally I wouldn't bother with gloves as it will get to the stage where you won't be able to train without them. Plus they look gay!!
Callouses look manly and when you're a pen pusher like myself that's a good thing!

Saabdub

Yea Ronnie looks so gay with those gloves;)

Saabdub

cunnins4

It's like looking in the mirror....I'll be grand so!:cool:

flywheel

Colm_OReilly wrote: »

Wearing gloves can lead to greater blistering, as gloves will create an extra layer of friction around the bar, you won't get a decent grip, and you'll never adapt to training with weights.

have never had a blister from wearing gloves, or issues with grip / adaption to training... only time i can see gloves causing blisters would be if they didn't fit right or were of poor design / quality... just means taking time to find the right pair

my attempt to recall the physics lectures from long ago i thought the higher the level of static friciton the more grip that is applied (so gloves would aid grip)?

Hanley

DubWireless wrote: »

have never had a blister from wearing gloves, or issues with grip / adaption to training... only time i can see gloves causing blisters would be if they didn't fit right or were of poor design / quality... just means taking time to find the right pair

my attempt to recall the physics lectures from long ago i thought the higher the level of static friciton the more grip that is applied (so gloves would aid grip)?

Nope. The gloves create a larger surface area, inhibiting grip.

peterk19

forget gloves straps or chalk FTW seem to stop me getting too many Calluses

flywheel

Hanley wrote: »

Nope. The gloves create a larger surface area, inhibiting grip.

well glad to see we weren't trying to defy the laws of physics with the friction vs. grip reasoning so moving on to the greater surface area, good point alright, i can see that argument

not sure how you would truely measure the 'inhibition' of the grip as the extra static friction being applied would offset that to whatever degree... also depending on the thickness and material of the gloves, diameter of the bar and its surface treatment - and other factors like propensity to sweat, forearm strength etc...

so i don't see it as black and white as some on here... i'd be more inclined to go with whatever works for you while achieving the results ya want, for me wearing gloves works fine

Degsy

Callouses are part of the game..gloves are for softies!

Vegeta

Never had any issues really

Sure I get big lumps of hard skin on my palms and fingers but I find chalk helps my grip

They're not sore at all after a short while

To be honest I find nothing better than a dry hand for grip. So let the Callouses build

Fanny'n about with gloves and the likes just delays the build up of the hardened skin