Gloves or No Gloves

[PuroRock327]

Okay, so I know it comes with the territory and I'll quit whining after this post, but is there a way or products available to help alleviate if not eliminate callouses?

I wear gloves when I workout (I have soft hands which wife appreciates very much) and without them hands would be a mess. I've read not to wear gloves as they can compromise your grip and form, but again... I'd be sacrificing form and function if I can't grip the bars/weights if hands hurt without gloves.

gym doesn't provide chalk or anything either unfortunately.

What's everyone else using?

[Fygle]

Gloves with rubber grip for deadlifts, nothing for the rest. I'd imagine your skin would toughen up without gloves.

[PuroRock327]

Fygle- Yeah, skin has toughened up, but it looks and feels unwelcoming. No true biggie, just a cosmetic afterthought in a cosmetic atmosphere.

Amatlack- Ahh... pedicure/manicure. Nah, too much work. Why am I worried about it though? Like I said, I've always gotten comments on hands... I play guitar and have been for almost 20 years, so I'm not unaccustomed to them, but these are in such a place it's noticeable when I shake hands, pick up a guitar or whatever.

As for rough hands showing I've done work... I've worked hard labor for 15 years, I've been blessed with not having to do manual labor anymore. I have no problem with keeping skin soft. It's hard to discuss this topic without sounding like a wuss... lol.

[Fygle]

It's hard to discuss this topic without sounding like a wuss... lol.

[Razor]

I use gloves for most exercises as gym has fairly heavily knurled grips on the dumbells and ez curl bars. I found that even with good calluses, the knurls when lifting heavy weights would pinch the calluses and cause some discomfort/pain. I figured it was just easier to use gloves to eliminate this and I don't find grip/form suffers. One exercise I did find a problem with while wearing gloves though was deadlifts. gloves have leather palms with a little bit of padding and I found that with a heavy deadlift, the bar would start slipping so I don't use the gloves for deadlifts.

I actually found the problem with pain in the hands increased the bigger the calluses got. When they were small, it wasn't an issue, but as the weights I lifted increased, the calluses got bigger and the pain started.

Anyway, that's what works for me but I say, if you use gloves and like 'em, stick with 'em no matter what anyone says It's really more of a personal preference.

[PuroRock327]

I found that even with good calluses, the knurls when lifting heavy weights would pinch the calluses and cause some discomfort/pain.

Exactly. Although Deadlifts are one exercise I find I simply cannot do without gloves. I don't know how much you Deadlift, but it's far too uncomfortable for me to perform comfortably without gloves.

[Razor]

I'm fairly new to deadlifts (which is too bad since I've been lifting for quite a while now -- I should have been doing deadlifts sooner as they're a great exercise) and I weigh 145 so PB right now is 335 (and that took everything I had). Truth be told, I was straining so hard to straighten up that I probably wouldn't have noticed if hands were bleeding!

[BillyG]

be a man and build those callouses up.


girls, people who care about their image in the gym, and sissies wear gloves..


the only thing you should have around your wrist in the gym.. is a Grip strap for heavy deads

[BillyG]

oh i forgot internet folks are over sensitive..

.. and that i dont care?


females wear gloves to keep their hands feminine
guys that wear gloves are sissies and dont want to possibly build a calous or hurt their hands..

[Boss Man]

Some people wear weightlifting gloves Billy to aid grip. I approve of this reasoning, though I don't wear gloves myself .

[badversion]

1 of gym mates wear gloves because he thinks its "Cool"

Lame...

@topic
Dude don't wear gloves they are not good

[Boss Man]

In what respect? Not sounding snippy, just asking for your reasoning.

[badversion]

Well, I have hyperhidrosis ...which makes palm and finger sweaty and I mean very sweaty and I still don't need gloves.

Gloves as per knowledge is for grip and our hands if they can life 120+lb wieghts they surely don't need help from alien technology.

but thats just me maybe

[T.P.W.]

I think it's just a personal choice. I prefer to use gloves down the gym. I didn't use gloves for a while, but once I started using them I enjoyed the extra grip I get. Even so, I still get callouses. They don't bother me, but I know from guitar playing days that hands aren't very good at building up decent callouses for protection.

Also gym recently brought in a brand new set of bells with very harsh grips on them. They've ripped gloves to shreds. If I hadn't had gloves I don't think I would have been able to push so hard because of the grips.

Go with whatever you feel comfortable with

[Fygle]

but thats just me maybe

Correct. It's just you. If someone wants to use gloves, for whatever reason (practical or for looks), what's it to anyone else?