Lifting Gloves Recommendations? page

[Sanctus Real]

I am sick of my lifting gloves. They're cheap Wal-Mart gloves, and they make my hands sweat like crazy when I lift in them. They're leather, so my hands don't slip, but they get very uncomfortable and I end up taking them off. I don't mind that at all, but I'm getting big ol' calluses, and that's just wrong for a woman. Okay, for this woman, other women might be fine with calluses. Who am I to judge?

Surely someone makes a pair of minimalist women's lifting gloves?

[landerson22]

calluses will happen. especially if your doing mad pullups and olympic lifting(crossfit) only part that sucks is when they get to big you can rip them off.There are proper tapping techniques that prevent this, but i usually forget and tear them anyways. it sucks but no pain no gain

[Primal Fist]

Olympic lifting is not crossfit. Doing the lifts with terrible form and barely any weight is, however.

Anyway.... yeah, ditch the gloves, get a pumice and a bunch of creams if it bothers you. Gloves are generally not a good idea (potential slippage, etc).

[achilles.kealoha]

agreed: ditch the gloves.

The free movement and friction created by the gloves can actually develop more callus' and rip them. barehand is the way to go. Just get some chalk if you need more grip.

[AndreaReina]

agreed: ditch the gloves.

The free movement and friction created by the gloves can actually develop more callus' and rip them. barehand is the way to go. Just get some chalk if you need more grip.

One more vote to lose the gloves, and get some chalk. Chalk will dry the skin out, which will also firm it up. Moist, soft skin is more prone to tearing. Also, make sure that your grip is correct -- there shouldn't be any folds of skin between the bar and your hand, if that makes any sense. See this article on the Starting Strength wiki for pictures; there's also a link on how to take care of existing bad calluses.

[norak]

Stop using gloves, and learn how to grip correctly instead. Have a look at this article [StrongLifts blog] for a(nother) good explaination.

In general you (or the weight, depending on which exercise you are doing) should be hanging "by your fingers" and there shouldn't be a skin fold between your fingers and the bar. Changing your grip this way may make you have to go down on weight because your grip will be weaker, but this, of course, should be fixed by training grip strength, not by wearing gloves.

[RezH]

You guys are hardcore. Nothing wrong with taking care of your hands. Calluses are disgusting.

These work great -

Amazon.com: Lynx Performance Grips: Sports & Outdoors

[PaleoPenn]

I'm doing Mark Rippetoes' "Starting Strength" barbell training and he says to use chalk. He makes no mention of lifting gloves.

[Primal Fist]

Hahaha. Ask Rip what he thinks of gloves on his Q&A forum, you'll get a good response. Probably along the lines of 'they should match your handbag'.

[Abu Reena]

and yet, the OP is a woman, so I don't think she'd be offended.

here's the facts: if you lift weights and use chalk, you will get calluses. If you lift weight with gloves, chances are you will get calluses. There's no two ways around it. Calluses happen. Just use a pumice stone and hand cream to minimize them.

I use chalk and have to work hard to keep my calluses to a minimum, since they rip and bleed all over the bar when I do power shrugs. So, for power shrugs, I use gloves, if only to minimize the rippage.