danielson said:
gloves....as i need my hands soft and delicate and not like a farmers
and judging by the pic in your avitar, there's no question as to why you need those hands soft lol
gloves, wraps, chalk....if it works for you, use it. and i don't like my hands torn up, so i use gloves.
as far as belts though.....
i don't care what anyone says, i use a belt for any exercise that can comprimise my back. since i just incorporated deads and hacksquats into my workout, i'll wear a belt for those as well as squats, standing calf raises, and overhead press.
WEAR BELTS! PLEASE! yes, i've got some back problems, but they're not in my lower back. it's just not worth the risk though. i don't want lower back problems, and i don't want to damage myself further, so i wear a belt when the exercise calls for it.
think of it as a seat belt in a car. yeah, it can be uncomfortable until you get used to it. and you don't put on your seatbelt while thinking - "ok, i'm going to get into an accident and this will hopefully save me." you put it on hoping you don't have to use it. it's just a little bit of added insurance, that's all it is. a good belt placed right can also help to keep your thoracic spine (the area between the lumbar and the neck) in alignment as well.
i don't know of any way a belt could be bad for you. if someone knows of something (legit) let us know. but we're all putting ourselves through intense workouts and pushing ourselves to the limit, so why not buy yourself some insurance and wear the belt?