Need Calluses!

[Gladiola]

My hands are still kinda smooth - I've been lifting without gloves for like 6 weeks now!!!

The calluses on the fingers at the 2nd knuckle seem to be developing better than on the palm. Should I not use any lotion at all? I just don't want my hands to be too dry & the skin crack.

Any tips on getting tougher hands?

 

[circusgirl]

My hands are still kinda smooth - I've been lifting without gloves for like 6 weeks now!!!

The calluses on the fingers at the 2nd knuckle seem to be developing better than on the palm. Should I not use any lotion at all? I just don't want my hands to be too dry & the skin crack.

Any tips on getting tougher hands?

The rowing guys at my old college used to rub surgical spirit into their hands to harden the blisters into calluses. Hardens the skin more quickly.

 

[w84me]

good to know
just got back from the lunch workout & have one crack that re-opened ... hurts like hell ... I love to watch people's expressions though when I shake their hands for the first time ... you know they are thinking "what the hell?" ...

 

[Gladiola]

I guess I shoulda been more clear about the lotion - I didn't mean use lotion when lifting, I meant like should I not use it EVER?? I put it on at night before I go to sleep & sometimes randomly throughout the day at work when my hands feel dry.

More on hand care-- my coach said you should cut away certain types of hard cracked skin so it does tear into the good skin. Good advice - I've had that happen on my feet before. Or kinda like peeling sunburn - & then you peel the LIVE skin!

Yeah, the deadlifts are torture on the hands. Almost frustrating b/c it hurts so bad in my hands, it makes it hard to concentrate on feeling it where I should!

 

[VeggieLifterChick]

WHy not skip calluses altogether and just wear lifting gloves? Target sells ProSpirit ones that I like for $5 a pair.

 

[Hannibal]

WHy not skip calluses altogether and just wear lifting gloves? Target sells ProSpirit ones that I like for $5 a pair.

Where's the fun in that??!

 

[Gladiola]

VLC - a VERY Good question!

Actually I have always worn gloves in the - oh 5 years I've been lifting.

I recently stopped since I started the Olympic Lifting. My coach says they get in the way & help the calluses build up faster. This sounds strange, but I can definitely see how it's true with OL - since you are flipping the bars - the momentum would have the gloves bunched up - etc. So I had to abandon them.

 

[Gladiola]

Actually gloves are now allowed in competition for Olympic Lifting according to my coach. I have no idea why.

 

[Haz]

You can have mine if you want.

Women don't appreciate it when my caress causes major scratching and leaves marks. So every month I have to cut away the dead skin on my hands with a knife followed by 1000 then 1500 grit sandpaper to smoothen everything out.

And callouses are REALLY annoying. If they become as thick as mine, you lose sensitivity in your hands, and end up picking at them so that you can get to the real skin underneath.

Trust me, they aren't worth the trouble. I would gladly use gloves, but they don't provide the grip I need.

 

[b fold the truth]

I am getting calluses on my front delts from doing the tire flip 3x per week. I will NOT stink at that event again...

B True