If you go to the gym often, you know that your hands take quite a beating. As you grip the various machine handles and weight bars, your palms could start to feel raw. Sweating during your workout brings another challenge to the table: a constantly slipping grip. You might even start to develop thumb or wrist pain from repetitive motion injuries caused by repeating the same workouts often. Thankfully, you can invest in hand protection that solves all of these problems and more.
Chalk
If your gym allows the use of chalk, keep some in your bag for heavy lifting sessions. Whether you are using the hand weights or barbell, chalk keeps your grip tight and secure for a safe, effective lifting session. You can also use chalk while using the overhead press, chin up bar or climbing rope for a better grip, no matter how sweaty you get. The soft layer of chalk also protects the palms of your hands from feeling raw after particularly long sessions. Make sure to start with a comfortable weight and intensity, as chalking up can give you a false sense of confidence at first.
Gloves
Gloves made for use at the gym have extra padding on the palm, between the fingers and at the wrist. The extra bit of cushion takes away the bite of the bar while lifting at your limits. Although gloves provide a thick layer of palm protection and improve your grip, it comes at the cost of a slight reduction in hand feel. Some people do not prefer the amount of disconnect they feel while wearing gloves, so you’ll have to try it for yourself and see how you feel. Make sure the gloves fit tightly against your skin to prevent excess movement while holding a lot of weight.
Braces
While doing reps at the gym, you move your hand and wrist in a repetitive motion, which can possibly cause damage to your nerves and joints. You can negate that risk slightly by switching up your routine on a regular basis. If you’re dedicated to your set routine, consider using hand or wrist braces while you workout. The braces hold your muscles and tendons in line to prevent damage from repetitive motions. Make sure the brace fits tightly, but still allows enough movement to prevent excess strain on connected muscles in your forearms and shoulders.
Finding The Best Device
Reflect on the way your hands feel during workouts to identify the best type of protection for your body. You may need to go through your routine without any protection for your hands and take mental notes about slippage, fatigue or pain. If the pain goes beyond a small twinge, make sure to discuss the problem with your doctor before moving forward. Repetitive injuries can damage the tendons, muscles and nerves in your hands and forearm if you ignore the problem for too long. Otherwise, give the hand protection tools a try and see if they improve comfort and grip during your routine.
