What gloves should i buy?

[ManBearPig]

So...i have crazy calluses on my hands, and although this sounds like im a pussy, i wanna start wearing gloves. it gets so bad sometimes that my workouts are affected because of my damn calluses. also, i need a good belt for heavier lifts.

i dont want to spend too much. any ideas?

thanks in advance.

 

[Kipper]

What exactly do you mean that it gets bad that your workout is affected because of your callouses? Do you mean your grip weakens? If so, the problem is your grip strength, not your callouses. I always found that they hurt more than they helped because they effectively made gripping bars HARDER. Sure, you get more friction between the bar and the hand, which might help somewhat, but with the addition of the glove you've effectively made the bar thicker, making it more difficult to grip. If your grip is slipping I recommend trying chalk first.

As far as a belt is concerned I've never thought of them as helpful because if your form is off on a heavy lift to the point that you need a belt, you probably shouldn't be lifting that much weight (with some exceptions).

The upshot of all of this accessory equipment is...what do you do on the day that you forget them?

 

[katank]

File down your callouses with pumice stones if they raise up too much and tear otherwise.

Belts are unnecessary. Strengthen your core instead by lifting as heavy as you can with proper form.

 

[conorvansmack]

Read this tutorial about removing calluses. If you're getting calluses so serious that they're causing pain, are you sure that you're gripping the bar correctly (different grip for presses vs. pulls?)

 

[Deeko]

Haha great, the glove debate, this always ends well....

As for the belt, check out Inzer, they make great belts.

 

[iluvdeal]

I use Harbinger gloves, they work fine for me.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Most people who use belts in the gym don't need them. People who know how to use belts (are trained in using them) often use them for max effort, big lifts (deadlift, squat). Most people I see that use them use them for their everyday workout. That's not how you use them.

Also, belts don't really make you any safer. They provide a little bit of proprioception as to how tight your core is, but instead of buying a belt, you should work on knowing when you're tight or not. Belts are often used to sort of "push off" of and allow those trained to use greater weights; but the normal gym rat who's just throwing weights around really doesn't need one. They also probably cost more than you're willing to put out.

And for the whole gloves thing - you'll still get callouses through them. Maintain them and see how that works for you. If it doesn't, do whatever you'd like with the gloves.

 

[brikis98]

Feel free to read through the heated debate in the gloves thread to see various opinions on using gloves.

As for the belt, what are you planning to use it for?

 

[katank]

One option in place of gloves is to use some gymnastic tape to wrap up your hands a bit.

Just a thin layer would help greatly in saving your hands on things like high rep kipping pullups.