# Working out with Gloves



## Alaric (Mar 2, 2004)

Currently, I'm using gloves for most exercises (with the exception of those down on leg day) for my workouts.  What are some of the disadvantages of doing so, like will it prevent me from increasing my grip strength?  

I think most people use gloves when they lift heavy, however, I've made the habit of doing them for "lighter" exercises, such as tricep kickbacks or bent over laterals.


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## Pepper (Mar 2, 2004)

My wife gave me my first set workout gloves when she noticed how torn up my hands were. I wear them ALL the time. Unlike straps, I can't imagine how there could be any disadvantages.


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## Vieope (Mar 2, 2004)

_ I use it. _


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## atherjen (Mar 2, 2004)

well I dont know if it will hinder grip strength or not. Im not a fan of them or gloves. 
I just use chalk and bare hands


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## TheRoyalOne (Mar 2, 2004)

Gloves are used to protect your hands. I don't see any disadvantage in that. Straps however do allow you to relax a bit with some lifts, therefore not working your forearems as much.


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## JJJ (Mar 2, 2004)

I ordered a pair of gloves yesterday, mainly b/c recently metal does not agree with my skin. And to have a better grip when real sweaty. 

I dont see how it could possibly be a disadvanteg to use them, you still gotta hold on to the weight, its not like when using straps.


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## JJJ (Mar 2, 2004)

Damn, 4 people beat me to it. You guys type fast =)


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## kvyd (Mar 2, 2004)

I use gloves also ...for me it just makes since


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## gwcaton (Mar 2, 2004)

i use them too.  My hands are rough enough from work, don't need anymore callouses than I already have.


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## JerseyDevil (Mar 2, 2004)

I go with bare hands also.  Tried gloves before, but they just don't feel right to me.


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## aztecwolf (Mar 2, 2004)

i used to swear by gloves for everything, but now i kinda like the brute feeling of flesh against metal.  i still have my gloves and i use them when i do heavy shrugs or deads, just so my hands don't get ripped up to badly, but i am kinda diggin this bare hands thing, i also like to use chalk but they don't like that at my gym


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## donescobar2000 (Mar 2, 2004)

> _*Originally posted by atherjen *_
> well I dont know if it will hinder grip strength or not. Im not a fan of them or gloves.
> I just use chalk and bare hands



Youre a soldier!!  

I use Harbinger Gloves.  They help my lifts better because I can grip the bar better.  It also keeps me from getting calouses on my hands.


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## instant (Mar 2, 2004)

I'm a glove fan.  I have small wrist and I find the gloves actually help when lifting.  I use them for basically everything no problems.


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## PreMier (Mar 2, 2004)

I NEVER use gloves... Y'all are a bunch of sissies.  I like my "man hands"


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## Alaric (Mar 2, 2004)

lol alrigh tthank you for the insight guys


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## atherjen (Mar 2, 2004)

HEY NOW!!!!!!!!  do I look like a GUY to you!!!! 

I like my "man hands" too PM!


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## PreMier (Mar 2, 2004)

Hey AJ.  If you were a guy, I would be gay!


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## atherjen (Mar 2, 2004)




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## Jill (Mar 2, 2004)

I use gloves, i dont like caluses. Steve has to buy a new pair every few months cause they start to stink!


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## JJJ (Mar 2, 2004)

> _*Originally posted by Jill *_
> I use gloves, i dont like caluses. Steve has to buy a new pair every few months cause they start to stink!




Throw em in the washingmachine?


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## greekblondechic (Mar 2, 2004)

As long as you aren't lifting little boys...

Sorry..the gloves reminded me of Michael Jackson..


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## PreMier (Mar 2, 2004)

Thats just wrong!


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## BabyArnold (Mar 2, 2004)

Gloves suck. It's just more money to spend. It seems like most of the people that wear them at my gym don't even lift really. They use them on all of the machines, oh and the people doing squats and leg presses with gloves on? I have to laugh at them. I hope I am not offending anyone, but it does look silly!


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## BabyArnold (Mar 2, 2004)

Chicks now, I can dig chick wearing them. I mean do you want some chick rubbin on you and her hands feel like a mans? Don't answer that. That's my pref.


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## Jodi (Mar 2, 2004)

I always wear gloves too.  I have bad enough calluses from lifting with the gloves and I have to scrape them off every few days.  I can't imagine how bad they would be if I didn't wear them.


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## nectron101 (Mar 2, 2004)

Gloves are suppost to protect your palm, and insures that nothing slips off when your hands get sweaty..


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## Arnold (Mar 2, 2004)

I always wear gloves, they have nothing to do with your grip strength.

I just do not like using chalk, it's messy, annoying, and I do not care for calluses all over my hands.


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## ALIENEGYPT (Mar 2, 2004)

I wear gloves as well...They especially help me with hand fatigue with the heavier dumbell presses, as the crossbar digging into my palms hurts when the poundages get up there.


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## Mudge (Mar 3, 2004)

If they have gripper pads they can affect true grip strength, but they are nice for people who want pretty boy hands.

I keep a tight grip on the bar when I do heavy work to avoid HUGE calluses, otherwise they rub and get pulled and they get nasty. I also avoid bars with nasty fresh diamond grips, I use relatively smooth bars, as long as they are not ultra slick chrome.


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## iMan323 (Mar 3, 2004)

Gloves don't do anything for me.  I have a fairly expensive set of Harbingers and they gather dust along with my lifting belt.  Fresh diamond grips suck


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## crewchik (Mar 3, 2004)

I wear them all the time!  After rowing for 7 years and having hands that were calloused, blistered and bloody - there is no way I would go back....besides the manicure ladies always grimmaced at me when I had those "rower" hands!


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## JJJ (Mar 3, 2004)

Notice how most non-glove users think they are macho for not using them


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## miamiguns (Mar 3, 2004)

> _*Originally posted by iMan323 *_
> Gloves don't do anything for me.  I have a fairly expensive set of Harbingers and they gather dust along with my lifting belt.  Fresh diamond grips suck



Those razor sharp diamond grips DO suck bigtime.  Gloves are needed for those things but otherwise I go without.


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## Mudge (Mar 3, 2004)

> _*Originally posted by JJJ *_
> Notice how most non-glove users think they are macho for not using them



If someone could turn me onto a good pair, I'd probably give them a shot at least for one/two days of the week.


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## donescobar2000 (Mar 3, 2004)

Harbinger is great!


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## I Are Baboon (Mar 3, 2004)

I wear gloves at every workout.  They help my grip.  I find my hands get sweaty without them, and that can be dangerous when lifting.  As many others pointed out, they keep my hands callus free.  I'm just more comfortable using them.

I used to use straps for my back exercises, but abandoned them about a year ago.  I only use them now for deadlifts and barbell shrugs.


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## donescobar2000 (Mar 3, 2004)

That is my main concern.  The calluses.  I used to get them a lot until I got my harbingers.  They also helped my grip a lot which allows me to lift more as well.


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## I Are Baboon (Mar 3, 2004)

> _*Originally posted by donescobar2000 *_
> That is my main concern.  The calluses.  I used to get them a lot until I got my harbingers.  They also helped my grip a lot which allows me to lift more as well.



My Harbinger gloves are lasting longer than some CARS do.    I think I've had the pair I'm using now for two years.  Darn things won't die....not even a single thread coming undone.  I've used other brands (Nike, Atlus, Gold's, etc) and they just fall apart.

And yes, when the get smelly they are machine washable.


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## DFINEST (Mar 3, 2004)

I wear gloves to prevent the formatyion of calluses and
to maintain my grip while lifting (sweaty palms)....

I want to keep my hands smooth for when
I caress the ladies


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## Mudge (Mar 3, 2004)

> _*Originally posted by I Are Baboon *_
> I find my hands get sweaty without them, and that can be dangerous when lifting.



Thats what the towel is for    Race drivers use them for the same reason though.


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## donescobar2000 (Mar 3, 2004)

> _*Originally posted by I Are Baboon *_
> My Harbinger gloves are lasting longer than some CARS do.    I think I've had the pair I'm using now for two years.  Darn things won't die....not even a single thread coming undone.  I've used other brands (Nike, Atlus, Gold's, etc) and they just fall apart.
> 
> And yes, when the get smelly they are machine washable.




OMG!!!!!!!!!!  Youre telling me?!?!?  I have had mine for over 1.5 years.


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## Darkkmind (Mar 3, 2004)

I don't use gloves either. Only time I regret it is with those damn diamond grip bars. I could care less about calluses.


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## Phred (Mar 3, 2004)

I use gloves to protect my hands, not really for grip.  I use two sets of gloves.  For my pushes I use Harbinger big grip gloves to distribute the loading accross my palms.  When I do pulls I generally use the lighter gloves (or none) as I have a better feel for the grip.  And I do use straps for deadlifts as I do not use the opposite grip like the Oly lifters use (I lift with knuckles foreward with both hands to get consistant/even work on the traps).  A lot of my equipment handles are home made and not knurreled.

Phred


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## JLB001 (Mar 3, 2004)

I always wear my gloves!  I'd be lost without them.


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## P-funk (Mar 3, 2004)

I don't wear any gloves.  my hands are realy really calloused though.  They are really rough.


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## Rob_NC (Mar 3, 2004)

I use Roebi grips. I don't like how gloves wad up in your palm when you close your hand.

http://www.roebigrip.com/


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## DrChiro (Mar 3, 2004)

i wear gloves except on back day and leg day (and amen to the Harbingers, I wouldnt use any other brand)

on those days I use my versa grips on my heavier sets of deadlifts, rows, or stiff leg deadlifts.

i try to kep my hands from getting too rough since I will have to use them to work on patients...i have soft girly hands, not manly calloused hands.


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## donescobar2000 (Mar 3, 2004)

Great Glove Ever!  They last a life time!


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## TheWizardC6 (Mar 3, 2004)

No gloves here.  I've tried them a couple times and the grip just doesnt seem right with them on.  Maybe I've gone too long with out them that it feels weird with gloves.  The only lift that really kills my hands is shrugs.


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## BabsieGirl (Mar 3, 2004)

I use straps.  MUCH BETTER than gloves.


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## JJJ (Mar 3, 2004)

> _*Originally posted by BabsieGirl *_
> I use straps.  MUCH BETTER than gloves.



How do you mean? 
You use them without putting them around your wrist?


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## BabsieGirl (Mar 3, 2004)

Mine don't go around my wrist.  It wraps around my hand.  A little part is touching my wrist however it doesn't hurt.  It actually allows me to lift more and to keep proper form.


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## JJJ (Mar 3, 2004)

OK, cool.
You dont mind that they hinder your grip strength and forearm muscle development?


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## I Are Baboon (Mar 3, 2004)

> _*Originally posted by JJJ *_
> 
> You dont mind that they hinder your grip strength and forearm muscle development?



Exactly why I stopped using them, and I stopped because of what the people here on IM said about them.


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## Mudge (Mar 3, 2004)

> _*Originally posted by JJJ *_
> You dont mind that they hinder your grip strength and forearm muscle development?



*Read what she said,* it does NOT go around the wrist, it wraps around the hand JUST LIKE A GLOVE DOES.

I am supprised someone doesn't use the gloves on back day, thats one day when you know I will be using them.


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## 22"bi's (Mar 3, 2004)

I absolutely hate gloves....

only use straps when i hit traps.....only exercise that just tears up my hands.....


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## aztecwolf (Mar 3, 2004)

> _*Originally posted by donescobar2000 *_
> OMG!!!!!!!!!!  Youre telling me?!?!?  I have had mine for over 1.5 years.


my old gloves that i had lasted me about 4 years, those things were awesome, by the end of my usage of them the only pats standing on them were the laces that went around the fingers, and a little bit of flesh right were you get the callises


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## aztecwolf (Mar 3, 2004)

but alas i have found myself liking the barbaric nature of my hand against steel.


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## JJJ (Mar 3, 2004)

> _*Originally posted by Mudge *_
> *Read what she said,* it does NOT go around the wrist, it wraps around the hand JUST LIKE A GLOVE DOES.
> 
> I am supprised someone doesn't use the gloves on back day, thats one day when you know I will be using them.




I still dont friggin get it, are they not in someway connected to the bar? 
If they arent, then they are not straps?


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## Charger (Mar 3, 2004)

No gloves, They just get to stinking and I have learned to love the feel of cold steel and chalk.


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## aztecwolf (Mar 3, 2004)

> _*Originally posted by Charger *_
> No gloves, They just get to stinking and I have learned to love the feel of cold steel and chalk.


hey dude what do you think of those cuts the team made?


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## BabyArnold (Mar 3, 2004)

Don't you just like to feel the cold steel in your hands when you lift? It's like when I played college baseball, I never wore batting gloves because I felt like I had more control of the bat when I could feel it. I don't know maybe that's just me. Straps are good if you are trying to really concentrate on like your back and you can use heavier weight. Lets face it your back is a hell of a lot stronger than your forearms, Right?!?!


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## Charger (Mar 4, 2004)

> _*Originally posted by aztecwolf *_
> hey dude what do you think of those cuts the team made?



I am at loss at the direction Marty is going?? He keeps cutting good players as in last years disaster. Gee, I wonder why our defense sucked??? Lets ask Junior or Harrison. 

I don't know, Wiley hasn't really produced and few other names are hurt all the time.
Tim Dwight from my home state is a great returner and great on special downs, but come on, he's no reciever. They give him and Flutie who is my age new deals??? 
I have been a fan since the late 70's but it's getting hard.

Are they staying or leaving SD in your best guess??


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## aztecwolf (Mar 4, 2004)

i don't know if they are, pardon the pun, bolting or not?  But the team is gonna be pretty abysmal once again, but oh well it is the plight of a san diego sports fan


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## Chad Cena III (Mar 4, 2004)

cena's gym = no gloves allowed .


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## JJJ (Mar 5, 2004)

Just got my gloves, feels great, but Im thinking about taking a par of scissors and cut of the part that supports the wrist. 

Any thoughts? My wrists will get weaker if I dont, but are there any upsides to haveing the wristsupport that Im missing?


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## Charger (Mar 5, 2004)

The wrist support is about the only thing I miss from gloves. I use tape now when my wrist get sore, works better anyway.


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## dirtyley (Mar 5, 2004)

There is actually a good reason why some people might wish not to use gloves.  The heel of your palm has a high concentration of pressure sensors.  The more pressure they sense, they greater neural stimulation you get to your pressing muscles.  Sort of a survival reflex to save you from the weight that is trying to choke you and steal your lunch.  This doesn't really apply to pulling movements.  When Phred says he uses gloves on his pushes to spread the load across his palms, he may actually be hindering his lifting ability.

This does not apply to pulling movements.  Use gloves if you like, don't if you don't.

As a side note, the heels of your feet are the same way.  Squats or DL with no shoes or flat, hard shoes can give you the same benefit.  Arnold says don't wear shoes when squatting so that you "get a feel for the Earth."  This is mysticism horse-pucky.  But, none the less, it still may help you lift more weight.  It might also help you get kicked out of the gym for not wearing shoes.

(something catchy),
-Kyle


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## CowPimp (Mar 5, 2004)

I don't use gloves, but I can't think of any reason not to.  I like my calusses.  Also, I happen to do squats in bare feet.  I workout at home.  I do all of my lifting and warming up in bare feet, except for my jogging.  I don't know if it helps my squatting, but it certainly feels most comfortable to me.


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## Phred (Mar 6, 2004)

I was unaware of the sensor effect in the palms.  I was getting soarness in the area near the thumb portion of my palm when bench pressing.  I tend to not grip the bar, but rather let it be craddled in my palms.  I was taugth that you get more isolation of the muscles if you lift (push) with a loose grip.  However, I have noticed that on my last set, to grind out the 6 or 7th rep, if I hold the bar tightly, I seem to have more intencity and get the extra rep.  This may reflect the sensor effect mentioned by Dirtyley.

I will use my light gloves and a tight grip next time I do bench presses to see if I get more reps.  thanks for the insight.

Phred


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## Eggs (Mar 6, 2004)

I dont use gloves currently... but I have in the past.

I kinda dig my calluses   But I have to keep them pretty trimmed back because they'll tear off and I dont want to leave them lying around the gym.


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