The Workout Gloves I Use

Oh, calluses.

If you regulary perform bodyweight exercises – especially pull-ups, chin-ups and dips – you’re bound to develop calluses on your hands.  Weightlifters know what I’m talking about, too.

I kinda see calluses as a rite of passage…evidence that you’ve been putting hard work in.  I know some of ya’ll feel me out there ;).

Calluses develop when parts of our skin (like palms and heels) are subjected regularly to pressure and/or rubbing.  It’s your body’s way of protecting your skin.  Pretty cool God-given adaptation if you ask me.

There are some circumstances when calluses aren’t cool, like when interacting with others (especially spouses).  Imagine shaking a hand, patting a shoulder or giving a hug with sandpaper-like palms.  I’m sure the recipient wouldn’t be appreciative of that.

Let’s talk about workout gloves.

They Do Help

Before I talk about the workout gloves I use, let me first say that how much they help prevent calluses depends on two things:

1. How faithfully you use them
2. How much you work out

Because I work out often (like, almost everyday), I do still deal with calluses somewhat.  However, gloves help to lessen the calluses, and they also serve to reduce the discomfort I might normally experience from gripping rough bars or from doing push-ups on gravel or rocky dirt.

My Gloves

I use Gold’s Gym Weight Lifting Gloves.  These are my second pair of workout gloves, and they’re definitely better than my first ones.  They have a little bit more padding on the palm side, and they also have a stretchy material over the knuckle part that allows you to move your hands well and provides some breathability.

Another plus that these gloves have that my others didn’t is the velcro wrist strap that wraps around the wrist.  I find that they work similar to larger wrist straps in that they provide security to my wrists, but they aren’t so “secure” that they inhibit my movement.

While these gloves weren’t top-end, they aren’t bottom-end either.  The price is average, and because mine have lasted 2-3 years so far, they’re good enough for me.

If you’re working out about three days a week and doing stuff like pull-ups, dips or weights, investing in some decent gloves is going to be a worthwhile investment for you.  That is, unless you don’t mind sandpaper for hands.