Should I use gloves when lifting weights?

Posted on Sunday October 16th, 2011 by FranRodriguez

 

You’ve probably seen a lot of people wearing gloves when weight training at the gym. Is it advisable to wear them for weight training?

 

¿Guantes para hacer pesas?

 

In the end, it’s all about personal preference, but yes, using gloves keeps you from developing calluses on your hands.

They also provide you with traction when gripping bars and dumbbells, preventing them from slipping when you sweat in a hot workout room.

A drawback to using gloves is that the strength of your grip (exerted through your forearm) will be diminished.

Also, you have to wash them frequently, especially if they are made of leather, because they can build an unpleasant odor with continuous use.

 

Is there an alternative to gloves?

One option that many people use are foam grips. These prevent slipping and calluses, but the strength of your grip can be reduced.

As a conclusion to all this, we recommend that you use gloves or foam grips when you’re doing pulldowns, for example when you’re working your biceps or back, where you need more traction for your hands.

You can also use them in any exercise where you are going to do a lot of sets with quite a lot of weight.

These things will get your hands accustomed to training in many different ways.

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  • María José

    Yo en particular uso porque me dio alergia en las manos una vez, desde ahí que uso, donde va quedando la transpiración de toda la gente que usa las pesas derepente pueden existir esa clase de reacciones

  • April

    I do. Sometimes the metal squishes on my bones and the insulation helps combat that. Plus it helps prevent callouses :)

  • Juan C Paiva Mediavilla

    Como bien se dice el la publicción, “para gustos los colores”. Aunque creo que todo lo que suponga seguridad a la hora de realizar cualquier actividad fisica sin perjudicar la ejecución de la misma es positivo. Por eso yo estoy a favor del uso de guantes o “protecciones” en los gimasios. En cualquier caso enhorabuena por la web.

    • FranRodriguez

      Es cierto que hay gustos para todo. Y en el uso de guantes no iba a ser menos. Hay gente que los usa en todos sus entrenamientos, otros que se los ponen sólo para hacer espalda, los que usan espojas, etc. Lo que está claro es que su uso protege las manos a nivel estético, aunque pueda dificultar la fuerza del agarre en su totalidad. Muchísimas gracias por tu aportación Juan.

      Un saludo.

  • Daniel

    It depends on your goals. Gloves are a tool that brace your wrist and make heavier weights less painful to hold on to. If your goal is to build strength that translates to the real world though I would go raw. Unless you wear lifting gloves everywhere you go. Plus you get mannlieness points for lifting without them.

  • FRANCISCO JAVIER CARPINTERO CARRILLO

    A la hora de proteger las manos, como decís, seguramente sea mejor coger un par de esponjas peeero, éstas dificultan el agarre. Es como todo, cada cosa tiene sus pros y sus contras. Yo creo que siempre es mejor utilizar guantes pero igualmente, hay guantes y guantes. Como en toda práctica deportiva, pienso que siempre hay que asesorarse de los profesionales que hay alrededor, ya que son los que mejores indicaciones pueden darnos para la práctica de este deporte.

    Un saludo

    • FranRodriguez

      Sí es verdad que disminuyen la fuerza del agarre. Pero como bien dices hay muchos tipos de guantes. Por ejemplo, los hay con vendas que refuerzan las muñecas, y parecen fijar bien la articulación dando seguridad extra al que entrena, siempre y cuando tenga debilidad en dicha articulación.

      Un saludo.

  • http://www.sportize.me Matthew

    I think in general, gloves are more of a disservice than a benefit. While they do make holding onto the bar easier and less painful, they also increase the effective diameter of the bar, thus making the bar feel thicker. The thicker bar will feel heavier. If your goal is performance, no gloves. If you’re worried about callused hands, then go ahead and use them. But remember what Mark Rippetoe said: You can wear gloves only if they match your purse.

  • Jason

    Using gloves should be band in all gyms! Callouses are how you know you have been working. Furthermore, how can you get proper bio feedback if you have something between you and the object you are trying to move.

    Do gloves prevent the weight from slipping? Yes … until the glove gives! If you are lifting submaximal weight and not challenging your mind and body, gloves are a great idea. If you really want the most from your workout, forget the gloves. Callouses are your body’s natural gloves.

  • Mark D.

    Chalk and tape. Nothing fancy….

  • Gabriel

    That touches on something that would actually be useful info for me. I don’t use gloves and have experimented with tape, but haven’t found anything that works real well. I generally try athletic tape and have tried just wrapping it around my hands straight across the palm as well as more of a ‘hand wrap’ type wrap where it goes around my wrist, criss-crossing my palm and then around a finger. The former just rolled up and exposed the sticky side and got gunk everywhere. The latter didn’t seem to hold together well enough.

    What have you guys tried that works? I don’t care to use gloves or the other ‘cup’ type foams that some use to save their hands. Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

  • Daniel

    I go raw or use chalk. The chalk is nice because you don’t slip off the bar but with heavier weights it has been known to rip calluses apart. I mainly go raw and use either a hook grip or mixed grip to prevent slippage. It’s nice to not have chalk everywhere too.

  • Tom

    Personally, I hate lifting gloves, but I do use wrist straps when doing back work

  • Melanie

    I agree – no gloves, perhaps straps to aid grip if needed.

  • Adam

    Hi Fran,
    I think gloves are unessential and over used by the majority of people in gyms. However, for individuals lifting lower weights and lighter, high rep based exercises they may play a minor positive role.
    If you are losing grip when lifting extremely heavy weights such as in a deadlift, straps can be used. If your forearm and grip strength give up before the targeted muscle group, pull through straps around the wrists can be an aid until you improve your strength. I use these on the last set of heavy deadlifts as by the last rep my grip gives rather than my back

  • Jenny

    My palms get callused easily. Gloves help prevent that so it’s gloves for me…

  • Maria Piedad

    Se fija mejor la mano al tomar barras y mancuernas, personalmente es mas cómodo ¡

  • http://www.facebook.com/hugo.m.lagos Hugo Morales Lagos

    por un asunto de higiene y comodidad es preferible