Caring for Your Hands
This one’s going to be a little shorter, but arguably one of the most important. I’m going to cover taking care of your hands here. The main thing I will say about hands is this. You spend maybe 5 hours a week working out. Do not, and I repeat, do not go haywire in the gym such that it holds you back from doing other things throughout the day because of damage to your hands. I’ve been there – it’s NOT fun. Having a callus that rips off because you’re not properly taking care of your hands not only effects subsequent workouts, but it negatively effects you in your day-to-day routine, from washing your hands (it’ll burn), to holding a computer mouse (you’ll have to hover your hand above the mouse). So. In short, listen to me and take care of your hands.
I’m going preface my advice by saying this it is purely anecdotal. I’ve read numerous posts on Reddit that recommend filing-down calluses, constantly using lotion, etc. I’m not about that life – I prefer minimum upkeep while keeping my hands strong, and healthy. I’ve done nearly 100 pull-ups 5 days a week for the last several years – I’ve had 2-3 callus tears in that time, and that’s only because I was testing my max pull-ups (I would hang with one arm, rest the other, and continue pumping out reps). Other than those few instances, my hand-care has prevented me from injuries.
First, don’t go into your workouts with moist hands. It’ll not only impact your grip on the bar (good luck deadlifting or holding yourself on a pull-up bar), but it’ll make you more prone to getting raw skin/blistering on your hands (think: when your feet are moist and you run, that’s a recipe of blisters, so same situation applies to your hands). How do you combat this? Easy. Wash your hands with soap before working out. A byproduct of this approach is having clean hands :) Oh, and make sure to dry your hands afterward.
Second, chalk up after you’ve washed your hands (after you’ve dried them). Washing your hands and using chalk dries out your hands – this is exactly what you want. You want to work out with dry hands. This will help you build your calluses if you’re just starting out, and maintain them if you’re regularly working out. This prevents your skin from tearing due to moisture. Of course, you’ll also find that you can grip the bars better.
Third, after you are done working out, wash your hands again. Depending on what you’re doing (a lot of pull-ups or a lot of deadlifts), your hands may feel raw. That’s OKAY. At this point, just make sure you moisturize your hands – now is the time for it. Use whatever lotion or moisturizer that you prefer, just make sure you are rubbing it into your hands.
Fourth, rinse & repeat the next time that you go to the gym.
THAT’S IT! You don’t have to file down your calluses (I’ve never done this in my life), you don’t have to moisturize every 30 minutes (I suppose you can if you want soft hands/have other goals as part of your skin care routine), but if you’re simply worried about callus maintenance, you’re done here. You’ve come as far as you need to.
Now, just one side remark that I’d like to make: your hands are going to be rough if you’re doing a lot of pull-ups or just working out using dumbbells/barbells in general. Some people don’t really like their hands getting callused or rough because of the workouts. Honestly, I’d recommend just looking at it a bit differently. Sure, calluses might not feel soft or supple, but it’s a result of your hard-work that you’re putting in the gym. View it as a badge of honor or just a reminder that you’re working hard. I’ve been in several non-workout settings where I’ve grazed my calluses with one of my fingers, and it just reminds me of smashing the workout earlier that day or the day before, and it gives me confidence – a reminder that I accomplished something. Try to approach it this way instead of, “I wish I had soft hands”. Use the byproduct of working out hard (i.e. getting calluses) to your benefit outside of the gym. Remember, we’re trying to acquire benefits outside of the gym for the time we spend in it. This is one of those benefits where you have to reach a little to acquire it. You got this, I know you do. Reach out if you have any questions.
