Thread: Gloves or No Gloves

I wore them religiously for about the first 4 years I lifted. So much that I would turn around to go back home if I had forgotten them. Now I like the way the steel feels in my hands. My hands have zero calluses, I would probably wear them if I got them.

I dont wear gloves, calouses are very light however I do use straps still. The straps help on back day, any other work if the bar is gripped hard and doesn't slip, and the knurling is not insane, then calouses wont be a big issue. Mine are still rather smooth, not ultra beefy like they used to be.

when pulling heavy weights you need to have grip and I feel that gloves are not the way to go. Like my man LAM said, I love the way the iron feels in my hands as well

I used to wear gloves to save my hands but I always ended up with callouses anyway!
I never ever use them any more and would never go back to using them.

I only wear gloves when i warm up. but i remove them after that because i feel more power when touching the steel

I always use gloves

I never wear gloves. I have awful callouses too.

I have awful callouses too.

casualties of war man, ain't no thang

Yeah waht's wrong with the callouses, hardened hands are tougher hands!

Originally Posted by gr81

casualties of war man, ain't no thang

I know, I love my callouses.

It's enough that I bite my nails. The last thing I need are calluses added to already somewhat-unattractive hands. I use glove religiously. Regardless, I have a teeny tiny callus under the ring finger on both hands. It would be so much worse if I didn't use the glvoes though.

As for the nail-biting. I stopped (again) five days ago. So far so good.

And I have to add, for the guys who say they love their awful calluses:

Sure, they're a casualty of war, but man, they are disgusting. There is little else as uncomfortable as being caressed by a hand full of calluses. At least to me. Some girls, maybe they don't care. Me? Sad to say, it grosses me out. Same with guys who don't clip/groom their nails (and toe nails) regularly.

Sure, they're a casualty of war, but man, they are disgusting. There is little else as uncomfortable as being caressed by a hand full of calluses. At least to me. Some girls, maybe they don't care. Me? Sad to say, it grosses me out. Same with guys who don't clip/groom their nails (and toe nails) regularly.

I have heard both sides. I have had women tell me that it is sexy because they like the feel of my hard hands and think that guys with soft, girl like hands, are not very manly.

Originally Posted by P-funk

I have heard both sides. I have had women tell me that it is sexy because they like the feel of my hard hands and think that guys with soft, girl like hands, are not very manly.

Oh I don't mean that I want a guy with girly hands! But there is a happy medium.

Originally Posted by GoalGetter

Oh I don't mean that I want a guy with girly hands! But there is a happy medium.

Don't worry, I wont ask you out then.

Originally Posted by P-funk

Don't worry, I wont ask you out then.

It's all good - my mother's a manicurist (i know, the bitter irony with me being a nail-biter and all...), I've learned from the best. I can turn your hands into the sexiest metrosexual hands you've ever seen.

hahahahaha, I am so not a metrosexual. You should have seen the mess that was created when I tried to shave my legs for my last compeition. I walked into the gym and the girls went bonkers!!!..."what the hell did you do? you are still bleeding behind the knee! did you exfoliate? use shaving cream? anything?" LOL

Yes. Gloves or straps, depending on the lift.

Originally Posted by Mudge

I dont wear gloves, calouses are very light however I do use straps still.

mudge, are you sure those calouses are from not wearing gloves?

Originally Posted by P-funk

hahahahaha, I am so not a metrosexual. You should have seen the mess that was created when I tried to shave my legs for my last compeition. I walked into the gym and the girls went bonkers!!!..."what the hell did you do? you are still bleeding behind the knee! did you exfoliate? use shaving cream? anything?" LOL

Sounds like you could use some female presence in your life

Originally Posted by GoalGetter

Sounds like you could use some female presence in your life

After that stunt I had 5 offers from women to come and wax me for my contest. And three of them wanted to apply my tan.

I use to wear gloves at first but found that I could never find a pair that fit so they didn't slip when I sweat. I use chalk if I lift heavy and usually only on back days with the barbell shrugs. I do have calouses, but they are not so bad and I like the way the iron feels in my hands as well! There's nothing like sweat and calouses!

Originally Posted by GoalGetter

Sounds like you could use some female presence in your life

Well, Var did promise to come visit him soon.

I wear gloves. Not that I particularly care about callouses, but my girl would rip me a new one if my hands got to rough for her tastes.

Originally Posted by bulletproof1

mudge, are you sure those calouses are from not wearing gloves?

i have a feeling this cheap shot is going to come with a price.

Originally Posted by GoalGetter

Oh I don't mean that I want a guy with girly hands! But there is a happy medium.

what's wrong with having girly hands !!!

Originally Posted by P-funk

After that stunt I had 5 offers from women to come and wax me for my contest. And three of them wanted to apply my tan.

what is it with us girls? we relish in being care takers to some extent. haha!

The glove question has been bandied about many times in this forum. As before I still wear gloves. But there is an additional benefit that no one has mentioned. Namely, in the gyms with the old style 45 plates with no cut outs it easy to smash the heck out of your fingers when you are slinging those plates on and off bars and equipment in a hurry. I use to get purple nails and squished fingers all the times when I went gloveless and just got tired of it. At least the gloves give a little bit of protection and soften the impact.

OD