I like to deadlift raw and I used to have problems with my grip just not being strong enough to hold the bar at weights over the 300 or so. My grip is definitely stronger now, but im having a problem with tearing off my calluses near my middle finger (both hands).
Today i went for 340 for sets of 5, and the weight felt good, heavy but i felt like i could hold it, but after 3 reps I felt this pain and i knew my callus on my right hand was ripping. It rips pretty deep, and hurts like hell when it happens, and i know i cant deadlift again until it heals.
Im not really sure what to do about this, because it keeps on happening. I really don't like to wear gloves, I just dont feel like i can lift as much. My gym doesn't allow chalk (although i could probably use it without anyone noticing), but im not sure chalk would help. Ive started using cloth tape, which helps a little, but it just delays the inevitable. I feel like i have a strong grip on the bar, i guess its slipping just a little in order for it to be rubbing on the callus, but its not slipping out of my hand or anything. Any thoughts on what I should do?
I've said this before, but in a gym where chalk is not allowed, not available, or discouraged, then I bring a piece of sidewalk chalk like my daughter uses to play. You can put it in your pocket, rub it on your hands between sets, and the chalk only gets on your hands, nowhere else.
I have callouses, but using chalk I've not had one rip off yet (luckily). If you think chalk might help, then this may be a solution.
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Since most of your life is already complicated, why make your training the same way? Jim Wendler
You can get non-chalk climbers stuff... I forget what it's called, but it's basically a little green bag that dries up your hands and gives you some extra traction. It's essentially a more eco-friendly thing than chalk for rock climbers. Good stuff. REI or similar has it.
You also might try the new skin stuff, I find that if I've ripped a callous off it covers nicely until it heals back over. It may not be enough coverage to let you deadlift in the mean time but it helps with having to wash hands and so on.
Other than that work on grip strength. If your grip is stronger the bar slips less and has less chance of ripping off skin.
I think it was in Starting Strength that I read to grip the bar in the groove of where your first knuckle is, at the base of the fingers. Don't grip it in the center of your hand. Since I've started doing this I haven't had any issues with calluses.
In fact, I've started gripping more towards the base of my fingers when playing golf as well and don't get calluses from that anymore.
Or this could be something I dreamed up on my own.
Get an emery board (send the misses on that one) and just file them down. Cotter mentioned that so you don't tare a callous off during kettlebells and I find it works wonders.
Thanks for the advice, ill grab some kind of chalk before i deadlift again. I know i should trim my calluses, stupid of me to let them get that big, but its also happened before when the calluses are smaller. Hand hurts today, tried doing some hanging leg lifts and couldn't keep my grip for more than a couple reps.
Get an emery board (send the misses on that one) and just file them down. Cotter mentioned that so you don't tare a callous off during kettlebells and I find it works wonders.
I should've taken that advice as I tore two over the weekend at Cotter's seminar. No snatching this week!
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Working "hard," or the perception of working hard, doesn't really mean anything. Sweating, vomiting, and breathing hard could be a good workout or a tropical disease kicking in.-Dan John
I was a gymnast for many years. My coach told me to use Tucks... you know the hemorrhoid medication...... I never did try it.... I was too embarrassed to purchase it!!!
BUT.... I did clean the rips and bag my hands overnight.... that helped out greatly!
Deadlift grip problems (calluses)
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