Taking Care of your Hands

In CrossFit... it will happen to you some day if it hasn't happened to you already numerous times. The day when your hands might feel a little hot on the bars and all of a sudden... RIP!!! It just happened and often times you don't know its going to happen. Take care of your hands... but if you want to compete you will have to learn how to shove chalk in those rips and just keep going. There is a time and place for everything.

I think there is a threshold of the amount of "things" you can do on a bar before your hands say no more. When I first started CrossFit 3.5 years ago... that number was 40. Now that number is 80ish.

So what do you do about it?

There are many ways to take care of your hands so they don’t look like a bloody mess. It is always amazing to me that athletes don’t take preventative methods to make sure they don’t rip their hands raw, but it happens every week. Don't worry, I used to rip my hands all the time before I figured out what works best for me. Here are a bunch of ideas on how to keep those paws in good condition so you are not banished to V-ups and Ring rows for a week.

Lets get a couple things down first:

Calluses: are thick, hardened layers of skin that develop when your skin tries to protect itself against friction and pressure. They are NORMAL in CrossFit. Your hands will never be smooth like a baby's bottom as long as you are doing CrossFit.

Here are a few things I would recommend in order to make sure your calluses are well maintained.

Tip #1: Filers/Sanders/Grinders/razors

I have used all of the above. Anything from a bic razor after an hour of swimming to a finger nail file (mine are way to thick for that now), a pumas stone, and the razor and the sanders used in my video below. Whatever your device of choice is, make sure you keep up with those hands so you don't have ridges. Those ridges create more friction and will cause some deep rips. You want to keep some callus, but not too much.

Tip#2: Rocktape, Gymnastics Wraps, Natural Grips, Gloves

Since I have smaller hands I prefer nothing on my hands to protect them, but sometimes that is not the best option for me. My favorite method is to cut Rocktape like gymnastics wraps. This feels like the closest thing to not having anything on my hands. To save a few bucks, use white athletic tape to anchor them to your wrists instead of Rocktape... it is way cheaper. We sell Rocktape at EHP. Another newer product to EHP is the Natural Grips. These are a tougher kind of tape that is pre-made into a modified gymnastics grip. These take some getting used to, but can definitely become a fan favorite in no time. The come in different sizes based on your ring size so be sure to make sure you pick the right size. I prefer using these on toes to bar but they don't quite feel as good during pull ups (for me). You be the one to decide! Gloves provide your hands full protection. They can be beneficial for the bars, climbing ropes, getting ready for your wedding, have a big meeting coming up or handstand walking. Rocktape sells a solid glove and we also carry that at EHP. Another great option (for those with larger hands) are the leather gymnastics grips. They will last a really long time and typically hold up really well. They just don't work as well for the smaller handed athlete. You can purchase these at your local sporting goods store.

*For smaller hands I would recommend using only one strip of tape on each hand and cutting two little diamonds in the tape rather than one large finger hole.

Tip #3: What if I still rip?

Well... it is going to happen. You might even be proud the first time you tear your hands and that euphoria quickly goes away the first time you try to shower and wash your hair. Oh that sting... we all know it! There are many products on the market to help heal your hands, but the one I have found great success with (and it is easy on the wallet) is Climb On! While living in Seattle I treated a number of rock climbers and they introduced me to this all natural, organic product. Man, does it work! We finally got the opportunity to carry this at EHP and we are so excited about it! There are many other products such as WOD Balm which has many of the same properties at Climb On, but for double or triple the price.

These are just three of the things you can use and have available when you know you are going to be doing a lot of work on a pull-up bar. Make sure you are comfortable using them before a competition. If you sweat a lot, the Rocktape, Natural Grips or the gymnastics wraps are a must – the more you sweat, the more likely you are to potentially rip.

Prevention is key! The better you take care of your calluses the less likely you are to tear which will allow you to keep on with your training.

Don't let this be you!