I used lifting gloves during my first 6 months of strength training. I quit using them because I had to buy a new pair every 6 weeks. I didn’t understand back then why you shouldn’t use lifting gloves. I do now. Here’s why you shouldn’t use lifting gloves.

Lifting Gloves Make the Exercise Harder. The thicker the bar, the harder it is to grip it. If you ever trained with a fat bar, you know what I’m talking about. Gloves add thickness to the bar. This is especially hard on exercises where the weight is pulled downward out of your hands. Like the Deadlift.

Lifting Gloves Are Not Safe. The Overhead Press & the Bench Press has the weight above you. The more secure your grip, the less chance to injure yourself. What’s the most secure grip? A grip where you can squeeze the bar hard. The thicker the bar, the harder it is to grip it. No lifting gloves.

Lifting Gloves Prevent Proper Technique. The bar should rest as close to your wrist as possible when you Overhead Press or Bench Press. This allows you to apply maximal force on the bar. Lifting gloves add thickness, which makes impossible to keep the bar close to your wrist. The result: bar gets more into your fingers. Leading to less power, wrist pain & a less secure grip.

Lifting Gloves Cause Eczema. Check Pompholyx. Heavy sweating can cause eczema in your fingers.

Lifting Gloves Are Not Allowed on Competitions. You never know. If you get into powerlifting or weight lifting competitions one day, know that lifting gloves are not allowed. Better to build good habits from the start.

Lifting Gloves Are Useless. Why are you using gloves anyway?

• Your hands hurts?
• Your hands are sweaty?

If your hands hurt, be patient. Let calluses grow. Having no calluses hurts more than waiting for their formation. If your hands are sweaty, use chalk.