Any athlete who trains with bars, rings, ropes, or dumbbells knows that having calluses on their hands is inevitable. If you do monkey bars, pull-ups and push-ups on the rings, do you expect to have model hands? The normal thing is not to pay attention to your palms during training, but when you finish you observe them and begin to see the blisters with blood on the limit. I understand that imagining this is not being pleasant, but it is quite common in CrossFit boxes or calisthenics athletes. And believe me: it hurts.
The worst thing you can do is continue training without remedy, or take the liberty of pulling your skin without knowing what will happen. What you have to do? Should you moisten your hands and explode the blisters? We solve your doubts to improve your performance.
Should blisters explode?
I hate blisters, but especially when they have blood. Gym coaches recommend sterilizing a needle and putting a thread on it . Then we will puncture one side of the ampoule and pass the thread inside to remove it on the other side. With the string inside, you will go to sleep and let the ampoule dry on its own overnight.
The next day you can use bars with less pain and without the risk that the next day it will open in the middle of training. This would not only be unpleasant for the eyes (since the bars would fill with blood), but the training session would be more painful. So if you have no choice but to grab bars, kettlebells or dumbbells the next day, this tip could help you.
In the event that you are an athlete who does not take it too seriously and you can avoid doing some exercises with grip, you can choose to let the blister evolve on its own. It will finish drying and you can tear it when it is dry. It will be a much less painful experience than when it is "fresh".
Should you remove the skin?
Here is another of the big questions. If the skin is hanging, and you want to continue training with your hands that same day or the next day, it is best to use scissors and cut the loose skin as close as possible to the birth. If you leave a small piece of skin hanging, you risk getting caught in something and tearing deeply and painfully. (PHEW!)
I recommend that after cutting the skin, you use a pumice stone to gently smooth the edges to prevent the skin from protruding.
Dry or wet hands?
Your goal should be: not too wet and not too dry either.
If your hands are too wet because you gave yourself a good dose of cream for eczema, sometimes the wound will get wetter and more painful than it should be. Conversely, if you have them too dry, you risk cracking your skin and forming an even deeper tear inside the original wound.
So the best way is to apply some ointment right away, like Ript Skin Systems . You can also find yourself with a pumice stone to keep corns thin and flexible. Do not overdo it with hydration, a little will be enough to wake up better the next morning. You can even use cotton gloves to cover them and avoid staining the sheets.
How to prevent calluses and blisters?
If you're doing 150 pull-ups, chances are you have calluses and blisters on your hands. However, you can prevent this from happening, or from appearing on a lower severity scale. To do this, you must take into account these three basic tips:
- File the calluses. Both fine-grit sandpaper and pumice are perfect for leaving fine calluses. When you feel the calluses become too thick, especially those at the base of your fingers, sand them a bit.
- Keep your hands hydrated . You have to avoid that they are too dry, but you cannot exceed the humidity either. Pay attention to the state of your skin and control its appearance. Make sure to always wash your hands after using chalk or magnesium, as this makes your skin too dry. If your hands are naturally moist, avoid applying moisturizer before going to sleep.
- Use tape to prevent. Then I leave you a video to learn how to use tape or tape on your hands. I used this technique and it works quite well. You can avoid wearing gloves and you will keep sliding just as well. Paper tapes tend to break more easily, so you'll have to find the ones that best suit you. Don't be shy about taking the roll of tape and scissors to the gym. You will train more efficiently and without pain in the hands.
