Should You Lift Weights With Bare Hands?

A firm, secure grip can make or break your lift. With a strong and steady hold, you can pull up weights with power and confidence. But should you do it with bare hands or gloves? The choice depends on what you’re looking for in terms of performance, hygiene, comfort, and injury prevention. Keep reading for a quick rundown of the pros and cons to help you train with confidence.

Lifting without gym gloves generally feels more natural – nothing comes between you and the barbell. You can directly feel the bars, the pressure of the weight on your hands, and the minor tweaks and adjustments of your grip. Here are other key advantages of lifting bare-handed:

• Developing grip strength: Without a glove to assist your lift, your fingers, palms, and forearms exert a natural, unassisted hold and develop a stronger grip on the weights.
• Better feel and control: Bare hands directly touch and hold the bar, so you can instinctively position your hands better and adjust them as needed.

While barehanded lifting may feel more natural, you could get gym hands (develop hand calluses from lifting) since your skin isn’t protected. Your sweaty palms could also negatively affect your grip, among other downsides, such as:

• Discomfort and friction: Since your skin is in direct contact with the bar, it increases your chances of getting blisters or flareups. At worst, it can trigger conditions like eczema or allergies to metal. 
• Hand fatigue: As your lift isn’t assisted, your hands could tire out quickly, affecting your endurance. Without gloves, there is also no extra compression to help stabilize and protect your wrists.

Lifting weights with gloves gives you a cushion and extra support. It adds reinforcement, especially if you train frequently or are increasing the weights of your barbells. What are the benefits of using gloves?

• Grip and stability: Gloves are padded and made of non-slip material, giving you extra grip and avoiding an unsteady hold.
• Extra protection: The barrier shields your skin from friction, which can cause irritation or inflammation. 
• Wrist support: The gloves’ compression and padding reduce the pressure on your wrist, making your hands less prone to injury. 

With these in mind, you might ask, why doesn’t every lifter use gloves? Because they also come with downsides, such as:

• Grip inconsistency: The extra padding can cause lifters to find it more difficult to maintain a secure grip. Gloves can also make it harder to get a “feel” of the bar, affecting positioning, technique, and overall performance.
• Trapped sweat: Your gloves could cause your palms to sweat more, which can be uncomfortable. 
• Glove maintenance: Gloves should be washed regularly to prevent skin issues. This can cost you extra time and money. 

A friendly reminder: Whether you go barehanded or use lifting gloves, remember that any gym equipment and gear can harbor bacteria. It’s best to clean and disinfect them after every use.  Practice proper handwashing with Lifebuoy Antibacterial Handwash with Multivitamins+ Total 10, which helps fight 99.9 percent of germs and prevent skin issues.

A post-gym shower is also crucial to preventing skin problems and body odor. Don’t stay in your sweaty clothes for long. Shower with Lifebuoy Antibacterial Body Wash with Multivitamins+ Total 10, formulated with vitamins B3, C, and E to help boost skin immunity against harmful germs. Once your skin is dry, spray on Dove Men+Care Deodorant Spray Invisible Dry for 48-hour odor and sweat protection. It has a clinically proven, non-irritating formula that leaves no deodorant stains. For total protection, make sure to spray it after showering before and after your workout.

It’s all a matter of your preference and the type of training you do. If you want comfort, hand protection, and extra wrist support, try wearing gloves. But if you’re more comfortable having a direct feel of the bar and want to build on your natural grip strength, go with bare hands. Either way, equally important is to keep at it, lift strong, and push yourself to new limits with each rep. Good luck!