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Weight Training Gloves – Do I Need Them?
Weight training involves lifting free weights and working with machines. As you perform exercises according to your bodybuilding program, you cannot avoid getting your hands calloused and bruised due to the pressure and friction they receive each time you do lifts, presses, and other weight lifting exercises. This is why weight training gloves are recommended by many trainers. To them, specially designed weight lifting gloves protect your hand from discomfort so that you can focus better to executing the exercise at hand.
Apart from protection, weight training gloves are used for many other benefits. For one, they enhance the grip for performing certain weight lifting routines. The gloves absorb pressure that would have been otherwise felt by the hands and the wrists. They can also absorb sweat for a tighter grip around the bars and in turn, greater strength in lifting.
Some weight lifters shun the use of weight training gloves; they are the ones who wear their calluses like badges of honor. They point out that wearing gloves gives you a false sense of accomplishment because you deprive yourself of the chance to develop, a true, efficient grip that you can actually use in the face of urgent, real-life situations. Opponents recommend the use of gym chalk instead.
On the other hand, those who use weight training gloves believe that these accessories can actually maximize the results of any workout. They use gloves to protect their hands and lift heavier weights with accuracy and concentration. To them, all you need is to find a pair of gloves that fits your hands perfectly and effectively boosts your workout performance. They use weight lifting gloves for any exercise that involves gripping, grabbing, pulling, and pushing.
Buying Options
At the end of the day, it is up to you to decide if you need weight training gloves. If you have not tried using them before or are just about to start with a weight training program, try visiting health and fitness forums and gather information from user discussions. You may even ask for recommendations from more experienced lifters. In case you decide to buy, remember the following pointers:
Material. Neophrine and leather weight training gloves are of the best quality in the market. Both offer better grip but leather, unlike neophrine, tends to bunch up a little. Neophrine gloves are also fitted with more padding.
Design. You will also have to select gloves that allow breathing space for your fingers. The most ideal are those that covers the bottom half of your fingers, allowing you to flex and curl them up when lifting free weights.
Enclosure. The wrist wraps in weight training gloves serve a purpose – to keep your wrists from getting sore. This is why they need to be adjustable so you can have the gloves and the wrist wraps fitted snugly. Velcro gloves are more flexible but if you are just a beginner, slip-on weight lifting gloves can work for you.
Size. Weight training gloves offer the best advantage if they are the perfect size. Choose carefully to avoid buying a pair that is too small or too big for you. The usual sizes available are small, medium, large, and extra large.