Hand Care for the Avid CrossFitter
WOD: 3/30/17
20 minute AMRAP of:
10 Pull-ups
20 Dumbbell Snatches, Alternating 50/35-lbs.
30 Double-unders
Hand Care
By Rebecka Weinsteiger
I remember the first time I saw a Crossfitter with a ripped palm. They had just given their best pull-up effort in a WOD. It was more than just a wound and sure it was gross- but, it was a symbol of their grit and their ability to work through pain. At that time I was still just getting into Crossfit and my hands were just starting to build calluses from barbell work. I was still developing my strength and technique to link pull-ups.
Crossfit work, from the barbell and from the bar, will toughen up your hands. The repetitive pressure and pinching from the bars will inevitably leave you with calluses. You shouldn’t ignore these hand pads - leaving them ungroomed or unprotected is what will lead to a nasty hand rip.
We all love feeling tough, right? I won’t lie. The first time my hand tore open after – maybe even during – a WOD, I felt like a badass. I mean, I was pretty badass – I just completed a WOD with 50 pull-ups in it and I did every single one! The only problem was my hands were crap and the Crossfit Open was right around the corner. And that is the problem, Crossfit involves a lot of bar work and it is hard to jump back into the routine when you are nursing an open wound. Fortunately there are a number of things you can do to avoid a hand tear and many of them don’t cost much at all. Since my first tear, I have been really lucky. My hands have only ripped once or twice during the last three years and I want to share some tips I have learned from other Crossfitters over the years.
Soften the hands. Keep your hands soft with lotions or salves. Dry skin is more likely to crack or rip then hydrated skin. There are a ton of options out. According to one article I read: athletes swear by farmhand staples like Bag Balm and Udder Cream.
Chalk up. Use chalk to keep your hands dry during work outs with barbell and bar gymnastic work. Sticky moist skin will stick to metal and will be more likely get pulled and torn off.
Remove the calluses. No - don’t pick at them – I have done this and it never ends up well. Certainly refrain from biting them off – some is watching and you look ridiculous. Instead I recommend a couple of options: Use a callus shaver. Here is a tutorial. If callus shavers are too intense or risky for you, no worries, try a file like the PedEgg or a foot file. Some people have reported success using pumice stones during or after a shower for an even gentler callus removal. I talked to one Train member and he used a razor blade after a shower, but then he got grips and hasn’t had any calluses since then.
Grips. Grips are great if they work for you. They can be really great for gymnastic work on the bar, like pull-ups, toes to bar, chest to bar and muscle ups. I personally have not found a grip that worked perfectly for me. I have tried many at the box. If you see an athlete using grips ask if you can try them out, ask them how they use them. I talked to one athlete on Sunday, he uses leather grips but does not put his finger through the holes. He secures the grips to his wrists and puts his hands on top of the leather for his grip.
Check Your Technique. Perhaps you could benefit from changing your technique. According to this article, if you are prone to blisters or tearing, Israel Gonzalez, owner and head coach of CrossFit 718 in Brooklyn, New York advises athletes to place the bar directly in the crease of the hand where the palm meets the fingers. "Placing the bar in the center of the palm pushes excess skin into the crease, and that can lead to the development of calluses and blisters." Gonzalez also recommends that athletes wrap their thumbs around the bar, instead of using a suicide (thumb next to your index finger) or hook grip (thumb tucked under your index and middle fingers). This neutral grip better stabilizes the hand's movement and reduces friction.