Deadlift Grip/Calluses Advice

Sundance_Kid

Hi folks, started incorporating deadlifts into my gym workout in the last couple of months.

I'm currently around 75kg and I was deadlifting 5x5 at 100kg in the last couple of days and noticed my grip really slipping on the 4th rep each time, despite that I feel like there is much more in me to lift a good bit heavier than this but the grip is going to stop me. I currently grip overhand.

To further compound that, one of the calluses tore and there is a flap of skin there that probably needs to be trimmed to leave some bare skin. I'm aware this is part and parcel of doing deadlifts.

So a few questions:

Grip

1. To improve my grip so as to enable me to lift heavier what is the best accessory? Chalk, straps or gloves? Any other suggestions/advice.

Calluses

1. I dont mind calluses but the issue is when they tear/open up, is there anything to stop this happening or just accept it?
2. Also any tips for helping ripped skin from healing quicker as I want to continue working on other body parts that dont require a deadlift.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions and advice.

Jobs OXO

Sundance_Kid wrote: »

Hi folks, started incorporating deadlifts into my gym workout in the last couple of months.

I'm currently around 75kg and I was deadlifting 5x5 at 100kg in the last couple of days and noticed my grip really slipping on the 4th rep each time, despite that I feel like there is much more in me to lift a good bit heavier than this but the grip is going to stop me. I currently grip overhand.

To further compound that, one of the calluses tore and there is a flap of skin there that probably needs to be trimmed to leave some bare skin. I'm aware this is part and parcel of doing deadlifts.

So a few questions:

Grip

1. To improve my grip so as to enable me to lift heavier what is the best accessory? Chalk, straps or gloves? Any other suggestions/advice.

Calluses

1. I dont mind calluses but the issue is when they tear/open up, is there anything to stop this happening or just accept it?
2. Also any tips for helping ripped skin from healing quicker as I want to continue working on other body parts that dont require a deadlift.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions and advice.

A mix of urine and olive oil works absolute wonders on calluses

Alf Veedersane

Chalk and mixed grip will reduce issues with grip. That may reduce chance of calluses being torn open as well.

Dtp1979

I’ve never ever had issues with my hands tearing from deadlifting thankfully. I work with my hands a lot so maybe that helps. But when the weight gets heavy I use liquid chalk or alternate grips(over/under). I find straps awkward on deadlifts so don’t really use them for that lift.

Chalk and mixed grip!

Mellor

Chalk, mixed grip and preemptively trimming calluses is all you need.

Brian?

As others have said, chalk fixes the issue with the bar slipping.

I've never had an issue with calluses, my hands never really get them.

As you're a beginner I wouldn't really worry too much about grip strength yet. You just need to train more.

I used to pull mixed grip, but I've switched to double over hand. Mixed is definitely stronger but I've read too many articles on the risks of mixed grip. It's harder on the bicep and shoulders.

whippet

Deadlifting and hard skin go hand in hand ... but managing your hands is important. Mixed grip will help with grip issues at heavier weight / reps but won’t prevent dead skin buildup.

Personally I will use double overhand up to about 60% of my 1rm so once I hit about 160kg I’ll switch to mixed grip. With any more than 3 reps I will use straps .. purely to save the grip and for keeping tight lats .. I wish I could hook grip.


You will always hear horror stories about bicep injuries from mixed grip ... but I’ve never come across it and once you have straight arms and not curling the bicep while deadlifting it shouldn’t be an issue.

As for managing hard skin ... use a scapel or pumice stone to file it down and moisturise you hands. Torn skin is an injury - not a badge of honor and will affect your training for a week or so

Eoinbmw

Honestly if your not competing use double over hand with straps past 60-70% max!
If you have relatively small hands straps can be awkward to use!
Id have smallish hands myself and find double loop straps excellent!
If you plan on doing a powerlifting meet mixed grip with chalk is the normal route!

IvoryTower

I just wear gloves!

DM_7

Sundance_Kid wrote: »

Hi folks, started incorporating deadlifts into my gym workout in the last couple of months.

I'm currently around 75kg and I was deadlifting 5x5 at 100kg in the last couple of days and noticed my grip really slipping on the 4th rep each time, despite that I feel like there is much more in me to lift a good bit heavier than this but the grip is going to stop me. I currently grip overhand.

To further compound that, one of the calluses tore and there is a flap of skin there that probably needs to be trimmed to leave some bare skin. I'm aware this is part and parcel of doing deadlifts.

So a few questions:

Grip

1. To improve my grip so as to enable me to lift heavier what is the best accessory? Chalk, straps or gloves? Any other suggestions/advice.

Calluses

1. I dont mind calluses but the issue is when they tear/open up, is there anything to stop this happening or just accept it?
2. Also any tips for helping ripped skin from healing quicker as I want to continue working on other body parts that dont require a deadlift.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions and advice.

I had the same problem when I started deadlifting. Tried different gym gloves but they were no good. Some builders gloves like this with fingers cut off were good when my hands were sore for some relief, but the sweatiness of any glove makes the calluses worse.

I now use RDX straps for heavier (to me) lifts, they have rubber grip on the strap which stops them slipping.

Alf Veedersane

IvoryTower wrote: »

I just wear gloves!

You're probably better served with chalk. Gloves will make your hands sweaty and you have a layer between hand and bar that can move about.

John_Rambo

This came up when I opened boards.ie as it's a recent thread. I'm no weight lifter, but I used to be a long distance oarsman and calluses forming, growing big and then separating from the pad was a problem that could really effect performance on a cross channel competition. And, it's a serious injury if you let them grow too big and they start to sheer off your hand.

It's probably worse for you men and women using metal bars with "grippy" roughened, patterned or sandpaper like steel bars. (I'm just assuming the type of material your hands come in contact with from gym work we did, forgive me if I'm wrong)

Filing the calluses down with an emery board filer (the ones people use for filing and shaping finger nails) before they become to big and start separating is the key. But... you need to leave some hard skin for protection.

Basically if the callus is moving very freely on top of the pad it's going to separate soon and effect you negatively, so file it down. We couldn't simply stop in a rowing race so hand care was taken pretty seriously.

Hopefully this shared, cross sport knowledge is helpfull!!

I won't get in to the calluses on the top of my tail bone!

Best of luck.

Edit - also, hand cream was frowned at at one stage due to a fear of soft hands, but in the later years of my rowing days it was considered positive and calmed down the formation of very hard calluses. Gloves were a disaster due to the type of movement described by Alf Veedersane.

drdeadlift

Dont use chalk,gave up using mixed grip after watching videos of guys biceps snapping.
Using straps would be my advice.

Mellor

Bicep injurys are due to bad form, not mixed grip. And bad form on deadlifts presents much bigger risks.

drdeadlift

Mellor wrote: »

Bicep injurys are due to bad form, not mixed grip. And bad form on deadlifts presents much bigger risks.

Your miles off the mark there.Explain yourself.

Eoinbmw

Most bicep tears are on the supinated hand!
Its usualy happens near 1 rep maxs and im of the opinion the puller flexs under extreme load his bicep which leads to the tear!
Im speaking theoretically of course ive not had this injury but i imagine the puller does not realise he is flexing his bicep and is just going for it with every fiber in his body!

Mr. CooL ICE

I once saw a man crash while driving a car. Guess I better walk everywhere

I wonder if they just hadn't taken the slack out before starting

Alf Veedersane

I'm pretty sure the bicep tears from deadlifting 1RMs makes up an insignificantly small proportion of all the 1RM attempts ever. So I just make sure that I keep my arms straight and pull.

Brian?

IvoryTower wrote: »

I just wear gloves!

You’re worse than Hitler.

Sundance_Kid

Thanks for the replies folks, seems to be a few different recommendations.

I managed to get some liquid chalk off a friend so I may start with that once my hand heels and I can DL again.

On the mixed grip, I had tried it before but it just didn't feel as natural as using the overhand grip so I didn't try with it again. Maybe I just need to give it a go again.

Any good videos on how to DL with mixed grip?
Also what hand should you use for the underhand, weaker or stronger arm or should it be mixed up?

Thanks

Dtp1979

Sundance_Kid wrote: »

Thanks for the replies folks, seems to be a few different recommendations.

I managed to get some liquid chalk off a friend so I may start with that once my hand heels and I can DL again.

On the mixed grip, I had tried it before but it just didn't feel as natural as using the overhand grip so I didn't try with it again. Maybe I just need to give it a go again.

Any good videos on how to DL with mixed grip?
Also what hand should you use for the underhand, weaker or stronger arm or should it be mixed up?

Thanks

This one is good https://m.youtube.com/watch?t=235s&v=wYREQkVtvEc

Mellor

drdeadlift wrote: »

Your miles off the mark there.Explain yourself.

Way off the mark how? I think you'll have to explain yourself a bit too.

My post was pretty simple I though. Bicep tears when using mixed grip comes from lifting with a flexed elbow. This is basically trying to bicep curl your deadlift 1RM - not a good idea and terrible form.

Bad form on a deadlift risks a back injury. And I'd argue that is a) much more common on deadlifts generally, and b) potentially much more serious.

Eoinbmw wrote: »

Most bicep tears are on the supinated hand!
Its usualy happens near 1 rep maxs and im of the opinion the puller flexs under extreme load his bicep which leads to the tear!
Im speaking theoretically of course ive not had this injury but i imagine the puller does not realise he is flexing his bicep and is just going for it with every fiber in his body!

I doubt they realise it. But it's still bad form.
It doesn't even achieve anything, as a complete rep is when the hips are locked out not when the bar is a certain height. So my lifting it an inch with your arms, you're just making it harder. If anything you want to be pushing it away from you and locking your arms.