Weightlifting is a sport that involves holding and moving heavy bars and weights, which can take a toll on your hands over time. Weightlifting gloves, available in nylon, leather or neoprene, offer protection and support for your hands. Whether you wear weightlifting gloves is a personal decision, but they do have several benefits, some more obvious than others.
Weightlifting Gloves
Weightlifting gloves are available in a variety of sizes, styles and materials. Most have the tops of the fingers cut-off to allow for more ventilation to keep your hands cooler and drier. Gloves made for women are smaller and styled differently than those designed for men. Leather and neoprene gloves typically provide a better grip than nylon gloves. Some gloves include a wrist wrap, which may help support your wrist during heavy lifts.
Grip
Weightlifting gloves provide a better grip on the bar than your hands alone can provide, which is especially important for lifts during which you max out the weight. When performing bent-over barbell rows, or any exercise where the bar hangs down toward the floor, you want your back or target muscle to fatigue first, not your grip. When you sweat during your workout, your hands become sweaty and slick. Gloves absorb and block the sweat so it doesn't affect your grip.
Protection
Constant friction between your hands and weight bars can cause calluses and blisters. Blisters can be painful, and calluses, although harmless, can be unsightly and uncomfortable, leaving your skin feeling rough and weathered. The coating on some bars can begin to flake after a lot of use. These flakes can have sharp edges, which can scratch or cut your hands. Weightlifting gloves protect your hands and skin from irritation and damage.
Confidence
A less obvious reason for wearing weightlifting gloves is that they can have a psychological benefit for a lifter. The National Strength and Conditioning Association recommends that athletes create a regular routine that puts them in the athlete role and mindset. Small activities, such as tying the laces on your tennis shoes or putting on your weightlifting gloves, can create a mind shift. Other responsibilities and diversions fall away, and your energy is focuses on the task at hand: weightlifting.
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