HAND PROTECTION!
Yes, even in an “old people’s gym,” we may need it.
Why? First and foremost, pull-up bar work. If you are hanging, hanging & pulling or kipping, you will likely get to the point of wanting something between your hands and the bar. And most athletes “your age” will immediately think “gloves”…like weightlifting gloves. Aaaaaand, that’s almost 100% wrong, 100% of the time. “Gloves”, per se, may actually inhibit your grip! Yes, for real! They’re not meant for the kinds of things we do, from the barbell to the dumbbell to the pull-up bar and rings. They are too thick, normally made of material that slides across your hands, lessening your grip. We know – the natural thing to think is the thicker they are the easier it’ll be on your hands, right? Darn it, but wrong.
If you ask a coach, they’ll always tell you to buy gymnastics grips. You can get them for as little as $20.00 on Amazon, but I’d ask around to your coaches and other athletes who use them. We all have our preferences. Coach Pete, Ed, Sam…all use different brands. Some of our coaches are just “bosses” and can kip without them! Heck, sometimes a good thin layer of chalk will do the trick. But if you are in need of some hand protection, look for grips, not gloves. Some of the brands we and our coaching team recommend are:
i99fit and Rogue Gymnastics Grips – both very similar
Finally, you can make your own grips from athletic tape. This is the seriously old school way we used to do it before recreational fitness enthusiasts took up gymnastics. All you need is athletic tape (not the stretchy kind – plain old athletic tape) and this video:
Make your own tape grips, option 1. Read it. You may need two strips/grips per hand vs. 1.
Make your own tape grips, option 2. Video
Now you know the right answer: Grips or Gloves? Always Grips!
P.S. – and yes, you can use them for the barbell and dumbbell too…just not in competition sometimes.