I just participated in an interesting discussion on Reddit that asked “are gym gloves for pu$$ies?”  Not only was that one of the most moronic questions in the bodybuilding forum, but it also showed the general ignorance of some of those guys that by looking at them, you’d assume were experts. 

Gym Gloves Review

I’m not going to talk about what the best gym gloves are.  After all this is the GymPaws blog, so you already know that answer.  What I’m going to talk about is why you should use gym gloves and what some of the misconceptions are about them.  Just because someone looks like a fitness magazine cover model or has a Personal Trainer certification, does NOT mean that they know everything about everything.  When it comes to building muscle and weight lifting, you need to read and learn, and draw your own conclusions.  There are of course FACTS that are not opinions, and here are some related to the topic.

Opinion:  Calluses are a sign of hard work and long hours in the gym. 

Fact:  Wrong.  You’re an idiot if you think this is true.  Calluses are a medical condition called Callousity.  It is your body’s natural reaction to excess pressure and friction.  Left untreated, this thick dry skin will crack and bleed and the resulting open wounds can lead to infection.

Opinion: Weight lifting gloves, gym gloves, crossfit gloves are all the same thing. 

Fact:  This is somewhat true.  What we’re really talking about is hand protection.  When you’re reading a gym gloves review, keep this in mind.  There is no such thing as a Crossfit Glove – Crossfit is a Brand name for a circuit style of workouts.  Whether you call it a lifting grip, or glove you’re referring to the hand protection that it offers in addition to the added benefit of increased grip.

Opinion:  You build more muscle by not using gloves. 

Fact:  Actually the opposite is true.  While the meat heads have themselves convinced that their calluses are giving them better sensory perception while lifting… it’s all in their heads.  Calluses ARE your body’s hand protection.  The reason you can cut or shave off calluses is because there are no nerve endings in this excess dry thick skin.  Therefore if you’re walking around the gym with thick dry callused hands, you might as well be using gym gloves because the calluses are serving that purpose.   A good gym glove or lifting grip not only protects your skin against this friction and pressure, but it INCREASES your grip and confidence when moving the weight or completing the exercise.

Now quit asking annoying questions and just get yourself a pair of gym gloves already!

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