When it comes to CrossFit, your hands are one of the most valuable assets you have! Because you’re constantly lifting weights and putting them through their paces in gymnastics & bar work (and don’t forget to mention all those high fives), you want to look after them and keep them in great shape so that they aren’t causing you pain and affecting your workouts!

Wash your hands

After training it is important to wash your hands. You will most likely come in contact with many different surfaces during your session and it is important to wash these different bacterias and particles off your hands at the end of each session. Things such as chalk can dry out your skin and make it easier for your hands to rip due to the skin being more rigid and having less give.

Callus reduction

Maintaining your calluses will make sure they are at a level where they are less likely to rip. Using techniques such as; callus shaving, pumice stone filing, normal filling, cutting (be very careful) etc are all great methods for keeping your calluses at a manageable level.

Hand protection

Gymnastics grips are a great investment as they will add a layer of protection between your skin and the surface you are holding onto, limiting the friction applied to your skin. Sweat guards for your wrists are also great as they limit how much sweat gets on your hands, meaning you won’t have to use as much chalk which is not great for your skin. Lastly, tape is also a great way for adding a protective layer to your skin – it’s very malleable and easily moulds to the varying shapes of your hands.

Move less

Minimize how much movement your hands are doing. If you are performing pull ups, take a full grip and minimize the amount of times you regrip the bar in order to decrease the strain on your hands. The same thinking can be applied to dumbbell work, barbell cycling, ring work, kettlebell exercises etc.

If, however you do rip your hands, make sure to treat it as your would any other injury and not just ignore it. Clean it, apply some antibacterial balm and cover with a fabric bandage. Healing can take anywhere from a couple of days to over a week, so during this time, make sure to keep your hands clean and stay away from any movements that could re-open your wound!