Topic: Torn hands on steel bars

[Jeremy Klemm]

I was working on upper body strength and climbing on playgrounds / swinging, but after only 3-5 mins I developed 5 blisters and tore 3 of them.  Is there a trick that i'm unaware of for proper technique, or perhaps are there a certain type of gloves used when swinging on bars?

Thanks in advance for your input

[Conner McGillvray]

This happened to me a few weeks ago!!!! check out Jesse La Flair's vid:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tp83vNIWI6k

[Sam Dutton]

No gloves. If you devoloped blisters, your hands may not be strong enough. If your existing calluses ripped it is because they are to big. I shave mine down with a dull knife at a 90 degree angle with my hand after I shower in the morning. My friend uses a butter knife. Their are lots of other things that work to.

[Jeremy Klemm]

Thanks, i'll give it a try

[Conner McGillvray]

for healing your tears, poor salt water over the skin.  Jesse told me this him self and it works wonders

[Dan Elric]

Pumice stones are used to manage calloused skin.  The repeated friction from the bars caused the blisters to form.  There is no way to evade this as far as I know apart from not doing it so much.

for healing your tears, poor salt water over the skin.  Jesse told me this him self and it works wonders

Salt water is only effective for killing germs, it won't help the wound heal any faster.  There are more effective and less painful ways of doing that.

[Conner McGillvray]

If you say so.... But i will continue to use this method, it helps me heal (or maybe i just think so) however salt water is known for curing sores, scrapes, abrasions and things like that

[Dan Elric]

Saline is used to flush wounds and is known for mild disinfecting qualities.

Wounds heal fastest when they're cleaned properly, disinfected, and kept moist (traditionally with honey, more recently with petroleum jelly).  For blisters specifically, I recommend Band Aid's blister pads as a superior alternative to regular plasters.

[Zack]

Your skin will naturally condition to your activities, even if it's somewhat soft like mine. When you train, train enough to toughen the skin a bit but not so much that you tear a callus off. It sets back your hand conditioning and it looks pretty nasty 

[Jeremy Klemm]

Tried some more today... lasted 15-20 mins this times before 5 blister 3 torn  

Its hard to train when it is happening SO fast to me lol

[Sparklefish]

Daily pumice in the shower, plus the occasional shaving with a straight razor, has worked well for me over the years.  When I get a rip, I have found that soaking it in a warm epsom salt bath seemed to speed up skin re-growth, some gymnastics coach recommended it somewhere online, but it's not necessary at all.  What does really help the healing process is to keep the rip moist like Dan said.  Chapstick and lip balm work great for that, they're easy to slip in your pocket and take with you and the help prevent the wound from drying and cracking.

[Austin Morrow]

This may be considered cheating, but whenever I go to train on steel bars I do one of two things. I bought a pair of extremely thin gloves that are slightly slippery, and while they are grippy, they're perfect for bars. Additionally, I've used a very small amount of baby powder on the skin. Not a handful, but a very small amount, just so my hands don't feel heat and tension when swinging or going on bars.

[Daniel]

No gloves. If you devoloped blisters, your hands may not be strong enough. If your existing calluses ripped it is because they are to big. I shave mine down with a dull knife at a 90 degree angle with my hand after I shower in the morning. My friend uses a butter knife. Their are lots of other things that work to.

Mine ripped the other day hurt like hell when I was doing a lache

[FluidMovementUK]

This is actually a really good thing in Parkour it means that you're hands will get stronger and you'll be able to do more in the future it's called a callisis It replaces the skin with a layer of dead skin that's hard and if you get these it means you're really working Or you progressing hugely

[Sparklefish]

Calluses are bad.  Calluses become blisters.  Small calluses are good, just make sure to manage them with a pumice stone to keep them small and moisturize daily to keep your skin soft. 

Also, rips hurt.  Deal with it.  I coach gymnastics and I watch little girls do giants on bleeding rips everyday.  I know we're not as tough as them, but let's try a little harder, eh?

[Sam Dutton]

FluidMovement: that is what most people think when they start, myself included. But when they become to large they become easier to rip. I know this, as most here, from experience.

[Will]

Tried some more today... lasted 15-20 mins this times before 5 blister 3 torn  

Its hard to train when it is happening SO fast to me lol

I must admit Ive never had that problem.  Id imagine if you keep training after your hand has healed they will get tougher.

Another idea though...Maybe try wearing wraps?  These are what boxers use to keep strength in the hand and to avoid spraining of the wrists when training on a punch bag.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-Pro-MAXX-Boxing-MMA-UFC-PUNCH-BAGS-4-m-HAND-WRAPS-/150647849828?pt=UK_SportingGoods_Boxing_RL&var=&hash=item23134fc364

These might take the strain off your hand!

[Clint Walker]

I've got a pair tough, fingerless gloves that I'll sometimes wear if I'm training extensively on abrasive surfaces, or if my palms start feeling irritated. Otherwise, I like to say if it hurts a little, slow down or change it. If it hurts a lot, take five. And if it hurts like a mother f***er, limp home.

As for callouses, they're not necessarily bad. I've got them from playing guitar, and they're the body's natural way of toughening the skin. Just got to slow down when the callous arias get irritated, or protect them, so blisters don't form