Recovery

Gym calluses: how to keep them from tearing

Some hard skin protects your hands, but thick, raised calluses catch on the bar and rip. A few minutes of care a week prevents painful tears.

Calluses form where skin is repeatedly pressed and rubbed, which for lifters usually means the base of the fingers where the bar sits. A thin layer of tougher skin is useful and protects the hand. The problems start when calluses grow thick and raised: the edge catches between the bar and the palm during pull-ups, deadlifts or kettlebell work, the skin folds and a tear opens up that can keep you out of grip-heavy training for days.

Prevention is mostly maintenance. After a shower, when skin is soft, file calluses down with a pumice stone, callus file or emery board so they are level with the surrounding skin instead of standing proud. Keep the hands moisturized so the skin stays flexible rather than dry and brittle. Grip the bar lower in the fingers rather than deep in the palm, which reduces skin folding, and use chalk to reduce slipping, since sliding friction is what tears skin. Thin grips or gloves can help during very high-volume sessions, though many lifters prefer a direct grip.

If a callus does tear, wash the area with soap and water, trim loose skin with clean scissors rather than ripping it, and cover it while it heals. Avoid heavy gripping on that spot for a few days and train other lifts or use straps if they do not press on the wound. Watch for signs of infection, such as spreading redness, warmth, pus or increasing pain, and see a doctor if they appear.

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