Kevin_Matlock Posted October 12, 2004 Posted October 12, 2004 I recently joined a rock gym. Now my hands look like extra lean ground beef. For you other gym jocks out there, just wondering if this is the norm. I have thought taping up would help, but it might get in the way of the full rack I have hanging over my shoulder! (Does ANYBODY tape up at gyms?) Quote
rock-ice Posted October 12, 2004 Posted October 12, 2004 I have a similar problem. I just finished building a bouldering wall in my gargage and normally don't pull plastic. I've got flappers all over the place. Whats the best thing to do for flappers? Quote
Squid Posted October 12, 2004 Posted October 12, 2004 superglue the skin back in place until you form some callouses Quote
Matt_Anderson Posted October 12, 2004 Posted October 12, 2004 "I have a similar problem. I just finished building a bouldering wall in my gargage and normally don't pull plastic. I've got flappers all over the place. Whats the best thing to do for flappers? " Choose your holds more carefully when filling out your wall - smaller holds, less sharp edges. Quote
selkirk Posted October 12, 2004 Posted October 12, 2004 Or you could just be like me and watch the skin continually peel off in sheets? Is that normal or do I have leprosy??? Tape on fingertips sux monkey though, your tips get sweaty and then the tape just slides around or comes off, only works for about 10 minutes while your warming up. As for best thing.... well besides not popping off of sharp edged crimpers? if Know! Quote
catbirdseat Posted October 12, 2004 Posted October 12, 2004 I climbed on sharp edged crimpers all day at Clem's Holler and my finger tips are fine. I think you folks with the new home climbing walls are suffering from over zealousness. Back off a little and give your hands time to heal. Then get back on and give your hands time to build up callouses. Use a moisturizer at the end of the workout to keep the skin from cracking. Quote
dryad Posted October 12, 2004 Posted October 12, 2004 "Climb On" bar is great for post-climb hand moisturizing and healing the scrapes and boo-boos. Quote
badvoodoo Posted October 12, 2004 Posted October 12, 2004 (edited) Currently, I don't pull anything harder than V2/3 in the gym, but I've never had a problem with blisters, inside or out. I can see shredding tips, but beyond that, I'm not sure what kind of repetitive friction you're pulling to generate blisters. Unless you're talking about tearing from slopers... One thing I can think of is that climbing in the gym tends to be MUCH more humid due to being enclosed, so I need to chalk up more. Without the chalk, your hands might be sliding over the holds and rubbing the skin loose. Edited October 12, 2004 by badvoodoo Quote
ryland_moore Posted October 12, 2004 Posted October 12, 2004 This is just normal and happens until you can build up calloses. This can even occassioanlly happen with callouses on really sharp holds. Just let the patches heal and your callouses will be strong and ready to crank! Quote
fenderfour Posted October 12, 2004 Posted October 12, 2004 I found that the desperate grapple to stay on a hold before falling tore up my hands very quickly. Just accept the fall gracefully, then try again. No more flaps. Quote
Kevin_Matlock Posted October 12, 2004 Author Posted October 12, 2004 I think you folks with the new home climbing walls are suffering from over zealousness. I was wondering if this was my prob.... I've been a member at this one gym for 2 weeks now and have NOT climbed maybe 2 or 3 of those days. My arms feel like shit (pumpage), but I was expecting that; the blisters are a bit of a surprise though. Looks like I am taking a couple days off and Quote
bDubyaH Posted October 12, 2004 Posted October 12, 2004 often when you are starting back into (gym) climbing you overgrip holds, thus creating more contact pressure and blisters, flappers, gobies, what have yous. try a lighter grip (less pump), plus once you have climbed in the gym enough you start to recognize holds and know if you are going to need to really pull down on them or not. and be sure to wash the chalk off your hands before you head home Quote
eric8 Posted October 12, 2004 Posted October 12, 2004 Without the chalk, your hands might be sliding over the holds and rubbing the skin loose. I call bs on that one. 1st you only needed to chalk up if your working something hard. 2nd I find its more of a probelm that i just can't grip the hold in the first place if my hands are sweaty, if you can grip it once your hand is on there its not a probelm Try Squids idea, or just deal with it till your hands get used to it. Quote
badvoodoo Posted October 12, 2004 Posted October 12, 2004 (edited) Without the chalk, your hands might be sliding over the holds and rubbing the skin loose. I call bs on that one. 1st you only needed to chalk up if your working something hard. 2nd I find its more of a probelm that i just can't grip the hold in the first place if my hands are sweaty, if you can grip it once your hand is on there its not a probelm Try Squids idea, or just deal with it till your hands get used to it. It was the best I could come up with, since I'm at a loss as to how you get blisters climbing. I was a gymnast for several years, and I learned quickly how blisters form. Rips are easy when you're pulling hard, because it requires only a single lateral motion to simply rip the skin off, but blisters require repetitive motion in multiple directions, working the skin loose. If you're working your hands on a single spot that much in that many directions, it seems like you're not keeping your movements smooth, which is critical when you're holding on by just the friction of your skin. As for rips, ya, second to just taking some time away, Squid's superglue option seems like the best bet for fingertips. Edited October 12, 2004 by badvoodoo Quote
Kevin_Matlock Posted October 12, 2004 Author Posted October 12, 2004 Skin 'ripping' is probably the better term versus blistering; I stand corrected. My problem areas are all localized to either the first pad (closest to the hand) on a finger or the normal callus placement on the palm of the hand (opposite the knuckles). I'm not having any specific finger TIP issues, just in a narrow band on both hands. I noticed that both pinkies have a buckled up skin thing happening whenever I drop off the wall... just opening the hand really wide tends to flatten out the skin... you can feel it unfold; GNARLY! Maybe it's my "hold on for dear life"-technique???? Quote
Dru Posted October 12, 2004 Posted October 12, 2004 it's def the chalk. its your dead skin drying up and peeling off. stopovergripping, wash your hands thoroughly and use a moisturizer until you build up some callusses. Quote
carolyn Posted October 18, 2004 Posted October 18, 2004 tape sandpaper to the holds. They will harden up right quick. Quote
Chad_A Posted October 19, 2004 Posted October 19, 2004 When I started out on plastic, my callouses grew really fast. Too fast, to be exact. The bigger they got, the more apt they were to tear from the underlying layers of tissue. As soon as I started whittling them down with a file (Franklin makes a nice, rough callous scrubber that keeps them from getting too big) the problem went away. Also, I found that hitting the campus board created lots of flappers. Just my .02 cents worth. Quote
ashw_justin Posted October 19, 2004 Posted October 19, 2004 Gym climbing mastah say: dumb man swing on holds like monkey; kung fu mastah dance on holds like spider. Get more technical with your climbing. Learn to climb statically so that your hand finds the sweet spot on the hold and then stays in one place, and exert only as much force as is necessary. The secret to this is of course to have good footwork. If you ever find yourself hanging by your arms then you are probably not climbing in the most efficient manner. Not only will this tear the skin off your hands, it also won't cut it on harder stuff where the holds aren't big enough to just hang on (I can speak only to 5.11's though). Oh yeah, and climb a lot. Quote
cracked Posted October 19, 2004 Posted October 19, 2004 It's normal, don't worry about it. And don't listen to that ashw_justin dude, he's way fuckin' sketchy. Quote
bouldergirl27 Posted December 11, 2004 Posted December 11, 2004 "Climb On" bar is great for post-climb hand moisturizing and healing the scrapes and boo-boos. I totally agree! Although i try to avoid the bar for minor boo-boos and just let my body work it out, it is great for big flappers- helps them heal much faster. Although, i must say, putting a big plug of it in a gaping, bloody hole in your finger is a bit disconcerting at first! oh, and make sure to cut that excess skin as short as possible!!! Quote
icegirl Posted December 11, 2004 Posted December 11, 2004 use your feet. balance. less hands more feet at this stage in the game. Quote
ken4ord Posted December 11, 2004 Posted December 11, 2004 When I started out on plastic, my callouses grew really fast. Too fast, to be exact. The bigger they got, the more apt they were to tear from the underlying layers of tissue. As soon as I started whittling them down with a file (Franklin makes a nice, rough callous scrubber that keeps them from getting too big) the problem went away. Also, I found that hitting the campus board created lots of flappers. Just my .02 cents worth. Maintainence is the best prevention. As longs and I make sure not to let my calouses thicken unevenly, by using file or pumic stone, I don't get flappers. Quote
tivoli_mike Posted December 14, 2004 Posted December 14, 2004 Try the "farmer's friend" salve from Burt's Bees. Good Honey-based cream. I use it after gym visits. Quote
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