These are the things they don't tell you when you start swinging from bars.
If you're familiar with my coaching, you'll already know that gymnastics is one of my favourite aspects of CrossFit. Seeing people go from their first pull-up to 30 muscle ups is incredibly rewarding as a coach. Plus who doesn't love swinging around like a monkey all day?
But I am about to let you in on some of the secrets of gymnastics they don't often tell you and they have nothing to do with programming, skills, drills or mindset. Crazy, right? However I guarantee they'll help you out as you progress.
Tip #1 - Take care of your Hands
Hands started ripping or blistering with all the work you're doing on the rig? Most likely. Sure the initial injury might look cool on Instagram but ultimately they're a pain and can set you back while they heal.
Don't worry, the more gymnastics you do, the harder your hands will be become, but that doesn't mean you can't prevent against tears and care for hands in the meantime.
Prevention
Calluses - chances are you've got a build up of hard skin which worsen with friction. Shave these down CAREFULLY every couple of weeks; not too much so they're totally smooth but enough to take the edge off (after a shower or bath is an ideal time). Once every couple weeks is ideal.
I like this one from Amazon: Callus Shaver
Hand care - wash your hands with warm water before a session and moisturise your hands regularly. Who doesn't like young-looking, supple skin anyway?
Gymnastics grips - Invest. I'll come on to this later 👀
Care for a tear
Take a break and allow your hands to recover - a couple of days will do you the world of good and it'll give the blisters a chance to heal. There are plenty of other things you can train in the meantime.
Keep it clean, moisturised and covered - hygiene is key, and despite the temptation to "get the air to it", keeping a rip moisturised with something like Sudocrem and wrapped in tape will make it heal in half the time. Trust me.
Tip #2 - Get Gymnastics Grips
Although not for everyone, I'm a big fan of gymnastics grips for CrossFit. Elite gymnasts use them so why wouldn't you?
You might be asking, why invest? Firstly, they help you get a better grip on the rig - the "flap" on them (usually leather) is better made to stick than your hands. Secondly, they're designed to save your skin. So it's a no-brainer, really.
The question is - which ones do you go for?
Personally, I like these from Victory Grips as they allow me the option to use the finger holes or not depending on the movements I'm performing. A little pricey, but worth it.
Other good options include:
P.S. Go for a size bigger than you think you need.
Tip #3 - Full Grip on the Bar
You might have seen some athletes holding on to the bar WITHOUT their thumbs wrapped around the rig - this is known as "friction" or "suicide" grip and is a big no-no in my opinion. While there are pros and cons to both "friction" and "crush" grip (the latter being thumbs wrapped around the bar), many coaches will teach the full grip, like I do.
Firstly, it's safer, which is the main concern for me. Full grip prevents against athletes from slipping off the bar.
Secondly, it engages more muscles in your forearms and so better develops grip strength, which is a big limiting factor for many.
If you have been doing "suicide" grip up until now, I would highly advise full grip from now on.
It might feel weird or uncomfortable to begin with, but so did hook-grip in your weightlifting, and look how well that turned out!
The more you know.
These are just some of the things I wish I knew when I first started CrossFit. There are plenty of these, but this is a taster. Keen to know more? Send me an email or DM me on Instagram and I would be happy to help.
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