Why Runners Should Avoid Gloves, Straps and Belts in the Weight Room

Weight lifting is a great cross training exercise for runners. Training with weights helps you build muscle in ways that aren't stressed enough as a runner, which can lead to a healthier and less injury prone body that can run faster and farther.

Weight training doesn't have to be complex. As a runner, you will usually want to stick to body weight exercises or simple moves with dumbbells or barbells. There's no need to start out with expensive equipment such weight gloves, wrist straps or weight belts, which can be bad for you and should be avoided except in limited circumstances.

First, what are they?

Weight lifting gloves are padded gloves that usually have the fingers cut off, much like bicycling gloves, that help you maintain your grip on a bar.



Wrist straps are pieces of rope or leather that you wrap around your wrists and then wrap around a bar to help support heavy weights and to make it so that you do not have to rely upon your grip to keep from dropping the bar.



Weight belts are belts that you wear around your stomach and lower back. They are not used to hold your shorts up; instead, they are used to support your back so that you are less likely to contort it into a potentially dangerous position.


All three items should be used when you are lifting heavy weights at or near your maximum where there is a good possibility of not being able to maintain your grip or keep your back straight. In fact, in some cases it would be foolish not to use them.

However, for the average runner, recreational weight lifter or even the serious athlete that is not a power lifter, they should not be necessary.

Instead, you should concentrate more on building a base and lifting weights that you can handle.

I recommend my athletes that are cross training in the weight room to avoid using gloves, straps or belts for the following reasons:

They discourage good form. By relying on a foreign implement, you are not learning how to support your own back or wrists. In most situations outside of a gym, you will not have gloves, straps, or a weight belt available (or you will not think to use them if you do) and can easily hurt yourself if you are used to having extra support that is not there. Moving a heavy box, or playing outside with your kids can be a lot less pleasurable after throwing your back out.



They make exercises easier. By helping to support the weight, you are not getting the same benefits. You will not develop a better grip by supporting the bar with straps or with gloves. Your back will not get as strong if it doesn't have to do all the work of keeping a bar from moving.



They can encourage lifting too much weight. Since exercises are made easier, it can be tempting to lift more weight than you are ready for. This is especially dangerous for inexperienced weight lifters who are not really sure what they are capable of and have not perfected the proper form. They just are not ready to push their limits yet.



You only have two hands. I think that carrying a water bottle around with you at the gym is much more important than carrying extra implements, and you should carry a memo pad or other journal where you can record your workouts as well. You do not want to have to keep track of a few extra items on top of those. Granted, you could wear them from exercise to exercise, but there is no reason to wear them for exercises where they would do no good under any circumstances.



Deadlifts and squats can be safely done without a weight belt. Despite the common assertion that your back requires the extra support, people were picking things up off of the floor long before weight belts were invented. The trick is to learn good form, and to remember to use that good form while exercising. It also doesn't hurt to lift manageable and realistic weights. For near maximum weight lifts, then you would want to use a weight belt.


Every tool has its place, but for a recreational weight lifter I do not see the need for gloves, straps, or belts. For somebody just getting into weight lifting, learn the proper form and method for each exercise and try to do it without extra support. In fact, you may even want to try getting rid of your shoes while lifting to help strengthen your feet. Your muscles are meant to be used in unison, not in isolation.

A good rule of thumb is that if you can do five or more repetitions in an exercise, then you probably do not need to use gloves, straps or a weight belt. For recreational or novice weight lifters, and for most athletes, there is often little reason to need to lift weights heavy enough that you can not lift them a half dozen times per set, and so little reason to run out to purchase something you don't need before you go to the gym for the first time.

Blaine Moore is a running coach in Southern Maine with 20 years of training and racing experience, which he shares on his blog at http://news.RunToWin.com - If you would like to watch one of Blaine's coaching session DVDs online for free, head over to: http://www.RunToWin.com/freesessions/

Choosing the Right Weight Lifting Gloves

For the past years, people have started to be health conscious. A lot of people have signed up for weight lifting programs, joined fun runs and enrolled in gyms. Gym memberships can be very expensive. But still, there are some people who avail the service regardless of its cost. Although you don't have to worry since the equipment used in the gym is mostly state of the art, modern and effective. For clients, gym instructors give brief introductions to all the equipment they are going to use for safety reasons. And, one thing you have to consider before starting your work out is the weight lifting gloves that you are going to use.

Choosing the right gloves will give you the comfort and protection you need. Some gyms offer free gloves for their clients. However, these gloves are not personalized and may be too fit, too loose, or just uncomfortable. It is very essential that you choose a pair of lifting gloves that is your size. Also, you must buy gloves that do not cause your hands to be sweaty during workout.

There are a lot of lifting gloves out in the market. There are branded ones like Nike, Gripad, Adidas, Reebok and many others. There are also options between gloves made of cotton, leather, spandex, and other synthetic materials. You could also choose between padded and non padded ones. There are also types of gloves that are light, eco-friendly and comfortable to the touch. The type of lifting gloves you choose depends on the type of activity you do in the gym.

There are weight lifting gloves that include wrist wraps. This is important especially if you are a serious weight lifter. If not, this still helps in supporting your hands while working out. The purpose of choosing the right lifting gloves is to protect your hand from getting blisters and prevents your hand from getting sore. If your workout plan includes mostly lifting activities, padded gloves are best for you. However, if you are only required to do activities such as pulling or general fitness exercises, you can just use non-padded ones. So don't waste your time in buying cheap gloves that won't last long; buy a pair of weight lifting gloves that's comfortable, good quality, and reasonably priced. Personal safety is the most important aspect of working out. Being healthy and fit begins with the right equipment, right diet and personal safety.

For more information about weight lifting gloves or any gym equipment like dumbbells, weights or used treadmills check out our website!

Here's What to Look For When Buying Weight Lifting Gloves

Weightlifting is an activity that can be very taxing, not only to your muscles, but your hands as well. Choosing the right weight lifting gloves should be one of your first priorities before embarking in any weight training program. Here we will discuss how to choose the best weight lifting gloves for you.

The Right Size

Imagine wearing oversized shoes. How does that feel? The principle is the same as to why the "right size" matters when it comes to choosing the best lifting gloves. Generally, weight lifting gloves come in four sizes which are:

• Small

• Medium

• Large

• Extra Large

How would you know which size to choose in relation to your hands? Funny as it may seem, check out the size of the shoes you are wearing as that is the best way. As a rule of thumb, here are the measurements:

• Size 7 - 9 shoes - Small gloves

• Size 9 - 10 shoes - Medium gloves

• Size 10 - 12 shoes - Large gloves

• Size 12 and up - Extra large gloves

The Material

Weight lifting gloves are made of different materials. Each type of material has its own purpose. Therefore, before you purchase your own training gloves, you must decide what you want the gloves for.

Neoprene gloves are primarily used for moisture prevention. As you pump those weights, they are very good at helping to wick the moisture away when you sweat.

Leather gloves are used for a firmer and a more solid support, especially is lifting very heavy weights.

The Enclosure

Choosing the enclosure depends on the person's preference and comfort. Never purchase something that causes you any form of discomfort as this will affect your training and performance.

• Velcro glove enclosure

• Slip-on glove enclosure

A Velcro enclosure easily opens and closes your gloves. Therefore, if you want to get in and out of your gloves quickly, Velcro is the better choice. Also, Velcro offers a tighter fit. This is the reason why most serious weightlifters opt for Velcro enclosures. If you're a casual weightlifter, a slip-on enclosure will do.

The Return Policy

After you purchase your training gloves, be sure to try them with weights as soon as you can. Check for comfort and support. If it doesn't offer both, send back the gloves or exchange it with another pair. You can only do this if the store has a return policy. So make sure that you've inquired about it before making a purchase.

A smart lifter should know that a good pair of weight lifting gloves can save them a lot of trouble caused by lifting heavy weights. Sweat on your hands can cause you to drop a weight. You can result in nasty injuries. Good training gloves should be capable of keeping your hands dry and give you the support that you need so you can lift

weights safely. Remember that the "one-size-fits-all" principle doesn't apply when it comes to choosing gloves. So make sure that you choose the right one for you.

If you would like even more information about weight lifting gloves take a look here at: Weight Training Gloves. Also, here is where you can go another helpful weight training tool: Weight Lifting Benches.

Why Every Weight Lifter Should Wear Weight Lifting Gloves

Weight lifting gloves are designed for people who are involved in weight resistance training. This type of exercise can result in ugly, calloused hands. But that doesn't mean that with a great body you have to have unattractive hands. This is where weight lifting gloves come in. If you want to know how lifting gloves can benefit you, read on.

The palms of our hands are the ones that are constantly exposed to these frictions that could cause blisters and calluses. Weight lifting gloves cover the palms while leaving the fingers bare. They protect the palms during curling of barbells, dumb bells, and handles of other weight training equipment.

Training gloves prevent moisture formation thus, allowing you to get a better grip on the handle of the barbells. Sweating can cause the hands to become slippery. Once this happens, training equipment is at risk of gliding off. When you drop heavy training equipment such as barbells, you can incur injuries such as: muscle pull, fracture, damage of the muscle tissues, spinal injuries and worse, even death.

When you are performing weight lifting exercises, your hands carry out a number of functions. These are the following:

• Gripping

• Pulling

• Grabbing

• Pushing

You don't want to feel pain and discomfort in your hands while you perform these functions. That's why weight lifting gloves offer you protection that your bare hands can't provide.

These gloves come in several fabrics that are skin friendly and provides cushion to your palms. The cushion prevents the development of calluses, sores. Because of this, you get to work out more hours without experiencing the pain that accompanies a glove-free hand.

Examples of fabrics used are:

• Neoprene

• Cotton

• Leather

• Leather synthetics

The purpose of these fabrics is to help you lift more weight with accuracy thus, enhancing your workout sessions.

There are two types of lifting gloves that you can choose from: neoprene and leather. Between the two, neoprene gloves have more padding than leather. Therefore, they are less apt to bunch up like the leather gloves.

If you don't want to stop in the middle of your routine because of hand pain, it is best to safeguard your hands. But before you do purchase a pair, make sure that you have conducted your research first so that you will get the gloves that best suit your specific requirements.

You are making an important decision, so be sure to compare different set of gloves that are being sold in the market, including different brands. To make a good decision you will want to make sure you take into consideration the following important factors:

• Prices

• Functions

• Benefits

• Quality

Weight training gloves play a vital role in augmenting your workouts and protecting your hands, so you must choose only the best. Never sacrifice quality for price. Generally, the more expensive the gloves, the better benefits you will get. It is not a bad idea to consult a fitness trainer. Often they can give you advice on which type of weight lifting gloves will best for you.

You can learn more about the right gloves to use for weight lifting by going to Weight Training Gloves. Also, here is where you can go for helpful information on another helpful weight training tool: Weight Lifting Benches.