Does Calisthenics Cause Calluses
Calluses – a nuisance of dead skin build-up for many, but a sign of accomplishment for others.
Calisthenics is known to develop calluses – usually on the fingers but can occur on the toes through poor footwear choices. It’s so common because the majority of calisthenics exercises require you to grip hold of a surface (such as pull-up bars, rings, or rope), meaning your skin is at a constant friction rub.
For example, an athlete performing a chin-up requires their fingers to wrap around a bar – with significant rubbing, your body protects its skin through calluses. Furthermore, performing floor work exercises (such as press-ups, handstands, or planks) accelerate the rate calluses grow due to the continuous contact between skin and another surface.
It’s imperative to note calluses don’t form exclusively in calisthenics. It isn’t the training method responsible for them, but the event of frequent rubbing and friction building. Therefore, it’s possible to train calisthenics without developing calluses as long as you limit or lubricate the friction and rubbing.
Which Calisthenic Exercises Stimulate Calluses The Most
Calisthenics exercises that use rough or sharp equipment (such as metal bars or wooden rings) result in the most callus growth as they create the most friction. This includes a range of exercises such as tricep dips, muscle-ups, or back levers.
In addition, the number of repetitions you execute impacts the rigidness of the calluses. The longer your skin rubs on the equipment, the more heat generates, so your skin cushions itself through thicker calluses.
| Piece of Equipment | Likeliness of getting calluses |
|---|---|
| Bar Work | Most beginners start using a bar, so it’s most common to find calluses when performing pull-ups, levers or tricep dips. |
| Rings | Rings are made from a rigid material, and their awkward grip can create mean calluses. However, they are’t as frequently used as bars. |
| Push-up stands | Modern push-up stands are wrapped with a foam that cushions your skin. While they’re frequently used it’s unlikely to get severe calluses from push-up stands. |
| Floorwork | Floorwork is used by a variety of training methods, but there isn’t as much skin rubbing as other pieces of equipment due to our clothes protecting our skin |
How Bar Work Causes Calluses
Bar work causes callus growth as skin is held in between the bar and your metacarpals. Therefore trapped skin rubs during exercise. Calluses commonly occur at the bottom of your fingers as they hold your body weight, so are exposed to the most friction.
For example, chin-ups, tricep-dips, dead hangs, or the human flag require your fingertips to wrap around the pole.
If you don’t feel rest is necessary, it’s imperative to switch the type of grip (for example, a false grip) to allow certain skin areas to rest.
Individuals with stretchy, loose skin experience an accelerated rate of callus growth than those with stiff skin. Stretchy skin gets trapped between the bar and your bones easier than stiff skin, leading to more rubbing. While it isn’t excruciating, it increases friction and builds calluses rapidly.
How Floorwork Brings Calluses
During floor work, we aren’t glued to the floor; there is slight movement between our body and the ground. The minuscule rubbing between the floor and our skin leads to calluses; further damage is caused by a rough surface, lots of repetitions, and body shaking.
While you may think you’re dead still (e.g when planking), our skin cells are constantly vibrating, so there is always a degree of friction. When frequently exercised, this will build calluses.
There are numerous factors which can accelerate callus growth from floor work, such as:
- The material of the floor impacts the friction generated. The less smooth it is, the more friction there is, which brings about calluses faster.
- The duration you hold the exercise because the longer you train, the more exposed your skin is to rub.
- The number of repetitions impacts callus growth. More repetitions equate to less time for your skin to rest and heal.
- The stronger you are, will lessen the rate of callus growth. You become more balanced, so there’s more stability and less rubbing against the ground.
Why Ring Work Can Develop Calluses
The curved shape of wooden (or any material) rings results in less space for fingertips to grip onto. Therefore the side of each finger rubs against one another while the outer pinky rubs against the ring’s edge. As a result, calluses form in-between fingers and on the outside of the pinky.
As well as skin rubbing – fingernails, trapped dirt and finger jewelry will also contribute to the build of friction.
Commonly, fingertips squeeze on top of one another to offer the athlete more balance. While this technique is incorrect, it’s difficult to correct due to the curve of the ring forcing the fingertips to a single point.
To add, there is additional rubbing against the skin and metacarpals (same as using a bar). As a result, athletes can find calluses in between their fingers plus the inside of their upper wrist.
There are a range of product selection, but the majority are made from wood. There are numerous variations:
- Some are glossy,
- Others have paint,
- Some are plated with another material.
Nonetheless, the textured material causes substantial rubbing and friction, which builds calluses.
Why Using Push-Up Stands Can Cause Calluses
Push-up bars are two detachable C-shape bars athletes place on the ground to grip. They allow athletes to perform exercises such as an L sit, tucked planche, or handstand push-ups.
Push-up stands trigger calluses around your thenar eminence as you hold them lower down on your hands. Trapped skin held between the stand and bones begin to rub, which pressures skin to make calluses. This area of skin is more sensitive, so it develops at a faster rate.
Stands are built with several materials, including metal, foam, or plastic. While they all differ in softness, each has the capability to make calluses if enough repetitions are completed:
| Push-up stand material | Amount of friction produced. |
|---|---|
| Metal | Generates the most friction |
| Rubber | Generates the second most friction |
| Plastic | Generates the second least friction |
| Foam | Generates the least friction |
When your hands hold your body weight, your skin rubs against the stand, causing friction and leading to calluses. The metal stands cause a lot more rubbing than the foam due to their atomic structure; however, we’ve had our fair share of calluses with the foam ones too!
Should Calluses Prevent Calisthenic Exercising
Are calluses a signal to stop exercising? Well, not quite…
Calluses are local to the muscle you train. Because of this, they don’t signify to completely stop exercising i.e if you notice calluses developing on your wrists, this shouldn’t stop you from jogging. While most understand this, the question still stands whether or not you should stop wrist-related exercises. Let’s look into this…
Calluses shouldn’t stop you from performing the same exercises. They’re rarely serious and, for the most part, are negligible. It’s only dead skin, so most individuals are senseless when touched. In fact, it provides a technical advantage by making the skin tougher, giving more grip to execute certain exercises.
Calluses grow to a certain bulk, at which point they remain the same size and toughness regardless of the quantity and intensity of your training.
The main benefit of calluses when exercising:
As well as offering more grip, the impact from friction is less significant on skin with calluses. The skin can withstand exponentially more rubbing with a callus compared to without because it’s more resilient. As a result, the length of workouts and the number of repetitions can increase over time without it being painful on your skin.
The only time you shouldn’t exercise with a callus is if it feels painful or uncomfortable to touch the equipment. In this case, the callus could be infected with bacteria or too dry, so it cracks. We recommend contacting your local doctor before carrying on with more exercise.
What we recommend:
Some athletes consider having a break from certain exercises to let the calluses heal. On average, it takes between 1-2 weeks for a callus to heal if you prevent the cause.
For example, if you have a callus on your wrist, you won’t be able to do any arm-related calisthenics, weight training, or sport because they all require you to grip something. To add, you must repeat this every time a callus builds up.
While some choose to do this, we feel it isn’t the most productive technique and instead should let the callus toughen (by carrying on local exercise) so eventually its presence isn’t noticed..
How To Limit Calluses Caused By Exercise
While difficult to completely prevent, there are a few tips and tricks to minimize their size and pain. These include:
- Exercising on soft mats.
- Using chalk during exercise.
- Wearing gloves during exercise.
- Allowing rest time.
- Experimenting with equipment made from different material
How Exercising On Soft Mats Helps Prevent Calluses
When participating in floor work, textured ground results in an acceleration of the build of calluses. You can slow this down using soft foam mats, as it cushions your hands and offers more give-way than the floor alone. This absorbs some of the pressure that would otherwise be directed toward your skin.
You only have to place exercise mats where your naked skin touches the ground (most commonly your hands). For example, it isn’t necessary to use a floor mat under your feet when performing a plank as your shoes will already be cushioning your toes. But you should place it above your hands.
Most gym’s come equipped with soft foam mats; however, you can pick one up for $15 online.
Why Using Chalk Restricts Calluses
Chalk creates a thin barrier between your skin and the equipment. This makes it difficult for the rubbing to penetrate through your skin, as it acts like a shield. Therefore, less skin is torn, reducing the size of the callus.
Chalk can either be liquid or powder. While liquid chalk is less messy, we have found powdered chalk to protect skin better.
Also affordable, you can find portable chalk online for $10.
How Using Gloves Prevents Callus Growth
Gloves use fabric to cushion skin from rigid equipment; they’re thick, and padded, offering an abundance of protection. The drawback is due to the thick fabric they lessen grip strength and can make simple exercises difficult.
For example, muscle-ups, dead hangs, and L-sits won’t rub your skin when wearing gloves; though they become more of a challenge, and compromises your technique.
We recommend fingerless gloves because they:
- Have better grip than normal gloves, as your fingertips can wrap around equipment freely.
- The design allows airflow, which lets your fingers breathe.
- There is a broader range of movement.
They range in price depending on brand and material, so ensure you undertake thorough research before purchasing.
Why You Should Limit Rubbing For Calluses Prevention
When you’re not exercising, give your skin time to rest. Making a conscious effort to allow your skin to be free reduces the likeliness of infection, dryness or it getting worse.
For example, instead of holding a briefcase, wear a backpack so your palm has time to relax and recover.
Why Different Material Equipment Can Prevent Calluses
People’s skin responds differently to different materials. You want to find a balanced material that provides you with sufficient grip without building large calluses. This won’t be the same for everyone, as our skin secretes different amounts of bodily fluid.
The size of a callus is determined by the amount of friction exposed to the skin. Finding a material that minimizes this, but is still practical, will decrease callus growth.
For example, you may see better results using gymnastic rings made from polished plastic instead of rough metal due to their compound components.
How To Remove Calluses
While most are unaffected by calluses, plenty individuals prefer them gone. It’s impossible to get your palm to be as smooth as when you were a baby; however, there are a few natural ways to reduce their impact.
Why Applying Plasters or Fabric to the Callus Will Remove It
A stick-on plaster or a thin fabric adds a barrier to your skin, so there is less exposure to friction. By themselves, they don’t heal the calluses but instead, stop the skin from rubbing onto surfaces – eventually dampening the callus.
It’s a similar solution to wearing gloves or chalk when working out. However, the main difference is you apply the fabric throughout the day rather than exclusively when working out.
Due to hygiene purposes, they are disposable, so you should change them daily until your callus heals. Most products will include multiple sets of plasters or fabrics to complement this.
Check out compeed, a great brand that supplies plasters for calluses.
Should You Use A Skin Filer For Calluses
After exercise, your calluses may have dry, dead skin that you can brush off. The skin filer will do so with symmetry and safety. It is best to file calluses when your skin is dry to get the best results.
Filer is made from emery paper – which is rough enough to take off dead skin without any pain.
We don’t recommend picking your calluses with your fingernails – you may end up ripping into the soft skin, infecting the callus, or delay healing time. If you feel like you need to scrape off some skin, use a skin filer.
Is It Healthy To Soak Calluses
A bath, shower, or just dipping your calluses into warm, soapy water help to soften and loosen them. Depending on how dry the skin is, dead skin can flake away as they detach from your palms. Moreover, it will expand the callus, helping to clean the inside and prevent infection.
FAQ’s About Calluses Arising From Exercise
Are Calluses Harmful?
For the most part, calluses are not harmful and shouldn’t cause you any pain or discomfort. If they do, use some home remedies (like salts, creams, or syrups) to try and ease it. If pain is persistent, seek medical advice.
Why Are People Proud of Calluses?
Calluses are a signal of consistency and friction; if they have arisen solely from exercise, it suggests your exercise plan is pushing your body to its limits.
Do Calluses have any benefits?
Due to its rough surface, calluses create friction between your hands and the equipment, which improves grip strength. Thus allowing greater stability when attempting higher weights or challenging exercises.
Are there any training methods that don’t cause calluses?
Unfortunately, all training methods do have an element of friction. For example, the friction between a powerlifter and the dumbbell, a runner and their shoe, or a gymnast and their rings.
Why Do Calluses Go Yellow?
Calluses block oxygenated blood (responsible for our skin it’s natural color) from reaching itself. Thus over time, the calluses start to change color, often resulting in a yellow color.
Are Calluses Avoidable During Exercise?
For most, calluses are inevitable when exercising, so athletes tend to accept them – though not everyone wants to. It is possible to avoid callus during exercise; however, it is a huge inconvenience as you must stop any exercise which involves contact with a rough surface.
Are Calluses Permanent?
No, calluses from exercise are rarely permanent and will begin to disappear as soon as you stop exercising.
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