RIPS AND TEARS!

We have been pushing your grip to the limit with gymnastic, barbell and kettlebell movements. These movements can really take a toll on your hands. You will develop callouses, this is normal...and even desirable. However, if you don’t take proper care of your hands, you’ll get blisters, raw skin and, finally, rips and tears. So the trick is, how can we effectively manage our calloused hands to keep them functionable and pain free without any tears.

Ah yes, the dreaded hand tear! How can you prevent it. Well, everyone has there opinions and wants to cash in their ideas. However, growing up as an avid gymnast and now an avid Crossfitter, I have a few tips that have worked for me personally. Rips and tears can occur when your hands are either:

A. Too soft with little callouses

B. Too calloused up with numerous rough bumps and ridges

So, the tricky part is finding a happy medium with your hands. You need callouses to protect your hands, yet also keep them smooth enough so that they aren't prone to tearing.

So here are my tips. After a hard and grueling wod, soak your hands by taking a long and hot shower. You will notice the hard, dead skin begin to turn white. Use a regular pumice stone to help grind down the rough callouses. When this is done, apply the thickest, creamiest, gooyist lotion out there to your hands.

If that doesn't seem to be working, I may have another suggestion. My mother (the cosmetologist) suggested that I try the Microplane. http://us.microplane.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=10 It is super weird to get used to at first, in fact I even called my mom up and complained that I felt like I was using a cheese grater on my hands and feet. Once you get over that..... it has worked wonders.

This type of maintainance should be done at least once a week. In doing so, you will tear/rip a lot less and it will really help to keep your performance up. Taking a week off of training due to a rip is no fun, nor does it help to get us closer to our goals. So take care of those hands!

WOD

Continuous count on:

5 min squats

4 min box jumps

3 min push ups

2 min kb swing (55/35)

1 min sit up

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