Unconventional methods for improving grip

[citroensmaak]

Hi,

I'm relatively new to competitive rowing and new to the forum, so I hope I've posted this to the right section.

Recently I've been having trouble with holding the handle of the indoor rower for long sessions, due to gripping the handle too hard causing my wrists to cramp up ("death grip"). A teammate of mine has had the same problem due to sweaty palms. I feel as if sweaty palms induces a fear of dropping the handle, causing one to grip the handle more tightly. When I didn't have an issue with sweat, I could usually hold the handle easy gripped merely by the top two phalanges of my fingers.

I've been thinking of ways to reduce this problem, and considered magnesium carbonate powder (used by climbers).

Has anyone ever used "climbing chalk" to maintain dry hands? I imagine it would need replenishment frequently, making it inconvenient for long sessions (unless you held a bag around your neck and replenished during the recover, or something like that, but that also sounds distracting).

[Marc1t]

I m very new to rowing! On my first row a 10000m at the end my wrists hurt & I had some nasty blisters at the top of my palms I suspect from gripping too tightly, climbers chalk (I used to climb a lot) needs replenishing frequently due to sweat, not very practical when rowing! & messy, I used cycling mitts on my next row (I'm a cyclist) avoides the sweaty blistered palm syndrome! as for the wrists, in time I imagine the tendons will adapt/stretch & the muscles will get stronger & wont be a problem. Im also learnig to relax my grip just hooking the fingers

Best of luck Marc

[Cyclist2]

Search around this forum - lots of past posts on gripping/sweating/gloves, etc. The short version: You don't "grip" the handle. Use your curved fingers like hooks. It should be relaxed, no stress on your forearms. Only hold it enough that it won't fly out of your hands. I wouldn't advise using chalk, as the dust may get into the mechanism and seat rollers and cause rapid wear.

[gregsmith01748]

I have found that the most practical method to keep a loose grip is to wiggle my fingers on the recovery. Then when you get to the catch, you can stiffen your fingers in the correct "hook" position for the drive portion. If you don't loosen your grip in the recovery, then the handle gets sweaty and your forearms get tired. The other thing to try is to keep your pinkie relaxed (kind of like you are holding a teacup. Then you can roll the handle across your fingers as you approach the finish and keep your wrists in a neutral, straight posture.

These tricks helped me loosen up the grip and now it's my butt that is the limiting factor for long rows!

[AnimalNige]

Heh!

I'm a new rower, and used to do a lot of rock climbing (Trying to get back into it on a woodie in my garage right next to the concept II) and a keen cyclist (Big garage) Birds of a feather...

I use what climbers would call "open handed" grip. What seems to be called a hook here.

But I do just coat my hands and fingers with a layer of chalk before a session. Not so much as to billow onto things. I find it helps. Along with the slightly extended open handed grip.

I have got blisters though on my first and second segments of most fingers.

Does this just go away with time... do they get leathery and immune to having the skin pulled off when you're going like mad and ignoring the enormous pain input signals from everywhere?!

[hjs]

Getting sweaty hands certainly in warmer conditions is difficult to stop, but relating the grip you can, the drive of the stroke is only a short amount of time, the recovery takes longer, only during the drive you need to have a good hook on the handle, during the recovery you only need a few fingers to keep the handle in hand. So during that time the hands get mote or less rest. If you keep on gripping hard during the complete stroke you make it unneeded hard on yourself.

[jvincent]

I have found that the most practical method to keep a loose grip is to wiggle my fingers on the recovery. Then when you get to the catch, you can stiffen your fingers in the correct "hook" position for the drive portion. If you don't loosen your grip in the recovery, then the handle gets sweaty and your forearms get tired.

I've been doing the same thing. It definitely helps to keep the sweat down.

I've never had blisters from rowing, but I do end up developing some small callouses. The most noticeable ones are on the middle fingers of both hands, just at the top of the fleshy parts of the middle finger bone and the one closest to my palm. Other than those, I have soft baby hands.

[Bob S.]

A long time ago, some folks reported using absorbent material over the handles, like a pair of cotton socks. Never tried it myself, but the air is fo dry here that it is not a problem.

Bob S.

[citroensmaak]

Thanks for the replies.

As everyone mentioned the goal is not to firmly grip the handle, but to gently let the handle be hooked by the fingers. What I think I might be doing wrong is maintaining a firm hold on the handle, also during the recover - so perhaps wiggling my fingers or relaxing them more intentionally during the recover will be helpful!

Blisters aren't much of an issue.

I couldn't find gloves with enough grip; a climber suggesteb rubber dishwashing gloves, which ought to have great surface grip but would also cause a lot of uncomfortable sweat inside.

I tried liquid chalk yesterday for a short erg piece. My hands felt dry throughout the entire session (8x30/30sec intervals, 2 sets), so the handle never felt like it was slipping. I'm gonna try it again on a longer piece this weekend (2x20min)

[Citroen]

You shouldn't need anything, no gloves, no chalk, nothing with a couple of days on the erg your hands will harden up enough.

[jvincent]

I couldn't find gloves with enough grip; a climber suggesteb rubber dishwashing gloves, which ought to have great surface grip but would also cause a lot of uncomfortable sweat inside.

Did you try golf rain gloves? They are not leather but are a microfiber type material that actually gets grippier when wet.

[climber511]

Spray regular antiperspirant on your hands prior to rowing.