As much as I love my gym, they don’t like chalk to be used inside.
I climb on a regular basis, so I have tons of chalk begging to be used when I deadlift, but my chalk bag and chalk sock make too big of a mess.
Currently, I’m in Phase 1 of EC’s Maximum Strength program, and day 3 calls for rack pulls. Last week, I had to keep wiping the bar down between reps because of my sweaty-ass hands.
One of the guys at my climbing gym overheard me lamenting my sorrows about not being able to use chalk, and he gave me a tube of Tite-Grip (god, this sounds like a fucking sales pitch. I promise that it isn’t). I tried it out yesterday when doing rack pulls and was pleasantly surprised. It didn’t feel as good as chalk (a little sticky), but it kept my hands from sweating. It washed off after a couple handwashings and didn’t leave any residue on the bar or my clothes.
I’ve heard that Metolius (they make chalk for climbing) makes a product similar, but I haven’t tried it. Just thought I’d give you guys a heads up on a decent chalk substitute.
[quote]1000rippedbuff wrote:
If your gym doesn’t allow necessities for serious training then you need to find a place without an antagonistic attitude toward serious training.[/quote]
I understand, but it’s the only gym in my area that doesn’t have initiation fees, require you to do month to month (without gouging on the membership price) and I never have to worry about the squat rack being used by anyone other than me.
I mean, I could go to Metroflex Plano when it opens up, but I respect myself too much for that.
"Best value $32.25 month on auto-pay from credit card/checking acct no
initiation fee on auto-pay, can be cancelled anytime… "
This is what I did. It was simple. I signed a form, Brian sent it off, 32 bones drafted each month, I sent a letter when I had to move to cancel, and that was that. Go ahead and pay the extra $12.30/mo and lift in a much mo better atmosphere. Lots of folks would pay a lot more to lift in a gym with such intensity.
[quote]altimus wrote:
Lots of folks would pay a lot more to lift in a gym with such intensity.[/quote]
YEP! atmosphere will definitely help. If I go to a gym I don’t like sometimes my training isn’t as good. If I like the gym then I’ll throw up bigger numbers.
I like the warehouse look with dirt on the floor and chalk on the bars…I like a lil rust on the real plates, not the plastic 45’s.
Hell I don’t even mind if the rust rubs off on my calloused hands.
Atmosphere definitely puts you in a different mindset and that can lead to bigger lifts lol
much less you’d train with people who are actually there to train…not just dick around. lol
I’m with you keller, some of the gyms are just dumb. They have gay rules about wearing shoes at all times and no chalk. The other day one of the trainers at my gym bitched at me for DLing w/o my shoes on and threatened to get security if I didn’t put them back on. So stupid. (Great thing is though this guy likes to come to the bar I work at, his ass is getting thrown out next time I see him there
I’m with the other guys though though, if the other gym is a better atmosphere, I think it’s definitely worth the money. I think some of those 24 hour gyms are over rated, I know I’ve been to the one several times by my house that Peter Putnam trains at and I hate it, but hell if yours is pissing you off, go for it.
[quote]slimthugger wrote:
Artem wrote:
slimthugger wrote:
I never liked the chalk rule…I think it’s a marketing thing
…Do you know what marketing is?
Very much so…they have a “target market” and power lifters etc aren’t a part of it. There you go Artem ass[/quote]
Banning something isn’t marketing unless they advertise “We don’t allow chalk.”
That “artem ass” thing was clever, if you’re referring to what I think you are.
[quote]Artem wrote:
slimthugger wrote:
Artem wrote:
slimthugger wrote:
I never liked the chalk rule…I think it’s a marketing thing
…Do you know what marketing is?
Very much so…they have a “target market” and power lifters etc aren’t a part of it. There you go Artem ass
Banning something isn’t marketing unless they advertise “We don’t allow chalk.”
That “artem ass” thing was clever, if you’re referring to what I think you are.
[/quote]
Curves doesn’t advertise NO CHALK, but you ain’t doing no heavy lifting there because they have machines. It doesn’t need to be advertised to be so. and yes I was referring to what you thought I was.
Put the chalk in a taller bag, (zip lock) or w/e and chalk your hands in there. makes less of a mess. Also don’t they have specific Mountain climbing bags that can hold chalk and u can dip your hands in really deep, so that the chalk does not get any where, i have seen this somewhere.
Get over to elitefts.com and buy their liquid chalk. I got some and it’s working great for me. It’s a little pump spray bottle. 4 or 5 sprays on a hand, rub them together till it dries. Ready to go. I don’t have to use my straps anymore just because of sweaty hands. I’m not going back. I bought 3 bottles and I’m never gonna let myself run out of this stuff.
[quote]gonugs wrote:
Get over to elitefts.com and buy their liquid chalk. I got some and it’s working great for me. It’s a little pump spray bottle. 4 or 5 sprays on a hand, rub them together till it dries. Ready to go. I don’t have to use my straps anymore just because of sweaty hands. I’m not going back. I bought 3 bottles and I’m never gonna let myself run out of this stuff.[/quote]
I use that too sometimes, same exact product. And they were great with customer service when the sprayer on my first bottle somehow broke. But I gotta say I like real chalk better.
Liquid chalk is OK.
You xould always try “resin” that some powerlifters use (powdeed chinese rosin)
one application usually lasts. Its a little sticky and needs a good wash to get it off.
(Not the tacky used by strongman)
