After you use chalk regularly you will understand why it is essentially necessary for most strength athletes. This is esp true if you choose to engage in power or olympic lifting lifts. Deadlifting/snatching/cleaning etc are two different things with and without chalk.
The only reason to really use chalk is if you have sweaty hands. That’s it. The chalk dries up the sweat and presents a clean/rough surface to maximize your “grip area”.
It won’t improve your lifts necessarily, but if you are dropping the weight prematurely because your hands are too sweaty, then yes, chalk will help.
I love chalk. Its waay better than straps. Just using chalk instead of straps for all my olympic stuff, deads, and back in general made my hand strength go up a ton. I find it also just makes me more comfortable holding on to things.
Yes, chalk helps in the lift, saves your skin, tastes great in a protein shake and makes masturbating ten times more fun. Seriously though…yes chalk makes rack pulls, deads, heavy shrugs etc better. Kinda messy for some of you Nancys, but I work out in my barn mostly and like getting dirty.
[quote]Merlin7777 wrote:
The only reason to really use chalk is if you have sweaty hands. That’s it. The chalk dries up the sweat and presents a clean/rough surface to maximize your “grip area”.
It won’t improve your lifts necessarily, but if you are dropping the weight prematurely because your hands are too sweaty, then yes, chalk will help.[/quote]
Yes, my hands do sweat (urgh) and I do tend to drop the prematurely causing all the trainers in my gym to come warn me not to drop the weight. It happens when my deadlifts go up to about 315.
Thanks everyone for all your responses! I am going to buy some chalk right before I lift tomorrow!
My hands sweat profusely so I’m definitely a chalk fan. One trick I’ve learned over the years is to put a tennis ball in the bag of chalk once the chalk is all powdery.
The chalk will collect on the tennis ball so you can just grab the ball and roll it around in your hands to get an even coat. Of course, you can choose not to do this and just pull a LeBron every time you hit the weights, which is a route I often go.
Missed a rep last time doing deadlifts because my grip slipped out.
Too fucking bad my gym is the worst shitpile of 40 year old women on bosu balls with a 5lb dumbbell. I don’t think chalk is allowed there, going to ask next time I hit the gym.
Bought chalk when I bought my straps and I’m glad I never got to use them since chalk is all I needed. It helped a lot to improve my feeble grip to the point it’s the least of my worries when I deadlift.
[quote]Fishsticks wrote:
Missed a rep last time doing deadlifts because my grip slipped out.
Too fucking bad my gym is the worst shitpile of 40 year old women on bosu balls with a 5lb dumbbell. I don’t think chalk is allowed there, going to ask next time I hit the gym.[/quote]
If you ask then the answer will be no. Think about it.
“Better to do and beg forgiveness than to hesitate while begging permission”
Iuse rock climbing chalk it really dries your hands out though,you will have to get into a good moisturising routine to save your hands.It will make all the difference to your dls.
It helps keep the chalk mess down. I haven’t used one yet as I’m not quite to the point that I need it, but I’ve heard a lot of good things about chalk socks.
Where do you guys get chalk from? I always have sweaty palms during deadlifting and drop it prematurely. My gym doesn’t care about chalk so I can jsut get normal chalk, don’t need the liquid one.
[quote]shoobey wrote:
Where do you guys get chalk from? I always have sweaty palms during deadlifting and drop it prematurely. My gym doesn’t care about chalk so I can jsut get normal chalk, don’t need the liquid one.[/quote]
just order it on line. I ordered mine for about $10-15 it came in a case of about 12 packages that look like bars of soap. It’s cheap. I’m still on my first block of chalk and I’ve been using it for about a year and a half. I don’t use it much because my gym doesn’t allow it but I sneak it on heavy deadlift days or high rep deadlift days.
[quote]Brett295 wrote:
shoobey wrote:
Where do you guys get chalk from? I always have sweaty palms during deadlifting and drop it prematurely. My gym doesn’t care about chalk so I can jsut get normal chalk, don’t need the liquid one.
just order it on line. I ordered mine for about $10-15 it came in a case of about 12 packages that look like bars of soap. It’s cheap. I’m still on my first block of chalk and I’ve been using it for about a year and a half. I don’t use it much because my gym doesn’t allow it but I sneak it on heavy deadlift days or high rep deadlift days. [/quote]
do you just bring it in a sock or something? What is the best thing to keep it in so it won’t make a mess in my car and from carrying it around, but that I could still just pat it onto my hands at the gym when I need some?
[quote]Charlie Cates wrote:
My hands sweat profusely so I’m definitely a chalk fan. One trick I’ve learned over the years is to put a tennis ball in the bag of chalk once the chalk is all powdery.
The chalk will collect on the tennis ball so you can just grab the ball and roll it around in your hands to get an even coat. Of course, you can choose not to do this and just pull a LeBron every time you hit the weights, which is a route I often go.