Attn: Plate Pinchers

[Zach Passman]

For you plate pinchers--

I can't seem to figure out a way to train plate pinch without tearing up the skin in-between my thumbs and index fingers.

Are there any good ways of mimimizing the damage, or of promoting quick healing AFTER they're torn up?

Any of you folks hauling up pairs of 45s, or 5(+) 10s...like to get your feedback.

Thanks.

Zach

[Big Steve]

Just ripped a half dime size tonight. It's part of the fun to see if you can get through a workout without ripping. Try to found rounded edges on 45's helps a little. Pack chalk in it when it happens. Out of sight out of mind.

Neosporin + pain relief heals me up quick.

[OldGuy]

It has been suggested that gloves be worn.

[JustinH]

I had that happen to me although I haven't pinched anything major yet. I usually just packed a bunch of chalk there like it was said. If it was really bad I'd just wait until it healed over and calloused a bit.

[Bill Piche]

For some reason, this has never been an issue with me and pinching plates. So, I have no suggestions.

[EricMilfeld]

Perhaps a little tape over the edges of the plates, or even over your thumb webbing, and for the super sissies... both.

[Jedd Johnson]

Cover it in glue before it happens.

-Jedd-

[foggymountainmuscle]

I'm like Wanna, I've never busted skin plate pinching. I'm working on 5 10s and 2 35s, so I haven't hit the "big" pinching feats yet. This makes me wonder, for you guys who get tears, when did it start?

I actually did have a major thumb tear, it was almost 2 years ago when I got bit by a muskrat. (We were stomping it to death FYI.) You could see the tendons of my thumb! Even still this weakpoint has not ripped.

[ishred]

i get that skin tear at the base of the thumb. I only get it when i pinch wide stuff...which is most things for me. It doens't bother me though. I like getting the cuts on my hand. When the gym weenies look at me funny, i show them my hands when they are ripped up and they stay away.

[EricMilfeld]

I have some sharp edged 35's that do this. The weight being pinched isn't that much of a factor.

[JustinH]

The reasons it probably happened to me was because I was doing pinching a lot for a while and I just didn't want to let the plates go. I was doing pinching for time and as they slipped out skin came along with them. I usually only stopped once the area started to bleed, I didn't want to get blood everywhere.

[maidenfan]

When first started plate pinching it tore the crap out of that area. I used some athletic tape now and then, but eventually, the skin toughened up and its not a problem anymore.

[SqeezeMasterFlash]

Block weight work will sometimes give you a callus in the thumb webbing. That helps. I've also heard wearing thin gloves helps. It lowers the weights you can use, but you can train every day and your poundages will shoot way up when you take off the gloves.

[dthor]

Neosporin helps after the fact. The IM block can be used instead of 2-45's if you are not healed yet. It is slightly wider, however it won't create any more damage to the skin. I never had a problem with 5-10's, but you could try substituting hex block lifts if not healed yet.

[mANVIL]

I've only had my webbing ripped up when doing 2-hand plate pinches, not sure if this is because significantly more weight is being handled or if the hand positioning has something to do with it. Sometimes I wear gloves but found taking an old cheap pair of work gloves and cutting the fingers off so just about 1/2 inch is sticking up from the base works pretty well. Lets you keep an okay hold on the plates while still leaving just enough cloth to cover the thumb webbing.

[nickr104]

For me after you do it eough times the skin just get tuff and it is not much of a facter then. When i first stated i had the same proble i just let it heal bfor i worked it hard agin

[Clay Edgin]

My thumb webbing doesn't tear as much anymore after lots of plate pinches. I think next time I get a chance, I am going to take an angle grinder to the edge of my plates to just get the sharp edge off.