GarytheDino Posted May 3, 2004 Share Posted May 3, 2004 When I pinch olympic plates the sharp edge cuts into the web of my thumb. When I use exercise plates it doesn't because they are rounded. Does anyone else have this problem? What do you do about it? It cuts my hand so bad that it interfers with the amount of weight I can pinch. I can get 5-10's on exercise plates and want to get it on olmpic ones but they are tearing me up. Same with the 2-35's. I can get them with 2 fingers if my thumb isn't busted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Cenidoza Posted May 3, 2004 Share Posted May 3, 2004 I have the same problem. I usually just back off a bit until the skin heals and use corn huskers lotion religiously. It might help to file the edge of the plate down a bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wsm_fan_uk Posted May 3, 2004 Share Posted May 3, 2004 It may just be a case of riding the problem out and waiting for your body to adapt, Rick Walker has recently mentioned that after lots of hard work and torn skin, his thumb has got to the point where there isn't a plate on the planet sharp enough to cut it. In my experience, every time you tear your skin, it will come back tougher. I would experiment with volume so that you find a point where you tear you thumb a bit but not enough that you couldn't train with it the next day, it is my betting that your thumb will adapt quickly to this approach. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
odin Posted May 3, 2004 Share Posted May 3, 2004 I think some people put athletic tape over the edge of the plates. I believe David Horne sometimes pinches with a towel over the edge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GarytheDino Posted May 3, 2004 Author Share Posted May 3, 2004 Thanks for the replies. It also seems that the sharp edge that digs in helps me hold on better also. I thought about fileing the edge down but didn't know if that was considered tampering with the plate, like for a 5-10's lift. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Black Posted May 3, 2004 Share Posted May 3, 2004 I had that same problem when I started pinching. Over time my skin has toughened up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clay Edgin Posted May 3, 2004 Share Posted May 3, 2004 The best solution of course is just to work at it to help your hands adapt like Rick's, but in the meantime placing a small thin swatch of leather over the edge of the plate works. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Cenidoza Posted May 3, 2004 Share Posted May 3, 2004 Sure, the best way to get stronger is to keep working at it, and even though Rick hasn't commented in this thread, I can't say I agree with pinching everyday, which is what I believe everyone is referring to him for. To me, it just doesn't make sense to keep doing damage to your body (be it the webbing on your thumb or the microdamage in your muscles) without giving it time to heal and grow stronger. I do believe brief periods of this type of training can be beneficial but eventually it leads to less than optimal training sessions. Now I understand the need to train through pain/injury at times, but you can't deny a persons ability to train more efficiently when they are pain/injury free. Are we trying to develop a effective training protocol or are we trying to develop the ability to train through pain? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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