A guide for parents, guardians, and gymnasts
By Chloe Byrne, gymnastics coach & judge
This guide covers:
- Handguards – what they are; the different types; shapes and sizes; where to buy them; how to break them in and how to look after them.
- Bar accessories – handguard bag; guard brush; tape; chalk; spray bottle; wristbands.
- Rips – how to treat them and prevent them.
- Loops and loop gloves for the loop bar.
Please note that the handguard brands included in this post are from my own coaching experience and online research. There are many others that could be included, as well as some additional tips that I’m sure people have. If you’ve a recommendation you think should be included or some tips to add, I’d love to hear from you. Email me (Chloe): info@FlairGymnasticsAndDance.com For a list of sources used to write this post, please see bottom of post.
What are handguards and why do gymnasts use them?
Handguards, hand guards, hand grips – all the same thing, simply different names.
Handguards are useful for helping a gymnast get a better grip on the bar and protect their hands somewhat from the friction of swinging on the bar. Handguards extend the amount of time the gymnast can train on bars before their hands hurt them too much to continue. It is usually as they increase their skill level and the number of hours they train, that they will start to notice the need for handguards.
Almost all gymnasts doing regular bars training get rips on their hands. Rips are when a patch of a layer of skin peels back. Rips are caused by the friction of the bar on their skin. Gymnasts who wear handguards get less rips and only tend to get them around the edges of their handguards and on their wrists from the handguard straps. Gymnasts who don’t wear guards can get rips on their palms and fingers.
At what age or level should my gymnast get handguards?
Usually when a gymnast starts getting more and more rips and it is beginning to interfere with their bars training, then it is time to consider getting handguards. It is easier to learn to wear handguards when you are younger and at a lower level of bar skills than to try to switch to using handguards later.
In terms of level, palm guards are perfect for young, first-time handguard-users. Then we’d usually recommend they upgrade to dowel grips once their swings are higher than the bar (above horizontal) or if the gymnast is older and thus needs stronger leather and more grip.
When do they need a new pair?
If your gymnast already has handguards and you’re wondering when they need a new pair, watch out for signs of wear and tear as well as stretching and the handguards becoming too smooth making them slippy. Use a grip brush to rough them up a bit if they become too smooth. If their hands have grown out of them and the grips are feeling too tight, they’ll need to upgrade. If the grips are not in bad shape but they want to upgrade before signs of wear and tear creep in, the summer off-season is a great time to break in new handguards, rather than during competition season.
What types of handguards are there?
There are four main types of women’s uneven bar handguards. There are beginner palm guards, velcro closure dowel guards, buckle closure dowel guards, and a combination of both velcro and buckle. Then there are also different shapes.
Palm Guards
Palm guards simply provide friction protection to help protect against rips. They act as a second skin. They do not have dowels (inbuilt cylindrical rod), so they do not help too much with grip. Palm guards are made for young first time grip users. They all generally come in the same shape as pictured here. They go from wrist to base of the fingers, only covering the palm. For sizing, measure from the bottom of your palm to where your palm meets your middle finger.
Manique are a popular brand of palm guards and handguards. The brand was created in 2003 by Gymnastics Express, a UK gymnastic business and manufacturer, and their dowel handguards have been used by gymnasts such as Becky Downie and Alice Kinsella.
Gymnastics Express Manique Palm Guards (click on link)
GymGym.ie sell beginners palm guards made of leather for €18 (price as of January 2021). These are perfect for beginner handguards and it’s nice to support an Irish family-run company.
EquipMyGym is another Irish company that sell palm guards. They sell US Glove beginner grips. A popular brand and a lower price than GymGym at €16. These would be my recommendation.
Dowel Handguards
Dowel handguards are designed with a leather / rubber dowel positioned on the guards to help gymnasts have a better hold of the bar. The strong, rubber dowel helps create a pocket in the leather into which the bar will fit. The leather protects the skin of the gymnast’s hand against friction on the bar. They are full length guards going from wrist to near the top of the fingers (compared to palm guards which only cover the palm). Dowel guards help gymnasts with small hands to get a better hold on the bar. The dowel also helps take some pressure off the fingers.
The strength and quality is usually higher in these than palm guards as they are made for older and more advanced gymnasts. The leather is slightly heavier (for strength and safety) but soft and flexible for a more secure wrist fastening.
Usually once gymnasts are swinging at horizontal or higher (i.e. feet going higher than the bar), dowel guards are useful for improving the ability to grip the bars. Dowel handguards come with either velcro closures, buckle straps or combi-fastening (velcro and buckle). Some guards come with built in foam wrist protectors and, for others, the gymnast will wear wrist bands/ sweat bands on their wrists.
Guards have many variables which give gymnasts many choices according to their preference: thickness of leather; finger hole flaps; finger locking systems; width of the palm leather; shape of the palm leather; softness of the leather; colours; wrist padding options; etc. There are often too many choices for new gymnasts to know which to pick but trying out a friend’s handguards can help them decide what suits them best (with Covid-19 precautions taken – i.e. sanitise hands before and after trying out a friend’s handguards).
Don’t forget that there’s men’s as well as women’s handguards so make sure you’re buying the correct ones. It will usually say. You can also tell by the finger holes as women’s handguards have two finger holes whereas men’s have three.
Velco or buckle grips?
Velcro grips (sometimes called “hook and loop” grips) are often preferred as easier to undo and readjust quickly. However, velcro can lose its ability to hook over time and it is put under a lot of pressure with high level skills such as release and catches. For this reason, elite gymnasts sometimes choose buckle grips for competition and competition prep but velcro for regular training practice. Buckle and double buckle can sometimes tighten more and are less likely to slide up and down the wrist. There are also combi guards that combine both velcro and buckle fastening. As velcro wears, some people cover them with rubber bands or an additional wristband but really they should be replaced for safety reasons. Rubber bands can also keep the straps from flapping. Flapping straps is another reason to choose a wristband like DRYbands, which cover the straps (discussed laster).
Why double buckle rather than single?
As buckle grips have fewer options than velcro (i.e. you only have the holes that are there versus velcro strapping to any size you like) many gymnasts prefer double buckle to single. This is because they can fasten one buckle loosely, fasten the other tightly and then tighten the first even tighter. Sometimes buckle straps mean you have to choose between a hole that’s too loose or a hole that’s too tight. You should choose to go too tight as the holes will eventually stretch out.
Where to buy handguards
Gym Supply (underlined words are links – click to view)
Gymnastic Express, the UK company mentioned previously, sell their Manique brand handguards as well as the Reisport brand which is an internationally well-known and respected brand.
(You can have a finger and hand sizer sent to you for free from Gymnastics Express so you can measure your gymnast for the Manique handguards.)
Gymnastic Planet sell a range of handguards (but not palm guards as of when this post was written)
Irish company EquipMyGym sells handguards too. They stock US Glove only. US Glove is another respected brand and these grips are easy to break in – (US Glove Hotshots and US Glove RKO’s)
US company TEN.0
What brands?
Manique, Reisport, Reichelsport, US Glove, Bailie, Ten.0, and Nastia Liukin are all well-known and respected handguard brands. Pixie are a good beginner brand as they are for small slender hands (sizes 000 to 1) and they are easy to break in. Ginnasta USA are also know for being super easy to break in and good quality for mid-range price.
The trend usually goes that the grips that are the hardest to break in are usually more durable and last longer and the softer leather grips that are easier to break in don’t last as long. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing but if you need to consider the financial aspect then it’s good to know.
U.S. Glove and Ginnasta are generally the lightest and easiest to break in. Bailie are durable and long-lasting but harder to break in. Bailie are similar to Ten.0 in that they’re heavier and longer lasting. Resiport are in the middle of the range of hard to soft.
What size handguards should the gymnast get?
It can be expensive to get handguards that don’t fit that need to be replaced (as well as dangerous for the gymnast) so getting the size right is crucial. There’s no common size guide that covers all grips. Grips generally come in sizes 000-4 and each brand will have their own size guide and sizes. Usually to determine what size grip the gymnast needs, you measure from the tip of the middle finger to the bottom of the palm. Check this measurement on the sizing chart. Remember just because they were a size 1 in one brand doesn’t mean this transfers to a size 1 in another brand.
If there is not an exact match for your gymnast’s size and they’re between two sizes, the gymnast should order the smaller size since the grips will stretch with use. This may go against your intuition to get the bigger size that she’ll grow into, but a size that’s too big is a major safety issue for the gymnast.
As mentioned above, it’s a good idea for them to try a friend’s grips to figure out what size and shape best suits their needs. This can sometimes be easier than a sizing chart/ guide.
The finger holes on all grips will be quite small, and the gymnast will need to widen them to their size, as discussed further down in “breaking in their new grips”.
Handguard Shape
Dowel grips come in 3 shapes
Straight Grips
These cover more of the hand and are good for gymnasts whose biggest concern is avoiding rips. It’s a Russian design and pictured here is the Nastia Liukin Russian Heritage Grip. You might see these described as having a “straight palm piece”.
Skinny Grips
These are good for being able to better feel the bar. Pictured here are Nastia Liukin’s Big Swinger Hook and Loop (i.e. velcro strap) grips. Finger locking system (i.e. the elastic bands) helps keep fingers from slipping out of holes.
Curved Grips
These are a good combination of the other two types and are the most popular. They cover more of the hand than the skinny grip but allow more of a feel for the bar than the straight grip. You might see these described as having a “tapered palm piece”. Pictured is the Ten.0 501 Blues Velcro Uneven Bar Grips.
How much should I expect to pay?
It’s hard to put an average price on it as there are so many different brands with various attributes. Palm guards cost around €6 – €20. Dowel guards cost around €25-€60.
Elastic Band / Finger Locking System
Some dowel grips come with an elastic band attached. The rubber band can be used to help hold the grip more securely to your finger. If the gymnast doesn’t like it or feel the need for it, they can simply cut it off (just be careful not to cut the stitching!).
How to use the elastic band
Accompanied by screenshots from a Gymnastic Planet YouTube video – Thank you GP!
- Make sure it sticks out on the top side of their hand between their two middle fingers.
- Pull the band upwards.
- Then you split the band around the fingers, pulling the band down over the palm side of the grip and
- Twist the elastic band once.
- Bring it over and around the fingers and the top of the grips. Ensure that there are two lines of the elastic band. This securely locks your fingers in the finger holes and keeps them tight on your hands, so they won’t slip out while you’re swinging.
How to break in and wear grips
Going from bare hands to handguards can take some time for gymnasts. For gymnasts who already wear grips, breaking in a new pair can also take time. They can feel uncomfortable at first and the gymnast may feel as though they don’t have a good grip on the bar. Gymnasts breaking in grips shouldn’t do any skills they’re uncomfortable doing. We should start them off with basic skills like casts and swinging until they get used to them. It usually takes 2 weeks to break them in – to get the leather moulded to their hand and the bar. It can take even longer for the gymnast to feel fully comfortable with them. They should use their new grips for basics and their old grips for harder skills until the new grips are broken in. Buckle grips can sometimes take a bit longer to break in than velco grips.
For young gymnasts using palm guards for the first time, let them just start off by doing their bar conditioning wearing them and basics such as pull-arounds and casts. You could also higher up the low bar and let them try their swings there for safety reasons instead of on the high bar. Or else spot them (pending Covid-19 protocol on spotting at the time).
Before gymnasts do anything to their grips, they should try them on!! If they are the wrong size, they can only be returned in factory condition so don’t be too quick to jump on the bar with them or put their name on them. Try them on with their wristbands (more about wristbands further down). Be sure that they are a snug fit, but that they aren’t too tight. If they feel like the grips are too large or are very small, they may have ordered the wrong size. Ask a coach for advice. Sometimes grips might feel too small at first, but this feeling usually goes away as the grips are broken in and the finger holes expand.
New grips can often be worn on either hand. You’ll notice with some grips however that one side of the top of the grip is slanted higher. If this is the case, usually the higher side of the grip should go thumb side of hand. It is also advised that for ones with velcro straps, you want to be pulling the strap towards your body. Pull the strap inward and wrap it around your wrist counter-clockwise until it’s tight enough and then fasten the velco. For buckle strap grips, the buckle is usually beside the thumb. It’s a good idea that whatever way you decide to wear them that the loose end of the strap faces outwards when they’re on the bar so the buckle strap doesn’t flick the bar or the velco attach to your leotard. So the buckles/ straps will be on the top side of your wrists. See below image – straps on top side.
It’s important whatever hand you decide to wear them on that you designate a right and a left so as they shape to your hand, you continue to wear them on the same hand. Mark them “L” and “R” with a permanent marker when you first get them (after you’ve tested them out of course) so you know which is which. It’s also a great idea to put your name on them!
Next you need to widen the finger holes. Grips are worn on the gymnast’s middle two fingers (middle finger and ring finger) and the hole reaches the first knuckle for dowel grips and the base of the finger for palm guards At first they will feel tight, but they will get used to them.
To widen them, you can use the adjustment knobs on some equipment at the gym and twist around them. You could leave a thick marker (with the lid on) through them overnight. Some people use sandpaper wrapped around a pencil and sand away until the hole is the right size. Make sure to not make the finger holes too big because the leather will stretch over time!! Also make sure you never try to cut the holes.
After they know they’ve the right size and the finger holes feel snug, it’s time to chalk up and get on the bar. As mentioned previously, swings are a good way to break in the new grips. If they’re using dowel grips, the coach can show them how they should be positioned on the bar. As swings start to feel comfortable, the coach will then add in other basic skills such as back-hip circles, casts, etc.
The gymnast can help break in their grips by how they store them. This method of storage assists with moulding the grips to the correct shape.
When they take the grips off, they can hold a grip facing the way they would go on their hand. Two spritz of water on them (so they’re damp not wet) can help them mould. 1. Fold the top half down so the dowel is tucked in and hidden. 2. Then fold the grip in half again the opposite way, making an “S” shape. 3. Fold the grip down one more time towards them, so that the whole folded palm side of the grip is inside the wrist area. Close the buckle/ velco strap around the grip as if it’s the wrist. Do the same with the other grip. Storing their grips this way, even after they’re broken in, will help them maintain their shape for better grip on the bar.
Images from Whitney Bjerken’s YouTube – Thank you Whitney!
Back-up pair
For older and more advanced gymnasts, we would recommend that they keep their old pair of handguards as their back-up pair to bring to competitions in case their current pair of handguards break. Or ideally, they’d have two pairs that they train with.
What to do if the gymnast feels like they’re slipping
For gymnasts who are used to grips and this has started happening to them, check their water use. If they tend to use a lot of water on their grips, too much water can speed up the stretching process and this could cause the feeling of slipping on the bar. Too much water can also cause the handguards to dry in a funny shape if they’re just thrown in any old state into the gym bag after training.
For new grip wearers, maybe they’re not experiencing the locking feeling with the dowel. Bring them back to working their tap swings (hanging and kicking from dish to arch under the bar with hand re-grasps). This helps them to nail that lock position and get comfortable with how it feels. Check to see if the dowel is getting into that correct secure position on the bar. It’s the drop part of most skills (as they swing downwards) that gives that lock sensation and if they’re afraid of this action, they won’t get a good grip on the bar.
Sometimes the handguard might fit in length but the dowel is too big/ grip is too wide for their slim hands so they may need a narrower grip. It’s best to figure this out before they’ve already purchased and tested their own new grips.
General tips for using/ caring for grips
- The gymnast should do a quick check of their grips before each session for rips or tears or any issues with the stitching.
- Don’t overspray water on your grips. One or two squirts from a squirt bottle is plenty. Too much water can soak the grips and make you slip off the bar. Using too much water can also cause grips to stretch prematurely as well as cause them to dry in the wrong shape if just thrown in the gym bag after training.
- Store them folded in the right shape in a grip bag and try not to overuse chalk and water on them. This will wear them out fast.
- Use of a grip brush (small brush with stiff wire bristles) can help. It roughens the leather (be gentle though!) and cleans the chalk residue off it at the end of a session. If the grips are too smooth, they’ll be slippy and that’s where the grip brush comes in handy. Brush across the guard, not up and down, and never brush the stitching of the guards.
Bar Accessories
- Handguard bag
- Guard brush
- Athletic tape
- Chalk & chalk box
- Water spray bottle
- Wristbands
Handguard bags
These keep their guards dry and clean and keep the chalk from getting on other items in their gym bag.
Guard brush
As discussed previously. Used to remove excess chalk after a session and to roughen up the guards. Irish company, EquipMyGym, sell them for €6.
Tape
Tape is used to protect the skin of the gymnasts’ hands from bearing the brunt of all the frictional force of bars. Discussed more in later section on treating rips. Buy athletic tape/ zinc oxide adhesive tape. Can find in pharmacies and sports stores. Johnson & Johnson Coach Athletic Tape gets good reviews.
Chalk
Chalk (magnesium carbonate) is white and powdery. It absorbs moisture, helping to avoid sweaty palms that could make them slip on the smooth wooden bars. It also helps decrease friction, allowing a smooth swing and helping to reduce the risk of injury to hands. In these Covid-19 times, each gymnast must use their own individual chalk box to avoid any cross-contamination of a shared bucket. For this they can simply use a lunch box that seals well and that’s big enough. We sometimes use chalk for other apparatus – e.g. a gymnast has sweaty hands or feet on beam and is performing a skill that they need good grip for.
Spray Bottle
Used to spray water on the bars or the gymnast’s handguard.
Wristbands
Wristbands/ sweat bands are worn under the grips to prevent chafing on the gymnast’s wrists. The type of wristband is a matter of personal preference. Some like thick cotton ones and some like neoprene. Remember that some handguards don’t require wristbands, but the gymnast may cut the toes off an old cotton sock to wear to prevent chafing.
How to wear them – align the edge of the wristband with the point where your wrist meets your hand. Smooth the wristbands they are wrinkle-free to avoid irritation and movement.
A couple of things to consider when buying wristbands: width and material.
For the width, small wristbands (2-3 inches for example) for beginner handguards is perfect. Dowel grips will need longer wristbands, so the grips don’t chafe further up their arm (4-6 inches for example).
Cotton wristbands come in a range of sizes and colours and are easily washed. They’re not as durable, however, as neoprene wristbands. Cotton wristbands can also become crunchy with use and washes. Neoprene wristbands are made from a type of rubber and fit comfortably on your wrist. DRYbands is an example of a brand of neoprene wristbands. They are machine washable on cold. They offer antimicrobial properties (to discourage bacteria growth) and wicking properties (to lift sweat off the skin quickly). They appear really long but that’s because the lower half flips up over velcro or buckles of handguards for safety and comfort (prevents grip straps snagging in their leo or scraping their legs, as well as keeping straps in place). Irish company, EquipMyGym, sells them in three colours (black, pink, and white) for €21.
How to wear dry bands – https://drybands.com/pages/how-to-wear-dry-bands
How to treat a rip?
A rip is when a piece of upper layer of skin peels away from lower layers of skin, usually on the palms of the hands but sometimes around fingers and on the wrist as well. This is caused by the friction of the hands rubbing on the bars. It can also be caused by dry skin which is more likely to crack and rip. A rip leaves an open wound which can be painful. Callouses are the thickening of the outer layer of skin and they occur due to repeated rubbing and are usually found at the top of the palm of the hand where the palm meets the fingers. This area takes a lot of the force of swinging on bars. (Back to these later).
When a rip happens, we ask the gymnast to wash their hands. The coach pops on a pair of gloves and uses a sanitized pair of small scissors/ nail clippers to cut the skin flap off. If we can’t get all of it with the scissors, we may pull it off by pulling downwards (never upwards). It’s important that all of the skin flap is removed as any skin leftover will get hard and cause future rips. They’re then asked to wash their hands again with warm soapy water (not too hot or that’ll hurt) to prevent infection.
It’s better to keep the rip open to the air once it can be kept clean. Plasters, gauze, etc. can stick to the wound and remove the new skin when pulled off. Give the rip room to breathe. Use an antibiotic ointment to prevent infection. It’ll take 3-4 days to heal. For the first few times they’re back on bars, they may want to make a tape grip (images below).
Preventing rips
Keep hands clean and moisturised to prevent rips. Wash hands in soapy warm water before and after training and apply a moisturising product before bed to prevent hands drying up. If the gymnast is getting calluses, exfoliate them with a pumice stone but don’t overuse – be gentle. You want to keep the calluses thick enough that they offer some protection but not too big and rough that they catch on the bars, hence why they should be filed down and shaped somewhat. Use chalk and/ or grips to prevent rips. Chalk can also dry up the hands though which is why it’s important to wash hands after training and counteract the chalk with a moisturiser – use as needed.
Gymnasts who wear grips may get rips or irritated skin around the wrists where the grip may continuously rub against the skin. Use wristbands/ sweatbands or gym tape to cover the area and prevent a rip. If a rip does occur on the wrist, use the first aid pads which have a hole in the middle that are used for plantar warts. Position the pad so that the hole is directly over the injured area, then tape it in place and put wrist bands and grips on top.
Once a new layer of skin has covered the rip, continue using moisturiser. If the rip is allowed to dry up, the skin will crack and they will continue to rip in the same spot.
If the gymnast is on bars again after ripping, we don’t cover the rip with the sticky side of the tape. Instead we recommend putting a small piece of tape with the sticky-side up over the rip. This sticky side will stick to the rest of the tape that goes over the rip and won’t stick to the rip itself.
If hands haven’t ripped but they feel like they’re hot and throbbing after a training session, holding an ice pack or ice cubes or placing hands in cold water can help the inflamed issues to cool down.
How to tape up a rip – basic version
How to tape up a rip – slightly more complicated but holds better
(images from Rifs Blog)
Loops bar – gloves and loops
The loop bar (also called metal bar) is a bar made of metal that the gymnast gets “looped” / strapped into for additional safety when trying new or more difficult skills. It also offers a break for the hands from the friction of a wooden bar.
Loop bar gloves
For the loop bar, the gymnast will need loop bar gloves. Some people use home-made options such as exfoliation gloves for the shower, “magic” gloves, and even gardening gloves. These work okay for beginners but for higher quality and for more protection around the wrist, it’s usually worth it to buy actual bar loop gloves. They’re designed with wide / elongated wrist area for added comfort and they’re usually higher quality material. Quality cotton absorbs moisture and provides lower friction. It’s important to inspect gloves and loops before each use to ensure no wear, tears, etc. in order to guarantee safety. Gloves should be replaced every 1 to 2 years depending on how often they’re used. This is to prevent overuse.
Some bar loop gloves don’t require you to also wear wristbands. This helps reduce friction. Most websites that sell bar loops gloves will have a size guide – e.g. measure the length of your middle finger and purchase XS, S, M, L. A well known brand would be Manique. If you wanted to buy gloves from an Irish supplier, GymGym.ie sell a pair for €15. This is slightly more expensive than other websites but at least you’re supporting a family-owned Irish company instead of Amazon!
Loops
These are used as a security measure to strap the gymnast to the bar so they don’t fall off when performing skills such as giants on the metal bar. Again, Manique would be a well-known brand name for these. They’re made from strong nylon webbing or seat belt style webbing. There is no specific way to measure your gymnast for loops at hone as it goes off the thickness of the bar that they train on as well as the size of their hands We usually measure and supply these via the gym so the coach will look after this.
I hope you enjoyed this article, and it answered a lot of the questions you may have. Being informed is the best way to get the most out of bar accessories and to ensure your gymnasts’ safety. If you have any recommendations for me to add to this post, please email me. I’d love to hear from you. info@FlairGymnasticsandDance.com
Best of luck to your gymnast with all her bar training!
Sources:
https://gymnasticplanet.com/guide
https://tenogymnastics.wordpress.com/2017/09/11/dowels-grips-for-growing-gymnasts/
https://gymnasticsexpress.co.uk/blogs/buying-grips-where-do-i-begin/
https://gymnasticsexpress.co.uk/blogs/how-should-i-care-for-my-grips/
https://gymgym.ie/products/beginners-palm-guards
https://www.elitegymnastics.co.uk/pages/how-to-measure-your-hands
https://www.milano-pro-sport.com/accessories-c26/hand-grips-c23
https://boxlifemagazine.com/how-to-grip-the-bar-use-gymnastics-grips-correctly/
https://gymnasticshq.com/gymnastics-grips/
https://www.usglove.com/blogs/news/how-to-gymnastics-grips
https://justifyingfun.com/why-do-gymnasts-wear-grips/
https://www.liveabout.com/choosing-gymmnastic-grips-1714827
https://elitegymnast.com/parents-place/get-grip-rip/#:~:text=Before%20going%20to%20sleep%20at,is%20covered%20with%20new%20skin.
https://www.wikihow.com/Break-in-Gymnastics-Grips
https://gymnasticshq.com/gymnastics-grips/
https://allgymnastics.com/blogs/athletes/how-prevent-and-care-rips/
http://rifsblog.blogspot.com/2007/05/how-to-tape-your-hands.html