Grip finger holes too big, what to do?

[mariposa]

My 7 year old level 5 got grips last week. I think that they are the right size by measurement on the length. Her hand measurement is just under 5 1/2" and that is a size 00 in the brand she got. She got the Bailie Narrow Dowel grips, with velcro (gym ordered them).

The finger holes are too big. She says then are rubbing her fingers and hurting a lot. Is there anything she can do to make this better? Or does she need new grips? She said something about a rubber band to fix it.

 

[MdGymMom01]

Is your coach suggesting dowel grips already? At our gym the level 4's are introduced to the beginner grips and dd has done fine with these grips: g903 2nd grip palm guard . She used them for both Level 4 and 5 (Level A) and has found that they work fine for the level 5 skills. Her fingers are very thin, so these grips worked very well. You may want to try another brand to see if they have smaller finger holes.

 

[mariposa]

Yes, at her gym, they go into dowel grips at level 5. I am not sure if not using them is an option or not. Also not sure if she can use another brand.

 

[gymcoach34]

I would check w the coach to see if everything is the right size, including the finger holes. I'm not sure why they wouldnt let her try another brand if they fit her better. I use the just right buckes (gibson) w/ my younger kids, but we only use grips after L5 so they get used to shifting their hands. (I am not a fan of velcro, so we usually use buckle grips.) It will take quite a while for such a little one to get used grips.

 

[Megley]

I am not sure there is much you can do if the finger holes are too large. My dd (same size hands) wears the Just Right in XS (equivalent to 00) and the finger holes are very small. I would check with her coaches and see if she can change brands.

 

[mariposa]

So will rubber bands not help in some way? I know I have seen girls using them, but can't figure out how they would help. Thanks everyone!

 

[bogwoppit]

Look in my photo album on here, there are some things on there call finger wedgies that are designed just for that. I get them in the UK. THey are soft and work great, just make sure you are the one to put them on as they are a bit fiddly.

PM me with your address, I have so many of them I'll be glad to send some to Abby!

 

[MdGymMom01]

After some googling, the rubber bands are used to help keep the grips around the finger holes from slipping and moving around. So, I would think that you would put the rubber band around the finger and put the other end around the wrist?? Not too sure but they are used to help keep the grips from slipping.

 

[RennaDanGym]

There is actually a very simple solution. Does your gym have a foam pit? If it does, get your DD to tear off a chunk of the foam and stuff it in the hole of the grip, and then to put her fingers in. If it doesn't fill it up all the way get a larger piece. Put them into every finger hole. It even makes it more comfortable and makes it where the grip holes fit better. =D (according to my kids) This is what my level 6 DD's do. I hope this helps!

 

[momof5]

MY DD also has the finger holes too big. She tried the foam and didn't like it but I might try to look into what bog said. My DD has used the rubber bands and found them too uncomfortable. what she did all last season was tape her fingers. She uses the regular athletic tape and puts tape around the two fingers in the spot where the grips fit on her fingers. She wraps the tape around two or three times. This solved her problem. She still has to get the coach to do it for her. When she tries on her own she can't quite get it right. In addition to the holes feeling to big and uncomfortable it can be dangerous. Anytime my DD doesn't use the tape her fingers slip out of the holes. Often this has happened while doing things on bars. She has peeled a few times after her fingers slipped out.

 

[gymdog]

Sometimes you just have to build calluses. I don't think that rubbing where the finger holes are means they are too big, necessarily. There is going to be some friction there.

But I wear rubber bands anyway, because I like to. I actually cut one and loop through another and then tie it around the finger hole, which is an unnecessarily complicated process but I like it. The normal way would just be to loop two rubber bands together and then thread it through the finger holds and feed the wrist stap through. But this just keeps your fingers from sliding out (I started doing this when I learned releases). It won't stop all friction in that area. Tape or a piece of prewrap cut in half may be a better solution.

 

[tumblerK]

I taped my fingers for a while like momof5 said, and after I got tired of that I just put the tape around the finger hole of the grips. I took some careful taping to get it to stick and stay on the grip, but I did it over a year ago to my grips and the tape is still on there just fine. That way I don't have to use so much tape by taping my fingers everyday.

 

[gymnut1]

Look in my photo album on here, there are some things on there call finger wedgies that are designed just for that. I get them in the UK. THey are soft and work great, just make sure you are the one to put them on as they are a bit fiddly.

PM me with your address, I have so many of them I'll be glad to send some to Abby!

haha beat me to it. We all use wedgies here. The kids love them. They get to chose the colours when they get their new grips. My dd said they really made a difference. Eventually they break and drop off but she had broken in her grips by then. I am very surprised they aren't as widespread in USA. I wouldn't want my dd using stinky foam out of the pit. Yuck.

 

[bogwoppit]

haha beat me to it. We all use wedgies here. The kids love them. They get to chose the colours when they get their new grips. My dd said they really made a difference. Eventually they break and drop off but she had broken in her grips by then. I am very surprised they aren't as widespread in USA. I wouldn't want my dd using stinky foam out of the pit. Yuck.

I know why, that is because they are manufactured in a tiny little village called Wooler, in Northumberland! I know this because it's where my parent moved to a few years back. When I get the wedgies the lady from the factory goes to meet my Mum in the village cafe! Bucolic or what.

I have contemplated importing them, but with the whole customs things between the Canada and the USA they would get pricey, for what they are. Maybe someone should send them to 10.0 or Norberts for them to import!

 

[gymnut1]

Perhaps Mariposa could set up importing them - nice little business idea for her! We could all invest to get her off the ground.

I can't imagine a club being without them here! Essential once you have them.

 

[mariposa]

That is a great idea gymnut1, you are so sweet. I just posted on my Facebook how frustrated it is to get turned down over and over and over for jobs I apply to. I am not even applying for nursing jobs anymore, but for unit secretary type jobs and have yet to get even a call or interview. I don't even think I get past the HR person and to the hiring managers, it all happens so quick.

I could set up a website easily, that would be really cool! Though I think with customs and stuff the price would end up being higher. Not sure I could import them here easily.

 

[bogwoppit]

Always worth some email enquiries. I think you could make some serious stay at home cash from these things. THey are light so shipping is cheap and importing would be easy as they are not made anywhere in the US. I will PM you the company details!

 

[Emma's mom]

Mariposa, Emma always put rubber bands on her fingers when she was A's age. She had buckle grips, and still had the same problem. She and the other teammate that were both 7 as level 5's had to wear the rubber bands all year. Good luck!!

 

[mariposa]

No luck with importing them, but they will eventually be available in the US somehow. It was a great idea, though!

 

[ZJsMom]

My dd has always used the rubber bands with her grips. I don't know exactly what she does with them, but I believe they go around the dowel and then hook into the wrist band of the grip. I can ask her.