How necessary are grips?

[floorlover14]

Last summer when I got my kip, my coach told me that I should get dowel grips (the reward for getting your kip at my gym ). I didn't really want to pay $50, and I wasn't going to do more than 5 hours a week last year, so I didn't order any. Plus, I don't really get rips. Even after doing several kips, all I have is a few blisters. I thought grips were just for getting better "grip" on the bar, and to keep your hands from getting sweaty. If I don't have those problems, then why do I need them? I guess what I'm asking is, what are the benefits of grips? Is it safer with them, or easier, more fun? I am going to be doing more hours this year, so I want to know before I spend the money!

Thanks!

 

[gymgal]

you are going to get a lot of different answers on this one. coaches and gymnasts all have their own opinion on it and it really just depends on how you feel. Some coaches require it at a certain level. (ex. before kips are learned) some prohibit them until the gymnast gets their giants so the gymnasts knows what the bar feels like with their bare hands on these skills. some girls have trouble relearning some of their skills after getting grips (my dd had to relearn her kip. thankfully it took only a couple weeks but for others it can be months). Some gymnasts never get grips. some make their own with tape. it really depends on your comfort level and the coaches wishes.

as for why they are useful, our coaches say that girls can stay on bars longer in practice if they have grips. I think this is more for high level skills like giants. It's not always about rips and blisters. It's also about heat transfer. that's how it was explained to me...

 

[cher062]

Last summer when I got my kip, my coach told me that I should get dowel grips (the reward for getting your kip at my gym ). I didn't really want to pay $50, and I wasn't going to do more than 5 hours a week last year, so I didn't order any. Plus, I don't really get rips. Even after doing several kips, all I have is a few blisters. I thought grips were just for getting better "grip" on the bar, and to keep your hands from getting sweaty. If I don't have those problems, then why do I need them? I guess what I'm asking is, what are the benefits of grips? Is it safer with them, or easier, more fun? I am going to be doing more hours this year, so I want to know before I spend the money!

Thanks!

There is no right answer for that question. Opinions on this area as numerous as there are coaches and gymnasts.

Grips don't prevent rips or blisters you can still get them with grips and your hands will still sweat. Sweating happens as a bodily function and not chunk of leather will stop that. I don't think it make it safer, easier or more fun that would really be a mater of opinion for those using them. My DD loves them and won't do any bars without them. She got them at L5 and still uses them at L7 (on her 2nd set of grips now), but those first few months when she first started using them she wasn't sure she liked them. Now she wouldn't even think of doing bars without them. There are many upper level gymnasts that never use them too. It is all a matter of personal preferance. I would ask your coach if you will be required to get them at some point. Many gyms do require upper level gymnasts to get them.

if you have any friends at the gym who have them see if they will let you try them. I know my dd never lends hers out she says they are fitting her hands just the right way and letting someone else use them changes them. But other will lend theirs out. You could try them that way before you buy them.

 

[All Chalked Up]

I found I had a better grip on the bar with grips (hence the name )

 

[jenniffir]

Grips are about as necessary as you would like to make them. I have used them as long as i have been on team (starting at lv 5) because i was extremely excited to get this special new item that would make me a "gymnast", 3 yrs later im still doing gymnastics and my grips are my one true love because they remind me of the times when i could just swing on the bar and be happy. The point is, is that i became grip dependent and can do basic skill without them but would die if i tried to do a rutine.

There is another gymnast that goes to my gym, an astounding magnificeint "veteran" gymnast that doesnt use grips and will throw any dismount imaginable, giants, shoot-overs (or whatever they are called) and refuses to wear grip despite having worn them in her prime (some 30+ years ago).

Its really just how comfortable you are with your grip on the bar, grips grip but your raw hand can as well.

 

[sportyspice]

My DD doesn't use grips, just strips of muslin over her palms to ease friction. I don't think not wearing grips has affected her ability to learn skills as she can do giants, flyaways, clear hip to handstands, straddle kip to handstands. Her hands are tough and calloused but do not rip, last rip was two years ago (currently in her 7th year of training). She tried grips for a couple of months but really didn't like them as she prefers to feel the bar.

 

[cher062]

Also if you are planning on using them at some point in time then I personally think you should get them now. It can be hard to transition and have to re-learn the skills at the upper levels. Grips do make you change hand positions a bit and the skills you have without them you may lose until you get use to the grips. It's alot easier to just learn the skils with the grips if you plan on using them eventually.

 

[floorlover14]

I didn't mention this in my original post, but I had bought grips a few years ago (cheap palm grips without dowels) and I hated them. All my teammates who have grips love theirs, and can't see how I can possibly do bars without them. The thing is, I felt like they bunched up too much and I couldn't get a good grip. I thought that was just because they were cheap though. Is that a good indication that I would be better off without grips?

 

[cher062]

I didn't mention this in my original post, but I had bought grips a few years ago (cheap palm grips without dowels) and I hated them. All my teammates who have grips love theirs, and can't see how I can possibly do bars without them. The thing is, I felt like they bunched up too much and I couldn't get a good grip. I thought that was just because they were cheap though. Is that a good indication that I would be better off without grips?

Nope. Its a good indication you need time to get use to using them like everybody else. I think the dowled one are better than the palm protectors as the dowel helps keep grip in place. YOU do have to get use to using them and be committed to using them. You have to break them in just like a pair of new shoes and re-learn some skills you have on the bars as they are done a little different with the grips on. At least those were the things my DD complained about when she first got them.