chalk and deadlifting

[The Dare Devil]

Does anyone use chalk when deadlifting? I usually use gloves, but the closer I get to 400lbs, the harder it is to maintain grip. I tried without gloves last night and it was much better. Just wondering if I should look into chalk? Is it safe to use in an enclosed area (safe to breathe?)

thanks

[Irish Pilot]

I used to use straps, and decided to start getting away from it to help improve grip strength. From the start, I had misunderstood what role straps played.

I use chalk.

Without it, when I go heavy, grip strength or not, its hard to keep the bar from having some motion of its own. Ive found chalk to be beneficial from deads, to BORs, and oddly sometimes even things like flat press simply to remove that greasy-sweaty feeling you get in your palms that makes the bar move around in your hands.

[berfles]

I can't stand gloves. If I couldn't use chalk I wouldn't deadlift, it's a necessity in my opinion.

[Coqui]

Can chalk translate into 90 pounds? I'm asking because I use straps on my last set. Currently I'm doing 335 without straps, but put them on to do 425 because my grip can't hold. So if I use chalk, would that work?

[Progress]

I have self-diagnosed hyperhidrosis in my hands. If it weren’t for chalk I may have given up lifting a long time ago.

[The Dare Devil]

thanks guys. Where can I get chalk online? Any type will work?

[CannibalCrowley]

Going to a local climbing shop will get you out of having to pay shipping charges.

[tnathletics2b]

Going to a local climbing shop will get you out of having to pay shipping charges.

+1. Bought mine at REI.

[Phenom]

Chalk is a gift from the heavens.

[berfles]

thanks guys. Where can I get chalk online? Any type will work?

I got mine from Amazon, you get like 8 blocks for $10 or something and I still haven't even gotten to the second block yet. I've had it for over a year so it pretty much lasts forever.

[Brian Hopper]

thanks guys. Where can I get chalk online? Any type will work?

I found that chalk from APT and EFS are pretty good. I have used other brands and you can actually feel a huge difference.

www.prowriststraps.com

www.elitefts.com

[The Dare Devil]

you guys rock!

[SMK41]

Any ideas where i can get a small drawstring (maybe nylon) bag to store a chalk sock in?

I just picked this up today from REI

http://www.rei.com/product/761250?pr...:referralID=NA

It's somewhere in between the size of a baseball and a softball. I'm going to just throw it in a ziplock bag for now but i'd like something that isnt see through since i'm not sure if my gym is going to be happy about me using chalk. They don't have any signs up about it but i've never seen anyone else using it.

[Brian Hopper]

You can always put it in a plastic container of some sort.

[BigBatz]

Love the stuff. Everything in my garage and backyard have at least traces of chalk on it.

[seK]

Currently using a Chalk Ball. http://www.rockclimbing.com/gear/Ess...Ball_5008.html

I find it's less mess, same result and is environmentally friendly.

Also it's easy to throw at the moron doing curls in the only rack we have.

[joey54]

Currently using a Chalk Ball. http://www.rockclimbing.com/gear/Ess...Ball_5008.html

I find it's less mess, same result and is environmentally friendly.

Also it's easy to throw at the moron doing curls in the only rack we have.

Thats fantastic!

[Runty]

If you were at REI you could have gotten a drawstring bag there. I just bought a little blue nylon bag at REI when I got my chalk that is probably supposed to be used for tent spikes or something. Just enough room to maneuver my hand in around the chalk sock/ball thingy and squeeze some chalk on my hand. Not too messy because it's not a bag full of straight up powder, plus I used to take it to my gym and never got hassled for it. Very stealth.

[Rugby Dad]

Does anyone use chalk when deadlifting? I usually use gloves, but the closer I get to 400lbs, the harder it is to maintain grip. I tried without gloves last night and it was much better. Just wondering if I should look into chalk? Is it safe to use in an enclosed area (safe to breathe?)

thanks

LOL , chalk is abosolute safe and whatever chalk dust gets inhaled is harmless.
chalk is an absolute neccessity for serious pullers. So ditch the gloves,
benefits:

• improved grip strength
• thicker hands
• builds wrist & forearm strength plus muscle

[rbtrout]

If you're throwing the chalk around the room, then you might have a breathing problem, otherwise, there are no worries.
Gloves will limit your grip, nix the gloves.
I bought chalk and broke it into 3-4 pieces. I just rub one of the pieces on my hands and that does the trick. I keep it in a ziplock baggie. We're not allow to use chalk, so I'm a bit discrete about using it.
My grip strength hasn't caught up to my pulling strength, yet, so I use straps on my very heaviest sets. I don't compete, so I'm not worried about using straps once in a while.

[fixationdarknes]

Can chalk translate into 90 pounds? I'm asking because I use straps on my last set. Currently I'm doing 335 without straps, but put them on to do 425 because my grip can't hold. So if I use chalk, would that work?

I think so. But if it doesn't right away, just give it some time and your grip strength should improve rapidly if you keep using the chalk and holding as much as you can. I was seriously struggling to hold 275 for even just 2 reps, but after getting chalk that weight felt glued to my hands, almost like I didn't even have to try to hold it. And now about 4-6 weeks later I just pulled 385 and it still felt glued to my hands, felt like I could stand there all day with the bar in my hands. And even now without chalk I can hold the 3xx weights without a problem, so it has definitely allowed me the opportunity to strengthen my grip.

[The Dare Devil]

I ended up getting the chalk ball sek recommended. It is awesome and not messy at all