• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Generation Iron

Generation Iron Fitness & Strength Sports Network

  • Movies
  • Original Content
  • Reviews
    • Supplements
      • Pre-Workout
      • Fat Burners
      • Testosterone Boosters
      • Creatine
      • Protein
      • BCAAs
      • Multivitamins
      • Omega-3
      • Joint Supplements
      • Super Greens
      • Meal Replacement
    • Recovery
      • Best Cold Plunges
      • Best Saunas
      • Best Foam Rollers
      • Best Massage Guns
    • Programs
      • Best Online Workout Programs
      • Best Workout Streaming Services
      • Best Home Workout Programs
  • Equipment
    • Cardio
      • Treadmills
      • Best Exercise Bikes
      • Best Stair Climbers
    • Fitness Accessories
      • Best Apparel
      • Best Gym Bags
      • Weightlifting Shoes
    • Strength
      • Best Dumbbells
      • Best Barbells
      • Best Kettlebells
      • Best Squat Racks
      • Best Weightlifting Belts
      • Best Home Gym Equipment
      • Complete Home Gyms
    • Training
      • Best Knee Sleeves
      • Best Wrist Wraps
      • Best Weightlifting Wraps
      • Best Weightlifting Gloves
  • More
    • About Us
      • Our Team
      • Our Experts
    • Advertise
    • Franchise With Us
    • Exercise Guides
    • Athlete Profiles
    • Podcasts
    • Power 30
    • Bodybuilding Awards
    • Supplement Awards
  • Shop
Fitness

Why You Should Use Lifting Gloves In Your Workouts

by Austin Letorney Published on Oct 30, 2020 Fact checked by Don Saladino

weightlifting gloves
This post may contain affiliate links (disclosure policy).

Support those big lifts with these great workout aids.

For those who lift big or who seek the most protection out of their hands, weightlifting gloves have grown in popularity as a beneficial piece of equipment to do that. In practice, we wear gloves all the time. We wear gloves when its cold outside, if we are painting a house or a shed, and with certain cleaning products, so why should your workout be any different? An activity where grip strength and hand protection are so important, totally disregarding weightlifting gloves would be a disservice.

It should be said that for some, weightlifting gloves interfere with their workouts. That’s a personal choice and everyone knows what works best for them. Sometimes a more natural feel is the best way to go. But for those who feel they need more wrist support, palm protection, or better grip strength, a good weightlifting glove can work for your overall benefit when it comes to lifting more with added protection.

Knowing the benefits and finding the right lifting gloves are only half the battle. Actually getting up and committing to a hard workout will make those gains really grow. Weightlifting gloves are not the end-all be-all answer to big gains, but they can support you in your efforts to get there.

weightlifting gloves

Benefits Of Weightlifting Gloves

Support Grip

One of the more obvious but important benefits of weightlifting gloves is their ability to improve and support your grip. During that grueling workout, sweat starts to build up on your hands really making that grip elusive. Weightlifting gloves will keep that grip sharp and allow for better positioning on the bar ensuring you have a safe, injury-free workout (1). With a better grip, you will also feel empowered to load on more weight and really increase those gains and overall performance.

Provide Wrist Support & Protection

The wrist is a vulnerable joint, and while it is resilient and quite strong, one wrong mistake and you can suffer from a terrible wrist injury. Many gloves provide an added feature of a wrist wrap to provide for better stabilization and support of the wrist joint to keep you from an unfortunate injury or unwanted pain (2). Typically, this consists of a Velcro strap that you can wrap around to adjust for tightness and comfort. As a result, your wrist remains stable so whatever the lift or movement may be, no extra movement exists to hurt your goals.

weightlifting gloves

Avoid Calluses & Blisters

No one enjoys calluses or blisters. If you have ever tried to shower with fresh blisters on your hands, you may be very attracted to weightlifting gloves. Over time, lifting and other exercises can cause calluses and blisters to form as a result of the constant grind we put our hands through. This can make our hands feel very tough and seem unattractive from an aesthetic point of view.

Having too many blisters can also affect future lifts, because no matter how willing you are to tough it out, trying to grip a bar with fresh blisters only causes blood and pain, both of which do not support a productive lift.

Increase Lift

Aside from the added bonus of enhancing grip to support more weight with no slippage, weightlifting gloves can increase your lifts by distributing the weight across your forearms so it doesn’t all go to your fingers and palm. They also work to improve technique and with a solid, stable wrist, and pain free hands, you can really focus on mind-muscle connection (3) while also having increased weight on the bar.

Reduce Hand Pain & Pressure

One feature of a weightlifting glove to consider is the added padding that may exist on the palm. This will help alleviate pressure and pain (4) for a more comfortable and enjoyable lift. Everyone has the ability to work hard, some just prefer to be more comfortable than others. By relieving pressure on your hands, you allow the muscle being worked to be more effectively engaged to really start the process of seeing those gains.

weightlifting gloves

Disadvantages Of Weightlifting Gloves

It is only fair to mention the disadvantages of weightlifting gloves, which may be exact counters to the advantages, but again, it is all a matter of personal preference. Some prefer a more natural grip and feel that weightlifting gloves can hurt their ability to properly and effectively grip a bar or dumbbell. A thicker bar, for example, may be harder to grip especially with added padding. That extra layer may provide for harder grip and cause your technique to slack off as a result of you trying to physically perform the lift at all costs. This may create that unwanted pressure that no one wants ultimately working against you.

You may become dependent on weightlifting gloves and that isn’t a problem but if you forget your gloves, you best be sure to get the lift done without them. If you rely too heavily on your gloves then its easy for excuses to pile up for reasons to not do it. While we do wear gloves for many other activities outside the gym, for most everyday functional tasks we do not. When carrying the groceries, you don’t put gloves on. While this may seem like a silly reason, working on functional grip and strength will prove to be effective for your everyday life and learning to lift with weightlifting gloves and without can be more than beneficial overall.

Check out our list of the Best Weightlifting Gloves here.

Wrap Up

Weightlifting gloves are really a personal choice. Some people swear by them while others scoff and prefer a more natural grip. But using them for some exercises and not for others is a most likely a happy medium to ensure you get all of the gains of your lift. Check out some weightlifting gloves and find the pair that works best for you to see if these pieces of workout equipment will turn your overall strength and performance goals around.

Let us know what you think in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. 

*Images courtesy of Envato

References

  1. Hamilton, George F.; McDonald, Carolyn; Chenier, Thomas C. (1992). “Measurement of Grip Strength: Validity and Reliability of the Sphygmomanometer and Jamar Grip Dynamometer”. (source)
  2. Lee, Ju-Hyun; Kim, Tae-Ho; Lim, Kyu-Bong (2018). “Effects of eccentric control exercise for wrist extensor and shoulder stabilization exercise on the pain and functions of tennis elbow”. (source)
  3. Calatayud, Joaquin; Vinstrup, Jonas; Jakobsen, Markus D.; Sundstrup, Emil; Brandt, Mikkel; Jay, Kenneth; Colado, Juan Carlos; Andersen, Lars Louis (2016), “Importance of mind-muscle connection during progressive resistance training”. (source)
  4. Buhman, Dion C.; Cherry, Jennifer A.; Bronkema-Orr, Lisa; Bishu, Ram (2000). “Effects of glove, orientation, pressure, load, and handle on submaximal grasp force”. (source)

About Austin Letorney

Austin Letorney is a writer, actor, and fitness enthusiast. As a former rower, he has shifted his focus to sharing his knowledge of the fitness world and strength sports with others.

View All Articles

Primary Sidebar

Get the Latest

Stay informed with the latest news, product reviews, & expert advice.

Popular Reviews

  • best protein powders

    The Best Protein Powder Supplements of 2025 (Tried and Tested)

  • Best Creatine Supplements For Bulking & Muscle Growth of 2025 (Personally Tested)

  • top x pre workout

    The 14 Best Pre-Workout Supplements of 2025 (MD Reviewed)

  • Performance Lab SPORT BCAA

    The Best BCAA For Bodybuilding Health & Performance Goals

Trending Articles

  • female fitness models

    18 Best Butts On The Internet (Updated 2024)

  • ronnie coleman the king workout

    Ronnie “The King” Coleman’s Complete Bodybuilding Workout

  • The Ultimate Mike Mentzer Workout and Diet

  • Chris bumstead's 2024 workout and diet plan

    Chris Bumstead’s 2025 Complete Bodybuilding Workout & Diet Plan

Popular Now

  • best protein powders

    The Best Protein Powder Supplements of 2025 (Tried and Tested)

  • Best Creatine Supplements For Bulking & Muscle Growth of 2025 (Personally Tested)

  • top x pre workout

    The 14 Best Pre-Workout Supplements of 2025 (MD Reviewed)

  • female fitness models

    18 Best Butts On The Internet (Updated 2024)

  • best citrulline supplements

    The Best Citrulline Malate Supplements for Performance and Pump

  • ronnie coleman the king workout

    Ronnie “The King” Coleman’s Complete Bodybuilding Workout

Generation Iron

Generation Iron is the first and only digital network delivering health, fitness, bodybuilding, and strength sports content. We deliver premium content with the biggest names in fitness and provide expert coverage, reviews on top brands, workout tips and trends in the worlds of fitness, health and strength sports.

Strongman Corporation
Vladar

Sections

  • Trending News
  • Original Movies
  • Original Content
  • Supplement Reviews
  • Equipment Reviews
  • Exercise Guides
  • Nutrition Guides
  • Athlete Profiles

More

  • About Us
  • Our Team
  • Our Experts
  • Advertise
  • Franchise With Us
  • Podcasts
  • Power 30
  • Shop

CONTACT

Generation Iron Brands LLC
134 West 29th Street Suite 902
New York, NY 10001
Email: [email protected]

Follow

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • X / Twitter
  • YouTube

© 2025 · Generation Iron · Disclaimers · Privacy Policy · Accessibility