Gym gloves, fitness gloves or weightlifting gloves are small sized gloves with open fingers, which makes them ideal for weightlifting and fitness training. The gloves are designed to prevent calluses and blisters from repeated gripping and grabbing various exercise equipment. Some are also designed to provide protection to athlete’s wrists from strain and offer cushioning for the palms. Gym gloves are generally categorized by their durability, support, and flexibility.
The history of gym gloves or weightlifting gloves go a long way back but became more popular with the inclusion of the sport since the Olympic Games in Athens (1896). Today, almost all the professional and amateur athletes use gym gloves for best performance and safety.
Although it was William Steward Halsted[1] (chief surgeon at Johns Hopkins Hospital), in 1889, who first invented rubber gloves for preventative measures, the history of fitness gloves date back to the early Greeks and Romans. These type of gloves are usually fingerless gloves, used primarily to carry weighted objects, and were made using fine leather, velvet, or silk. With time, fitness gloves have evolved and now a special kind of padding is also incorporated to protect hands from various injuries.
Usually, leather and nylon material is used in the manufacturing, the glove design differs according to their use. Some gloves include neoprene lining to keep hands cool. Some gloves cover the palms while others keep them open. Some gloves are designed to leave fingers open. Some gloves are built with removable weights while others have weights sewn into them. All the gloves use a Velcro hook and loop closure.. The best kind of weightlifting gloves are hand-crafted to offer a perfect fit. Those gloves are the most comfortable and if the right material is used, they are sturdy.
As the name suggests, these gloves cover full fingers as compared with short-finger or fingerless designs. If used, these type of gloves can prolong your workout session. They are mostly used for cycling, but as more and more people are going towards fitness gyms, they are the most commonly used gym gloves.
These gloves are also referred as short finger gloves, are used for better grip by exposing fingers. It gives you the dexterity needed when grabbing hold of bars. Very useful in hot and humid conditions to avoid sweating in hands. They are the second most used gym gloves. They also make the bare metal of the weight bars easier on the skin.
Grips
Generally [open backed] and low profile with [wrist support].