Blisters

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mharwood

Blisters

Post by mharwood »

OK. If I don't use bicycle gloves I get these nasty blisters. Weird thing is, I only get them on my right hand. Am I doing something wrong?
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Post by Stan »

Hi Mary and welcome to the forum
I would guess the skin on your right hand is a little softer than the left. Also if you are right handed you may be gripping the bar slightly harder with it. If you carry on without the gloves your hands will toughen up and develop calluses, which I am guessing you dont want so I would advise you to carry on wearing the gloves
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Post by Mike Channin »

I use weights gloves and I still get blisters even through them. And I get a different pattern left to right, so I definitely have a slightly asymmetric pull. (Used to be more so, as I still rowed noticeably stroke side until about 5 years ago). Getting them one hand only probably means you're pulling or gripping asymmetrically, but if I were you I'd just keep the gloves on and not worry about it.

Always did use gloves, even on the river 15 years ago. Used to get stick for it, but they soon shut up when they realised my hands were untouched whilst theirs were a mess of nasty blisters. Especially when Cam water does scary things to exposed new skin...
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Post by BartMan »

I row without gloves and get calluses, but, trim them off with a sharp craft knife so they don't get too munty! Have only cut myself twice...!
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Post by webberg »

I have to say that I have never had a blister caused by rowing.

Equally I don't really get calluses (callusi?) except on the left hand just below my wedding ring.

I have always held the handle at the crux of finger and palm and sometimes further out when reaching for that extra something.

The forum however is full of complaints about blisters. AM I simply not doing enough mtres to get them? Perhaps marathon month will tell as I'm ramping up the distances.
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Post by Mike Channin »

They definitely become more of an issue as you ramp up the distance. Stuff that wouldn't hurt you on a half marathon can raise some evil blisters by the time you get to the full 42k. Part of it is that your hands are sweat soaked and therefore effectively wet for 3 hours, and as we all know, wet skin softens and gets blistered more easily.

Do a HM or 25/30k, check over to see where the red patches and slightly sore bits are, and put plasters on them. Good sticky fabric ones are best, so they don't come off during the distance. One of the reasons a 30k tester is so handy for marathon preparation is that it tells you where to put the plasters.

My left hand is suffering from the usual blister - trying to break in a new pair of gloves as the last pair are almost through to the skin, but the gloves are breaking me at the moment.
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Post by jainser »

I wear those 'hand pads' that C2 recommend. As would I, they are very good other than after a long session they seem to 'soak' up the sweat. So they have to be washed often which in turn batters them quicker. Still good though.

Have never gone for more than approx 20k in a single session and even then (with the C2 seat pad) I lose all feeling in the right butt cheek first shortly followed by the left!!! How you guys do over 42k I will never know :!:
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Grips & Seat Pad

Post by PSims »

I'm with Jainser - C2 hand grips and seat pad.
As long as grips are washed and dried after each session, no more blisters for me. They let your hands breathe too unlike gloves.

Thinking of having 2-3 pairs for when i do the marathon and changing mid-way through
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Post by Mike Channin »

The trick to distance rowing is bubblewrap and plasters/micropore tape.

I tried the C2 pads but didn't get on with them at all. I use cheap York weights gloves (neoprene ones). Got about 8 pairs from Argos years ago and am gradually wearing thru them all.

Changing to a dry pair of gloves part way through the marathon is a good idea, Paul, but be aware you may find your plasters are stuck to the gloves and not you!

All part of the fun, really.
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chang chi

blisters

Post by chang chi »

Hi
live with hard blisters in my hands, but they will soon dissapear and fade away. Left will be new tough skin. Its a matter of time.

sincerely
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Post by jainser »

Don't get the bubble wrap thing. If I were to use it all I would get is a bucket load of giggles from my very immature kids (nothing like me of course 8) ) every time I moved and they made a 'popping' noise.
Then what do you do when your all popped out??
Couldn't do the 'live it' method and get used to blistered hands. I'm a fairy liquid guy all the way baby!!! :D
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Post by Mike Channin »

To be honest, you don't tend to hear the pops, unless you sit down on it too hard.

Best receipe is a sheet of the big bubble stuff, with a sheet of small bubble stuff either side. Lasts most of the way through a marathon if you're lucky. Replace when necessary.

Also, once you've got a stack of flattened sheets, they're much more comfy than the seat on its own for moderate distance stuff.
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Post by Mark Evans »

With regards to blisters I use the gripmaster pads from the concept2 website. I find them excellent......
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Post by Thomas W-P »

I use "my own hands" from "my parent's genes". I find them to work pretty well too ;) I bought the pads for Tamsin though so she can keep her baby soft hands.

When I do get blisters the best thing to do is leave them alone. Ignore all advice about rubbing them with cat pee/popping them etc. They settle down in about 24 hours leaving you a nice callous that is fun to play with in boring training sessions like I had today.

I have much bigger/tougher callusses on my left hand and suspect that everyone is uneven in some way. How likely is it that you are going to pull exactly the same with each hand?
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Post by Mike Channin »

Just curious Thomas - did you row stroke side OTW?

I did, and I get worse blisters on the left hand.
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Post by Thomas W-P »

I have won on both sides (but more on bow side) - but always got more blisters on my left whichever side I was.
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Post by Stan »

Same here - the calluses on my left hand are thicker than on the right. I have never bothered with gloves.
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Post by BigWaveDave »

Have recently taken to wearing rugby gloves - seem to be longer on the fingers than weight lifting or cycling gloves - and appear to work well, they also give a good level of grip.

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Switching

Post by Derrylad »

Try switching to an underhand grip for the odd 500 /1k as this takes the pressure off. Also really good for the biceps, makes for a nice workout while still achieving the metres. Higher DF helps as well. Wait until they start burning then switch back. You will be surprised at how you can keep the original pace.

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Post by jainser »

jainser wrote:Don't get the bubble wrap thing. If I were to use it all I would get is a bucket load of giggles from my very immature kids (nothing like me of course 8) ) every time I moved and they made a 'popping' noise.
Then what do you do when your all popped out??
Couldn't do the 'live it' method and get used to blistered hands. I'm a fairy liquid guy all the way baby!!! :D
Take it all back on the Bubble wrap thing - tried it today - FANTASTIC!!!!!!!!!

From now I shall now be known as Captain Bubble (wrap) Butt :D

.....and a big Fairy Liquid poof at weekends :roll:
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Idea!

Post by PSims »

AHA! My next ELM challenge - 5k underhand?! :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

Jainser - What you do with bubble wrap is entirely up to you!!
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Re: Idea!

Post by Stan »

PSims wrote:AHA! My next ELM challenge - 5k underhand?! :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:
:roll: :roll: :roll: :lol:
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