Gymnastic Grips

Grips are important in gymnastics for many reasons. They not only assist the gymnast in turning on the bars, but they also reduce the friction created between the bars and the gymnasts’ hands. They usually consist of a wrist brace and a flap of fabric that hooks onto the two center fingers. This simple but important piece of gymnastics equipment is used all the way up to Olympic levels.

The fabric used to make grips is usually leather based because it is durable and will slide easily on the bars, rings, and vaults while also gripping it so the gymnasts don’t fall. Grips are very important to not only the safety of the gymnasts, but also the condition of the gymnastics equipment.

The differences in the styles of grips are not usually too drastic. There is a difference in male and female grips as to the fact that they are larger and some men’s grips cover the entire palm of the hand as while women’s grips only cover the central section of the palm. Some grips have two holes in the top for the fingers but some have two elastic loops for the fingers to slip through.

The style of grips each gymnast uses depends on the personal preference of the particular gymnast using them. The wrist braces can vary as well. Some are Velcro while some are snaps, clips, or buckles. As with the finger positioning, the style worn is by personal preference. Grips can come in many different colors. While most gymnasts prefer to stick with white because of the chalk and uniformed look it gives off, some choose colors to match their leotards or team colors being worn at the particular competition or meet.

Some coaches or gymnastic studios may require a particular type to be worn for the purpose of preserving the condition of their equipment or so that the entire gymnastics team is wearing the same style. There are different styles of grips for each event such as rings, parallel bars, and uneven bars. Some men prefer not to wear them during evens like the pommel horse because they claim that it affects the way their hands move along the fabric of the pommel horse but others claim that it assists them a lot and makes things a bit easier.

Remember to place the middle and ring fingers in the holes. If the holes are too small when bought, you can use sandpaper to file them down but you must remember that the grips need to be snug on your fingers. Serious injuries can occur if one was to come loose from the hand. The Velcro around the wrists can sometimes potentially irritate the wrists and become painful.

Many gymnasts wear wristbands underneath to keep things comfortable and firmly attached to the hand. Also, squirting a bit of water on the grips before applying chalk will help with grip as well as hardening the grips but some gymnasts do not prefer to do this as it can make the grips slippery as the chalk wears off.

Most grips cost about $20 to $60 but some grips can be custom fitted and made to each person’s hand and this can cost much more. Many gymnasts that have worn custom made grips claim it is extremely worth the cost. The benefits of purchasing custom grips are that you know they fit, you get to choose the most comfortable style for your personal preferences, and they are less likely to wear out as quickly as the ready made grips. Custom grips can cost anywhere from $75 to $200 but the choice of getting custom fitted grips is up to the gymnast. Grips can be bought in gymnastics magazines, online, or can be found in your local sports shop.