Lifting chalk is an alternative to lifting gloves for sweaty situations. Whether you live in hot climate or you sweat more than average; you need something to counter it. Gloves and chalk are the main two options for combating the sweat effect.
Should you choose lifting chalk or gloves?
Chalk reduces the effect of sweat but still gives the almost bare hand feel and control. This is probably why it is mostly used by Olympics lifters and cross fitters. If you don’t like the feel of chalk on your hands or your gym doesn’t permit its use, lifting gloves are the better choice. In the end it comes down to a number of factors including personal preference. There is no right or wrong answer for this choice so try both and use the one that suits your training style the best.
Even if you are not into lifting, chalk is also highly beneficial if you are into rock climbing. It is great for giving you extra grip for those higher graded climbs. The chalk will benefit your climbing on days that aren’t even hot and you are just looking for that extra grip boost. But it is definitely a requirement on hot, humid days whether you are an excessive sweater or not.
The most commonly used chalk is magnesium carbonate, which provides great absorption and grip for reasonable prices. Here is a great chalk ball that you can just grab a squeeze to get your hands grippy without the chalky mess. To fill the ball or if you just want plain chalk, this is a fairly priced quality option. For more options to help improve your lifting check out of lifting kit – full of great products for lifters.