Man, I gotta tell you about this whole lifting chalk thing. So, I got into lifting a while back, and my grip was becoming a real problem. Sweaty palms, you know? Couldn’t hold onto the bar for anything, especially during deadlifts. It was a mess. I tried gloves, but they just felt weird and didn’t really solve the issue.
Then, a buddy at the gym saw me struggling and suggested I try chalk. He swore by it. Honestly, I was skeptical. I thought, “Chalk? Like, for a blackboard?” But he explained it’s a special kind of chalk – magnesium carbonate – and it’s supposed to work wonders for your grip. He even let me try some of his, which was in a block form, and I have to admit, my grip felt instantly better.
Finding the right chalk
So, I started looking into it. Turns out, there are tons of options out there! Block chalk, loose chalk, liquid chalk, even these things called chalk balls. It was a bit overwhelming, trying to figure out which one was best.
I started with block chalk because that’s what my friend had. Broke off a chunk, rubbed it on my hands, and bam! Grip city. It did the trick, no doubt. But man, was it messy! Chalk dust everywhere. My gym bag, my clothes, the floor – covered. Plus, I felt like I was wasting a lot of it just crumbling it up.
Next, I tried loose chalk. This stuff came in a bag, already ground up. Figured it would be less messy, right? Wrong! Still made a mess, and it felt like I was going through it even faster than the block chalk. I did find that the loose chalk coated my hands better though.
Liquid Chalk Experiment
Then I stumbled upon liquid chalk. Sounded crazy, but I was intrigued. It’s basically chalk mixed with alcohol. You squeeze a little on your hands, rub it in, and the alcohol evaporates, leaving a thin layer of chalk. I decided to give the WBCM Liquid Chalk a shot because I saw a lot of people recommending it online.
- Ease of Use: This stuff was a game-changer. No more clouds of chalk dust. Just a quick squirt, rub it in, and I was good to go. It dried super fast too.
- Grip: The grip was amazing. Felt just as good, if not better, than the block or loose chalk. And it lasted a long time, I didn’t need to keep reapplying it during my workout.
- Mess-Free: Like I said, no mess! My gym bag stayed clean, my clothes stayed clean, and I’m pretty sure the gym staff appreciated it too.
I also tried a chalk ball from Z-Athletic. It’s basically loose chalk inside a porous cloth ball. You just pat the ball on your hands, and it releases a small amount of chalk. This was definitely less messy than loose chalk, but I still felt like the liquid chalk was superior. I find that it distributed the chalk more evenly.
After trying all these different types, I’m sticking with liquid chalk. Specifically, that WBCM one. It’s just so much more convenient, less messy, and provides an awesome grip. I heard good things about Sportmediq Pro Grade Liquid Chalk also, so maybe I’ll try it sometime in the future. But for now, WBCM is my go-to. If you’re struggling with your grip, definitely give lifting chalk a try. And if you’re like me and hate mess, go for the liquid stuff. You won’t regret it!
