- ...the sense of something that is durable—e.g., straps, wraps, squat suits and
bench shirts—the chalk is still a form of support tackle for weight trainees.
Unlike all the other gear—with the exception of a belt, which is optional—
chalk is a form of support equipment recommended for everyone.. Use chalk everywhere you need the help, especially in back exercises and
upper-body pressing movements. In the latter your grip is not going to give
out like in the deadlift or pullup; but what often happens is that during the
reps of the bench press, for example, the hands slip outward a little unless
you apply chalk. Losing your grip, even just slightly, in any exercise may not
only ruin the set in question, but can be very dangerous.. Experiment to find the right amount of chalk. Use too little and you will
not feel much if any benefit. Use too much and your grip may slip. But use
enough and your grip will be strengthened noticeably.. Get some chalk from an outdoor goods store that sells mountaineering gear,
or from a general sporting goods store.. Chalk is not only for using on hands. For the squat, to help the bar not to
slip, get someone to chalk your shirt where the bar is going to rest. If you are
sweating heavily and are going to do some sort of pressing with your back on
a bench, get someone to chalk your upper back. is will help prevent your
torso sliding on the bench during the exercise.. Clean the knurled parts of your bar(s) with a stiff brush every few weeks to
prevent clogging of the knurling.. Accurate weights
. Unless you are using perfectly calibrated plates you cannot be sure you are
getting what each plate is claimed to weigh. For example, a bar loaded to
pounds may really be or pounds. en if you strip that bar down
and load it to pounds again, but with different plates, you are likely to
get a different true weight than before.. is is an especially serious matter when you are moving your best pound-
ages. An unbalanced or an overweight bar may ruin a set and perhaps cause
injury; and an underweight bar will give you a false sense of progress. When
you are using small discs to increase poundages by a pound or so a week, if
your big plates are not what they seem, you cannot be sure you are getting a
small increase relative to last time.