At WODANDGO, our mission is clear: to offer quality, durable, and high-performance Xfit accessories to support athletes of all levels in their training. As specialists in gymnastic grips, an essential item since our creation, we design, study, and test all grips before their release, from material selection to seam finishing, leaving nothing to chance.

Grips appeared in Xfit as the sport evolved, particularly from 2010 onwards. That year, the level stepped up a notch, and training for competition access became more demanding. Indeed, an increase in increasingly complex gymnastics-inspired movements, such as toes-to-bar, kipping pull-ups, and bar muscle-ups, had to be mastered. We invite you to check out videos of the games before 2010; you'll be surprised at how much the sport has progressed in a short time! To mitigate injuries caused by friction from the bar on the skin and to improve grip, athletes began using classic gymnastic grip models, similar to those used by gymnasts, often made of leather and not always suitable for the demands of Xfit. Gradually, brands developed specific grips for this sport with different materials that were more grippy, more resistant, and better adapted to movements and grip on various surfaces (smooth bars, rough bars, etc.).

Why use grips in Xfit?

Firstly, grips offer hand protection to prevent calluses, blisters, and friction-related injuries during gymnastics exercises. Imagine if we had to do all the gymnastics movements that exist today without grips... Considering the volume... A complete disaster for our small hands and forearms; few would ultimately be capable, let's be honest.

Moreover, grips improve performance; they allow for a better hold on the bar, thus increasing safety and strength. They reduce forearm fatigue and increase muscular endurance. They allow athletes to maintain a better pace during WODs and avoid premature failure due to loss of grip!

A small point that we at WODANDGO consider important and advise all our customers on: grips offer valuable assistance but should not compensate for a weak grip! It is important to work on your "natural" grip to improve forearm and hand strength, increase the ability to hold onto the bar longer, and prevent injuries related to muscular weakness. There are many recommended exercises for this, such as dead hangs (passive suspension on the bar), farmer's carry with kettlebells or dumbbells, or pinch grip with plates. Agreed, we'll write an article on this subject!

How to choose the right grips?

To choose your grips well, several criteria must be considered: first, the gymnastics bars used during your workouts, then comfort, then materials, and finally, durability and maintenance. There are so many Xfit grips on the market that it's hard to know where to start and which ones are suitable for your use.

The first important thing when choosing your grips is the bars in the box where you train. If the bars are rough and not smooth, opt for carbon or suede grips; they have better grip on these surfaces. A material that is too smooth, such as leather, can have insufficient grip and premature wear, while suede and carbon microfiber, known for being ultra-resistant, create ideal friction, especially when combined with chalk. At Wodandgo, we currently offer two pairs of grips for this type of bar: the Carbongrip and the Gymgrip. However, if the bars are smooth, even ultra-smooth and painted, we advise you to choose grips with a synthetic leather or rubber outer coating, which offer unparalleled grip on this type of bar. These should be used without chalk to get the best grip these two coatings offer. We offer two models for this type of bar: the Powergrip and the Blackgrip V2.

The comfort of the grips will depend, on the one hand, on the inner lining, which at WODANDGO is made of microfiber. Microfiber is well-known for its softness and sweat absorption; for us, it's the ideal material for the palm of your hands. Comfort, on the other hand, also depends on the level of grip your pair of grips offers. Indeed, the more grip a pair of grips has, the more pressure the strap will exert on your wrists. Therefore, it is wise to wear wristbands under the straps to prevent them from rubbing against your wrists. Adjusting the grips to your wrists is also important for comfort; they should not be too tight around your wrists. You should be able to turn them easily around your wrists during a WOD without having to loosen them!

The durability of the grips is directly linked to their maintenance and the volume of gymnastics they endure. The more the grips are used, the sooner they will wear out. To maintain grips, it is important to clean them regularly by hand with Marseille soap and a brush. Chalk and/or dirt buildup (yes, that black stuff you see on your grips) dries out the materials and can cause premature wear of your pair. You must avoid using a washing machine to clean your grips and let them air dry.

When should you change your grips?

You should change your grips when wear is too pronounced and affects your performance. Signs of wear and indicators, such as the outer coating being almost gone at the grip level, show that it's time to replace the grips.

In general, it's very easy to see visually when grips have run their course. Grips have a lifespan and are consumable products. Their longevity will depend on several factors, such as the volume of gymnastics they endure each week, the pull-up bars used, chalk, cleaning frequency, but also on the position of your hands with the grips on the bar, your weight, and any additional use some people make of them for other movements to add grip, such as during farmer's carry.

In conclusion,

To summarize, grips have become an essential accessory in XFit because they not only protect hands but also optimize performance in gymnastic movements. They are now widely adopted in boxes and competitions, with increasingly high-performance models specifically designed to meet the growing demands of this sport.

To get an idea of the quality of our products, we prefer to let our customers, who have tested and approved them, speak for themselves: click here!