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SteelWngsBRONZE Member
member
169 posts
Location: Malden, Massachusetts United States, USA


Posted:
Heyla All,I have a quick question for everyone.Does anyone know of a good way to condition you hands for spinning?I have started to develop calluses and sometimes blisters from where the "leash" and my fingers rub against each other. I was using medical tape to protect my hands but does anyone know of something better to use?Thanks for any and all suggestions.------------------Blessings to all, Peter "There is a rhythm that unites us with the natural world. The more we learnto feel that rhythm and get it into the mainstream of our lives, thestronger can be our spirit."--- Robert Rodale

Blessings to all,
Peter
When you find yourself in the company of a halfling and an ill-tempered Dragon, remember, you do not have to outrun the Dragon ...you just have to outrun the halfling.


adamricepoo-bah
1,015 posts
Location: Austin TX USA


Posted:
I really think this comes with the territory. I've got callouses on my callouses.I make grips of deerskin, which is very soft, but you can still blister up if you're determined (g). It slows the appearance of blisters, but doesn't prevent them completely.More recently I've worked up a design that pads the finger loops and takes some of the tension off them, but I'm not sure it's ready for prime time. Still testing.

Laugh while you can, monkey-boy


NYCNYC
9,232 posts
Location: NYC, NY, USA


Posted:
When I was just starting out I got blisters and someone posted that "if you're doing everything correctly you shouldn't get them." I was confused at the time but now think I agree. If you're using nylon straps, you will get blisters. If you're using leather and it has a "wrinkle" in the strap, the wrinkle will rub and you will get blisters. I'd suggest toying with your strap design until you find one that works for you. I no longer get blisters (and don't have calluses) because of how I hold my poi (I think.) I use a leather strap and make sure there are no wrinkles or folds between my fingers. I check every so often while spinning to make sure I'm not rubbing wrong. If you START to feel rubbing or red skin, STOP and fix the problem before a blister has a chance to develop. I even switch my grips and which fingers that I hold with if I'm doing a marathon night.

Well, shall we go?
Yes, let's go.
[They do not move.]


Code128member
69 posts
Location: Boston, MA USA


Posted:
Blisters Suck. And thats about the most eloquent way I can state my feelings.When Im spinning at a leisurely pace and occasionaly throwing in some fast cycles everythings fine, but I have spent a weekend at the New Orleans Jazz Fest spinning constantly and then Bamm! Blisters like Crazy, Then I got New Poi that held a lot more fuel and wow! were they heavier, so it was blisters again. Experimented with a few different Tape Schemes and what I have found is that Electrical Tape is that absolute best defense. A loop around each joint of the fingers leaving the knuckles bare works like a charm for me. Electrical Tape being very smooth your Handles will spin very quickly around the fingers and it may have a looser feel than you are used to. But I find it the way to go if I'm planning on having a marathon spin session. Code128

------------------
A.N.T.H.E.L.I.O.N


PeleBRONZE Member
the henna lady
6,193 posts
Location: WNY, USA


Posted:
I have used thin leather grips that fit into my knuckles and I haven't had blisters from them, but I did get them pretty badly when I first strated and was using nylon, at which point there really wasn't much that helped. Tapes, bandages and other wraps made my handles sticky which simply exaccerbated my problem. Materials really have alot to do with blisters. I found so does grip. My handles don't slide a whole lot so there is not rub effect. I hold them over my index and ring fingers, dropping my middle finger out of the loop, and then threading it over my index and pinching it between my thumb and forefinger. Someone once mentioned that rubbing deodorant/anti-perspirant on your fingers worked well at blister prevention. I never did try that. Best of luck and happy healing.------------------Pele Higher, higher burning fire...making music like a choir...https://www.pyromorph.com

Pele
Higher, higher burning fire...making music like a choir
"Oooh look! A pub!" -exclaimed after recovering from a stupid fall
"And for the decadence of art, nothing beats a roaring fire." -TMK


saffiremember
27 posts
Location: North Queensland,. Australia


Posted:
Nice soft suede gloves??? Would keep you warm in winter too! [image]https://www.homeofpoi.com/ubb/images/icons/wink.gif">------------------[/image]Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy.

DONT PANIC
Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy.


AnonymousPLATINUM Member


Posted:
Hi, For the callouses try using hand moisturisor cream.As for the cause of the blisters if you use a leather type leash thats hard. try sofining them by continualy twisting them or by putting "dubin" Leather sofiner on them.when you do get blisters my advice for the treatment is dont burst them because it becomes an open wound for infection. leave until the fluid goes back into your body (min of 2 days) and if the skin looks to damaged to heal back on to your body. use a small clean needle and make a few holes put some antiseptic cream on and leave for a day with out a dressing. then put some more holes in the skin more antiseptic cream,leave 4/5 days without anything if the skin hasnt come off after this you should be able to peel it off, like peeling skin after sun burn. and underneath there will be new skin, senscetive but not as bad as it could be.over the past 11 years i have had hundreds of burn blisters and i found this the best method of treating them. David

SteelWngsBRONZE Member
member
169 posts
Location: Malden, Massachusetts United States, USA


Posted:
Pele, So you would recommend leather over nylon handle?I was wondering that. If the leather would smooth out. I was worried about stretching though. Has anyone found this to be a problem?Thanks for all the help.------------------Blessings to all, Peter "There is a rhythm that unites us with the natural world. The more we learnto feel that rhythm and get it into the mainstream of our lives, thestronger can be our spirit."--- Robert Rodale

Blessings to all,
Peter
When you find yourself in the company of a halfling and an ill-tempered Dragon, remember, you do not have to outrun the Dragon ...you just have to outrun the halfling.


PeleBRONZE Member
the henna lady
6,193 posts
Location: WNY, USA


Posted:
I use deerhide but have also had a set made of cow hide and both were great. Deer hide, as Adam said, is definately softer. I have had one particular set for over a year. They have been trodden into the mud at the east coast spin party in April, left in the dew and rain in New Hampshire and mailed back to me (thank you Ski Christian) in May, they have slipped into the fuel bucket at least once and have held up through this and much more abuse. Deer hide doesn't stretch as much as cow hide and I truthfully haven't noticed much stretch going on at all in them. They seem to have retained their size and shape well. I sew them with sinew, which is very strong and holds together nicely. Mine are constructed of 8 inch long by 3/4 wide strips of treated (I use weather proofer on all my leather stuff for easier maintainence) deer hide. When I spin I use the "suede" portion on the inside.They do wear and kind of break in so that they fit my hands just right now, and the sweat from my hands as well as the abuse they have undergone has made the edges curl in a little but it makes them more comfortable in my opinion. Nylon has never broken in like that for me. It seems that with Nylon the strips have to have a thicker width in order to hold up, and even after much use there is a bit of stiffness to it, which causes the blisters. In the 6 months I used the thinner strips of Nylon I had to replace them twice, and like I said my leather ones have held up over a year. Now all of my apparatus (except the three sectional staff) has leather grips or loops, including my fans and torches and I haven't had a blister nor a callous from them at all.Cheerios!------------------Pele Higher, higher burning fire...making music like a choir...https://www.pyromorph.com

Pele
Higher, higher burning fire...making music like a choir
"Oooh look! A pub!" -exclaimed after recovering from a stupid fall
"And for the decadence of art, nothing beats a roaring fire." -TMK


Mystaddict
439 posts
Location: Oceanside, California, USA


Posted:
I had callouses on my right index finger only. I don't think if you get callouses you're doing it wrong, i think you have to get used to it. If I saw a spinner wearing gloves I'de think them a pussy. That's bullshit, deal with it and it will go away after a little bit. I wanted to wear gloves but then I realized I couldn't feel the poi right with them and didn't. I was proud of my callouses and even compared with other spinners at raves. Boohoo, now they're gone, but I have the moves to show my work which is better than any callouse.Eric

Its about talent, not make up or costumes.


adamricepoo-bah
1,015 posts
Location: Austin TX USA


Posted:
FWIW, my experience with leathers has been different from Pele's. I find deerskin more prone to stretching. That doesn't make it unusable, it's just how it is. Cowhide is available in thicker "splits", and a thick split of cowhide isn't going to stretch. In my experience, that is. I know that Pele has a special source for deerhide, though, and that might account for the difference. I get mine at Leather Factory. The exact construction technique may have something to do with it, also.

Laugh while you can, monkey-boy


jedimastahmember
97 posts
Location: Round Rock TX , US


Posted:
if all else fails try wrapping your contact fingers (the ones which make the most contact) with some electrical tape loosley. You will loose some sensitivity but this can be overcome.

Theomember
19 posts
Location: Chch, Aotearoa


Posted:
Calluses are great, it took a while to get my hands all callused up from lifting weights and such, but now it's like i've got super protective armor skin. What's the point in trying to prevent them? If you get blisters often enough they turn into calluses, enabling your skin to harden up so it can deal with the repetitive spinning. Now that's a pretty sweet bodily function. ------------------"That is perfect. This is perfect. Perfect comes from perfect. Take perfect away from perfect, the remainder is perfect. May peace and peace and peace be everywhere." :)

That is perfect. This is perfect. Perfect comes from perfect. Take perfect away from perfect, the remainder is perfect. May peace and peace and peace be everywhere. :)


s-p-l-a-tmember
383 posts
Location: Brisbane, Qld, Australia


Posted:
hehehe... thanks Myst you give me a laugh every now and then with the frankness in which you put things (if I saw someone wearing gloves I'd think them a pussy) ..oh..please don't take offense either I honestly meant that in a good way okay? smileI agree I guess with the people who take callouses as simply part of the territory... kind of like burns.. I don't know ..I have callouses in lots of different places on my hands from horse-riding, gardening and bike-riding ... I forget which is from which..I don't know how you could twirl with gloves on... I kinda like feeling the thing that I'm twirling ... each subtle tug is an indication of whether or not you need to duck from an incoming or dance away or whatever.I recommend ye olde bandaide over blisters .. take em off when youve done spinning.. (just dont leave them on there for a few days like my flatmate! wink )

The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you.- B.B.King


Fire Princessmember
130 posts
Location: London/Brighton, UK


Posted:
Well I may be a pussy, but I have bruised my hands to hell having just bought my first fire staff smileI made the serendipitous discovery that using my dad's old (oh so fetching) fingerless cycling mitts really helped with the pain. They're padded on the palms but leave your fingers free so you can still 'feel' the moves. They even give me better grip because they've got rubber nobbles on the palms. What more could a girl ask for?Your hands toughen up with time anyway, but these might help ease you in gently winkFP x


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