I've seen, and experienced, some pretty terrible hand rips and tears in my time. It's unfortunately all too common, but can be minimized or avoided.

With the Open fast approaching, consider preparing your hands in anticipation for the 100+ reps on the pull-up bar.

Here are my prep tips:

1. After a hot bath or shower, take a cheap 2 blade razor and shave down any calluses. Careful not to go too deep, and clean out the skin frequently. Some people will use a file instead,

2. Whilst I'm not a fan of moisturiser, some people apply after shaving or filing down their calluses,

3. Get used to using gymnastics grips. There are some awesome product out there these days. The design and tech' used have come a long way.

I remember using grips on my second attempt at the Open 19.4. Going from very broken sets on the BMU to unbroken sets every round. The grips were magic!

What happens if you do rip?

1. Clean any wound immediately,
2. Trim away any loose skin. I like to use nail clippers,
3. Apply some 'TearCare' or similar product with antiseptic properties. Coconut oil or petroleum jelly can work as a barrier too.
4. There's no need to cover with a dressing,
5. Rest.

Good luck and keep those hands functional!

By @robwalker_cf