Gym Grip Pads - Black

Gym Grip Pads – Compact Foam for Hand and Bar

The Gym Generation grip pads are the most minimal pad there is: a flat 10 x 10 cm pad, 5 mm thick, that you lay between the palm and the bar. Nothing to put on, no closure, no loops. The pad puts a protective layer between skin and metal, takes the friction of the knurled bar and keeps blisters, calluses and sore spots off the hand. Two of them fit in any pocket, so you always have them with you. One size, for men and women. Made for deadlifts, rows, lat pulldowns, dumbbell work and bodybuilding.

Developed by Gym Generation, a Swiss brand for training and strength gear since 2013.

A Pad, and Nothing Else

These pads do exactly one thing: they put a 5 mm layer between your palm and the metal. No glove, no finger loops, no Velcro, nothing to adjust. You lay the pad in your hand, close your grip, and the grip itself holds it in place. If all you want is to get the friction of the knurling off your skin without squeezing into a glove, this is the simplest answer there is.

Soft Enough to Fold, Firm Enough to Hold Its Shape

The foam bends around the bar as you close your hand and springs back flat once you let go, instead of taking a permanent crease the way a soft sponge would after a few weeks. The corners are rounded, which matters on a pad held by nothing but your grip: a square corner presses into the heel of the hand as soon as you squeeze.

Cover Against Calluses and Sore Spots

A bare palm on knurling turns into calluses, hard skin and torn skin over the weeks. The pad takes that friction and spreads the pressure across its surface instead of concentrating it on the edge of the hand. In regular strength and dumbbell training that adds up to a noticeable difference for the skin.

Small Enough to Always Have on You

At 10 x 10 cm and 5 mm thick the pads are flat and light. They fit in any gym bag, a trouser pocket or the side pocket of a rucksack without taking up room. Nothing like a pair of gloves, which need space and end up damp in the bag after training.

Where These Pads Reach Their Limit

Because the pad is held by your grip alone, it sits best where the hand stays closed: deadlifts, rows, lat pulldowns, bench press, dumbbells. On exercises where the grip opens mid-set or the hand rotates – pull-ups with a regrip, kettlebell swings – grip pads with finger loops sit more securely, because they stay on the hand. For most of classic barbell and dumbbell training this pad is enough; for dynamic work take the version with loops.

Grip Pads – Frequently Asked Questions

What are grip pads and how do you use them?
Grip pads are flat pads that sit between the palm and the equipment. You lay the pad in your hand and grip the bar or the handle through it. Your own grip holds it in place – there is nothing to put on and nothing to fasten.

Do they make the bar less slippery?
No, and that is worth being clear about. This pad is a cushion, not a grip surface: it has no coating and no texture, so it protects the skin rather than adding hold. If you want more bite on the bar as well, the pads with a non-slip coating or lifting straps are the tools for that.

Do the pads stay on the hand by themselves?
No, they are held by your grip. As long as the hand is closed the pad sits. On exercises where you let go or regrip mid-set it shifts more easily. If you want a pad that stays on the hand, the grip pads with finger loops are the right choice.

Grip pads or training gloves?
Pads are more minimal, airier and ready in seconds, because only the palm is covered. Gloves also protect the fingers and the back of the hand, sit tighter and some have wrist support. If you only want the friction off the bar, take pads; if you want all-round cover, take a glove.

Which exercises are they for?
Deadlifts, barbell rows, lat pulldowns, dumbbell work, cable work and bench press. Anywhere the hand stays closed on the metal and the friction turns into hard skin over time.

How do I clean them?
Wipe them with water and a little mild soap and let them air dry, off the radiator. That keeps the foam soft and holding its shape.