If you’re involved in sports like gymnastics, weightlifting, or calisthenics, you probably know all too well about the painful skin rips that can happen to your hands. These rips occur when the skin is subjected to intense friction and strain, like gripping a bar or handling weights. While some skin tears are almost unavoidable in these high-intensity sports, there’s a supplement that might help reduce their frequency and severity. That would be collagen peptides.
What Are Collagen Peptides?
Collagen is a protein found naturally in our bodies. It’s the main component of our skin, hair, nails, and even our joints. As we age or put stress on our bodies through intense physical activity, our collagen levels can decrease, making our skin less elastic and more prone to injuries like rips.
Collagen peptides are a supplement form of collagen. They’re made by breaking down the collagen protein into smaller, more easily absorbed pieces. When you take collagen peptides, your body uses them to rebuild and strengthen your skin and other tissues.
How Can Collagen Peptides Help Prevent Skin Rips?
- Strengthening Skin: One of the biggest benefits of collagen peptides is that they can help make your skin stronger. With stronger skin, it’s less likely to rip or tear when you’re doing demanding activities like hanging from bars or lifting heavy weights.
- Improving Skin Elasticity: Collagen peptides also help your skin stay elastic and flexible. Elastic skin can stretch more without breaking, which is especially important for sports where your skin is constantly being pulled or rubbed.
- Faster Healing: If you do get a skin rip, collagen peptides can help your skin heal faster. The amino acids in the peptides are the building blocks your body uses to repair damaged skin, helping you get back to your sport more quickly.
- Supporting Overall Skin Health: Beyond preventing rips, collagen peptides promote overall skin health. This means your skin not only becomes stronger and more elastic but also looks healthier and feels better.
How to Use Collagen Peptides
Taking collagen peptides is simple. They typically come in powder or capsule form, and you can easily add the powder to your morning smoothie, coffee, or even just a glass of water. Most people take them once a day, but it’s important to follow the instructions on the product you choose.
If you choose to take the powdered collagen peptides from Calisthentials, we recommend taking 10g a day mixed with any liquid.
Other Benefits of Collagen Peptides
While collagen peptides are great for your skin, they also benefit other parts of your body. They can help improve joint health, making it easier to move and perform in your sport. They also support strong nails and hair, which can take a beating in tough sports environments.
The joint benefits you can gain from taking collagen peptides can help with many straight arm skills like the planche, and levers.
Want To Learn More About Collagen Peptides & Calisthenics Hand Care?
For athletes in sports like gymnastics, weightlifting, and calisthenics, skin rips can be a painful and frustrating part of the experience. However, supplementing with collagen peptides can make a real difference. By strengthening your skin, improving its elasticity, and helping it heal faster, collagen peptides can help keep you in the game, with fewer rips and tears. Whether you’re a seasoned athlete or just starting out, adding collagen peptides to your routine could be a simple way to protect your skin and boost your overall performance.
To learn more about taking care of your hands during training check out our calisthenics blog.
