let's take a look at how those grips should fit each individual hand as well as how that grip is secured around a pull up bar. There are multiple ways users like to wear traditional grips. One method is to slide the index, middle and ring fingers into the finger holes and pull the leather all the way down to the base of the fingers near the main knuckles. Doing so will reduce how much leather will loop over the pull up bar and increase the finger's contact with the metal. The other method is to only pull the grip past the first knuckles and remain above the middle knuckles. This method will allow more leather to loop over the pull up bar and minimize the finger's contact with the pull bar. Neither version is better than the other, merely a matter of preference and comfort. In either case, the standard measurement should be as follows. With the grip snugly secure to the wrist and the palm open and flat the grip should reach all the way to the finger tips before inserting fingers into the holes. This measurement will allow for enough leather material to create a loop that reaches over the crest of the pull up bar. One must be careful to not allow the leather to bunch up directly under the palm as this can prevent a secure grip on the bar during dynamic pull up movements.

Next, let's take a look at Free Finger grips that we invented with Alec Smith.

These grips are a modification of the traditional gymnastic grips where the fingers do not attach to the leather in any way hence leaving them "Free". Instead the leather simply lays over the pull up bar and the palm lays over the leather. There is no looping of the leather. Alec realized during his CrossFit training that he preferred not to insert his fingers into the grip's holes and preferred to let the leather just flap over the bar. This allowed for speedier transitions on and off the pull up bar. However, Alec realized there was an excess of leather material flapping around the bar that proposed a safety hazard. Alec knew from his gymnastics training days that excess leather can wrap all the way around the pull up bar getting caught under itself causing the wrist to "lock-up" on the bar. This can be extremely dangerous in any movement where the wrist moves from below the bar to above the bar such as a bar muscle up or pull over. If the grip locks up the athlete can severely injure and even break their wrist. That is why Alec set the standard sizing for free finger grips that the leather only extends to the middle knuckle when attached to the wrist and palm is flat with fingers extended. This measurement will allow the leather to drape over the bar and extend approximately 1/2 inch past the fingertips. Anything longer than that is a waste of material and potential hazard to the athlete.

These grips are a modification of the traditional gymnastic grips where the fingers do not attach to the leather in any way hence leaving them "Free". Instead the leather simply lays over the pull up bar and the palm lays over the leather. There is no looping of the leather. Alec realized during his CrossFit training that he preferred not to insert his fingers into the grip's holes and preferred to let the leather just flap over the bar. This allowed for speedier transitions on and off the pull up bar. However, Alec realized there was an excess of leather material flapping around the bar that proposed a safety hazard. Alec knew from his gymnastics training days that excess leather can wrap all the way around the pull up bar getting caught under itself causing the wrist to "lock-up" on the bar. This can be extremely dangerous in any movement where the wrist moves from below the bar to above the bar such as a bar muscle up or pull over. If the grip locks up the athlete can severely injure and even break their wrist. That is why Alec set the standard sizing for free finger grips that the leather only extends to the middle knuckle when attached to the wrist and palm is flat with fingers extended. This measurement will allow the leather to drape over the bar and extend approximately 1/2 inch past the fingertips. Anything longer than that is a waste of material and potential hazard to the athlete.