Question 1

What is liquid chalk?

Accepted Answer

Liquid chalk or chalk cream is an alternative to the powder chalk used by weightlifters, rock climbers, and other sportspeople to beat the sweat and increase the grip. Usually a mixture of magnesium carbonate and alcohol, the liquid form chalk evaporates when exposed to air, leaving an even, dry layer of chalk that gets into all crevices in your hands and fingers.

Question 2

How do you use liquid chalk?

Accepted Answer

The following instructions will work for most liquid chalks, but it’s worth checking the bottle just in case.

Shake the bottle
Squirt just a small amount into one hand
Rub your hands together thoroughly
Wave hands in the air for around 20 to 30 seconds (or until dry)
Allow an additional 10 seconds to completely dry.

Question 3

What does liquid chalk do?

Accepted Answer

Liquid chalk provides more grip on the hands and stops them from sweating. It’s often used as an alternative to standard chalk because it creates less dust and mess and is better in moist conditions. Many gyms have banned the use of powder chalk due to the mess and potential respiratory problems it creates, which is why liquid chalk is growing in popularity.

Question 4

What is liquid chalk made from?

Accepted Answer

Liquid chalk is typically made from magnesium carbonate (MgCO3), some form of alcohol, and a few other ingredients such as rosin, thickener and fragrance. Some liquid chalk brands use upsalite, which is a scientifically engineered form of MgCO3 that absorbs more moisture than standard chalk.

Question 5

How frequently do you need to apply liquid chalk?

Accepted Answer

While liquid chalk is more convenient to carry and way less messy than regular chalk, its main drawback is that it needs to be reapplied frequently. Some liquid chalk products should be reapplied every 10 minutes, while some are good for about 30 minutes. Ultimately though, how frequently you'll need to reapply your liquid chalk will vary based on the number of repetitions and intensity of your workout.

Question 6

Does liquid chalk cause dry hands?

Accepted Answer

Since most liquid chalks contain some type of alcohol, they do dry out your hands, but that's pretty much the point anyway: to dry out moisture and therefore combat sweat and improve grip. This said, there are alcohol-free liquid chalk products out there that won't pull moisture off your skin. In any case, if you struggle with dry hands, we highly recommend using a quality hand cream or lotion on days when you're not using chalk.

Question 7

Does liquid chalk expire?

Accepted Answer

In theory, yes, which is why you'll find an expiration date on some bottles. In practice, however, most liquid chalks have a very, very long shelf life and can be used after the listed expiration date. This is because liquid chalk is almost completely chemically inert, so as long as you keep it sealed in its airtight container, it will be good for years (possibly decades).

Question 8

Does liquid chalk make a mess?

Accepted Answer

While undoubtedly useful, traditional chalk bags are plain messy. They create clouds of dust and stain clothes and equipment. Liquid chalk, on the other hand, offers almost zero mess and is incredibly easy to use: just apply it to your hands, rub them for a few seconds and you're pretty much free to climb or lift. Sure, you might get a few smudges here and there, but it's still way less messy than traditional chalk.

Question 9

Is powder lifting chalk better than liquid?

Accepted Answer

Powder chalk typically lasts longer than liquid chalk and just one application will take you through multiple sets, perhaps even multiple exercises. Also, with powder chalk, there's no waiting around for it dry - you just apply some on your hands and you're immediately ready to lift. Standard chalk is also cheaper than its liquid counterpart.

The downside, of course, is that powder chalk is very messy, and breathing in fine chalk dust can cause respiratory problems. Many gyms have also banned the use of powdered chalk. So, while powder chalk has an appropriate time and space (when you're exercising at home or outside), the liquid form is becoming the preferred type of chalk in gyms all over the world.

Question 10

Does chalk help you lift better?

Accepted Answer

Because chalk combats sweat and gives you dry hands to better grip the barbell, it can indeed help you lift better and heavier for longer. According to a 2018 paper in the International Journal of Exercise Science, lifting chalk improves lifters' performance by about 16% when using an open grip, and 58% when using a pinch grip. Ultimately, it seems that chalk can help you perform better and more safely on any lift.

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