Pull-ups, rows, hangs and farmer's carries have one thing in common: the set ends when your grip does. They also share a problem with loose chalk, which is that the bar you are using is the bar everyone else is about to use. Liquid chalk suits this kind of training for both reasons.

Why grip goes first

On a long hang or a high-rep set of pull-ups your hands heat up and sweat, and the moisture between your skin and the bar is what lets your grip slide. Chalk absorbs that moisture and gives the knurling or the bar something dry to hold.

Why liquid, specifically

• It stays on your hands. The chalk layer bonds to dry skin and leaves nothing on the bar.
• No cloud. You can use it in gyms that restrict loose chalk, subject to their policy.
• One application, many sets. Reviews of Odyssey Liquid Chalk say one application lasts through the working sets.

How to apply it for the bar

1. Dry your hands.
2. Use a small amount of Odyssey Liquid Chalk, spread it over your palms and the full length of your fingers. For hangs and pull-ups the fingers matter more than the heel of the hand.
3. Let it dry for a few seconds with your hands open.
4. Grip, hang, pull. Top up only if you feel the layer thin.

Where it fits

Odyssey Liquid Chalk is built by lifters for lifters, for barbells, pull-up bars and grip-focused training. It is fast-drying, sweat and oil resistant, and comes in a compact 80 mL bottle that fits a gym bag pocket. Developed alongside elite deadlifters, and tested by 900 lb+ deadlifters, including Nonso Chinye's 926 lb (420 kg) IPF World Record pull.

Odyssey Products, Ottawa, Canada. Fast international shipping and a 30-Day guarantee.