Why do Olympic gymnasts and weightlifters use chalk powder on their hands and legs?

OLYMPIC viewers can't help but notice that every gymnastic competitor will chalk up before a game.

Chalk is an essential tool for Olympic weightlifters and gymnasts competing on bars, rings and even the balance beam - but what is it made of, and is it safe?

Why do gymnasts rub powder on their hands?

Gymnast Simone Biles made history at the Paris 2024 Olympics after she became the first woman to win two all-around golds since 1968 - but this was not without the ritual known as “chalking up.”

Olympic weightlifters and gymnasts like Biles use a coarse substance known as chalk powder.

As well as chalk, most gymnasts use leather hand grips while competing on bars to help reduce blistering, tearing, and developing calluses.

What is the gymnast chalk made up of?

Chalk powder is made up of magnesium carbonate.

The magnesium carbonate in chalk acts is an absorbing agent that makes it fantastic for clammy hands.

Chalk creates a dry, grippy surface that athletes need to get a firm grip on their apparatus - keeping them sweat-free for longer.

Chalk powder is different from classroom blackboard chalk in a many ways:

• Composition: Chalk powder is made of magnesium carbonate (MgCO3), which is an inorganic salt, while blackboard chalk is made of calcium carbonate, which comes from limestone.
• Purpose: Chalk powder is used by athletes to improve grip strength and reduce friction during skills like high bar and rings. It absorbs moisture from the palms of the hands to improve grip, giving them stronger lifts, and better training.
• Texture: Some chalk companies make chalk that is super fine and soft, while others have a chunkier, grittier texture - board chalk. Chalk powder is smoother and more refined, making it more effective for athletes.

There are three different types of this chalk available. One is liquid chalk and another is chalk block, which are both hailed for being more practical.

The third most common type that you'll see being used in the Olympics is loose chalk.

Loose chalk is generally considered superior in performance and is the standard for most Olympic gymnasts and weightlifters.

It is also more ideal for sharing and you can often see the loose chalk held in a chalk bowl at in the Olympic arenas.

One downside of chalk powder is that it's prone to get very messy if not contained properly.

Is gymnastics chalk safe?

Another widely discussed downside of chalk powder is that it's fine, dust like quality make it easier for it to be inhaled.

Dust from chalk can be harmful if it is breathed in.

Continued exposure to fine dust can have an impact on respiratory health. It can particularly worsen symptoms of asthma for some and can have long term affects such as COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease).

It can take a long time to develop and appear, sometimes even years later.

However, some short term effects of working out in a dust filled environment can also be unpleasant.

The most common effects of airborne chalk dust are headaches, lethargy, nasal congestion, and a sore, dry throat.

Some athletes use a face mask to combat the risk of inhaling chalk dust.

And some training gyms and big arenas like the Bercy Arena in Paris, monitor the air quality to ensure it's safe for their athletes as well as the public.

The commitment to air quality in sport has been growing.

Tokyo 2020 Olympics was the first Olympic Games where air quality was analysed.

Using chalk dust on your hands and feet regularly can also give you dry skin and many athletes have an after-care routine to combat this.