Why do gymnasts use grips?

Answer: Prevents rips and blisters

Prevents rips and blisters ✓ — Correct! Grips are leather strips worn on high bar, uneven bars, and rings. During skills like giants and release moves, the hands rub against the bar with enormous friction. Without protection, the skin can tear in painful 'rips' and form blisters, which interrupts training. The leather creates a barrier that absorbs friction, and the dowel adds wrist stability during swings. Grips also work with chalk to improve the hold. They come in dowel and non-dowel styles, and need a break-in period as the stiff leather molds to the hand. Elite gymnasts replace them often.

Required safety equipment — Wrong. Grips are not mandatory in the rules, though nearly all high-level gymnasts choose to wear them. Their main job is to protect the hands from friction tears, not to meet a safety requirement.

Improves wrist flexibility — Wrong. Grips do not make wrists more flexible. They shield the skin from friction and give wrist support during bar skills, which is different from increasing range of motion.