This is a super helpful video. I started climbing a year ago but got burnt out and took 2-3 months off. I am back now and been climbing for a couple months and I’m noticing I can’t half crimp at all. Going to start incorporating it with a resistance band to help prevent injury
That last line from Neil is actually so true. I had a rib injury that meant i couldn't climb for about 5 weeks but I could continue to hang board. I instantly went up a V grade when i returned to climbing - it was madness.
I have started hangboarding regularly less than 6 months after I have started climbing. If anything, my fingers felt healthier. I have gone from not being able to hang with both of my hands on 23mm to 4sec one arm hang in a year. I have had only one injury (A4 partial tear on ring finger) and it was from campusing on 15mm edges. That I think you should avoid as beginner and only campus on big holds.
So my question is: what is the correct way to "half crimp"? I know, everybody says that the fingers should bend 90°, but what about the wrist? for me hanging with completely straight wrists feels good, but not that much stronger than open hand. So i think the mechanical advantage from the half crimp comes from bending the wrist aswell. For me this feels a bit more sketchy and of it as "not so safe" as it's closer to a full crimp position. So which way is the correct way to train? TLDR: my half crimp with straight wrist feels very weak on the wall on tiny crimps, am I crimping wrong? cheers!
Great nuggets. I've been climbing for a little over a year and I'm just starting to play with finger training. I know a basic principle of strength training is progressive overload so some advice on how to apply this with finger training e.g. if you can hang bodyweight on a 20mm for 10s, should you start to add weight, longer hangs, or more sets?
For max hangs adding weight on ideally a slightly larger edge ~25mm with good form would be best. If you can hang longer than 8 seconds, add weight. No more than 2x a week, and only when you’ve recovered from a previous climbing session, and ideally you do this just after you’ve warmed up. Also start doing wrist extensions with 5-10lbs to close to failure
