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Finger Strength Benchmarking (Read 10151 times)

Mugabe251

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Finger Strength Benchmarking
May 18, 2018, 09:24:03 am
I've come to the realization that my fingers are utterly piss weak, most probably at the bottom end for my grade. I can half crimp the BM1000 outside edges (18mm?) for about 10 secs with 20kg after a few cycles of training max weight hangs.

If I want to make a good go of concentrating on my finger strength over summer and have made some edges to play on after work. However, I'm not sure about what to aim for in terms of weight/edge size to get consolidated at f7b-ish since there's bugger all info online

Which leads me to my question: what kind of weight are you lads operating at f7b and above pulling on your fingerboards?

highrepute

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#1 Re: Finger Strength Benchmarking
May 18, 2018, 09:49:45 am
Don't sound weak to me. I know climbers who climb 7c+ but wouldn't be able to do that.

This thread may be of interest buried in there is discussion about how lattice measure finger strength with on armed hangs.

This power club entry has some discussion of weighted hangs on the BM 18mm and 14mm edges.

Teaboy

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#2 Re: Finger Strength Benchmarking
May 18, 2018, 09:59:18 am
I've come to the realization that my fingers are utterly piss weak, most probably at the bottom end for my grade. I can half crimp the BM1000 outside edges (18mm?) for about 10 secs with 20kg after a few cycles of training max weight hangs.

If I want to make a good go of concentrating on my finger strength over summer and have made some edges to play on after work. However, I'm not sure about what to aim for in terms of weight/edge size to get consolidated at f7b-ish since there's bugger all info online

Just for clarification, do you mean the lower BM edges? Is f7b route rather than boulder grade and if so do you mean redpoint or on sight?

Mugabe251

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#3 Re: Finger Strength Benchmarking
May 18, 2018, 10:30:20 am
Thanks highrepute, I'll have a trawl through now.

Teaboy, I meant the lower BM1000 edges and to do 7B boulders with practice (within a session or two).

Rocksteady

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#4 Re: Finger Strength Benchmarking
May 18, 2018, 10:48:51 am
I've come to the realization that my fingers are utterly piss weak, most probably at the bottom end for my grade. I can half crimp the BM1000 outside edges (18mm?) for about 10 secs with 20kg after a few cycles of training max weight hangs.

If I want to make a good go of concentrating on my finger strength over summer and have made some edges to play on after work. However, I'm not sure about what to aim for in terms of weight/edge size to get consolidated at f7b-ish since there's bugger all info online

Which leads me to my question: what kind of weight are you lads operating at f7b and above pulling on your fingerboards?

I was interested in this as to me you don't sound that weak at all.

In the Lattice thread referenced above, Nibs posted:

"The Lattice references work the other way round, that is not in a predictive way. They are the result of testing people that have climbed a certain grade and not of training people on the Edge until they reach a certain level on that and then letting them out on rock to see which grade they can climb.
The average for climbing 8a is to one arm the Edge taking off 2 kg IIRC.
The average for climbing 7c is to take off 7 kg IIRC."

For comparison, I think I would be 2 arm hanging the BM1000 18mm edges for 10s at bodyweight (75kg) or at most a couple of added kg. Based on yesterday failing to do 10s on the BM 2000 14mm edges at bodyweight.
This equated to yesterday 1 arm hanging the BM2000 middle edge (roughly equivalent to the Lattice test edge) for 5s with -18.5kg.

For me this equates to boulder at 7A and routes at F7b, though I have climbed F7c fairly recently at only a bit stronger and a bit lighter.

Mugabe251

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#5 Re: Finger Strength Benchmarking
May 18, 2018, 11:13:41 am
Thats very surprising. I always thought my fingers were very weak compared to others around me; I climb with a guy who is very technically 'good' and he can hang about 15-20kg more on the same 18mm edge. He tops out at 7C and weighs fuck all which obviously helps (63kg compared to me at 72kg).

Maybe I need to work on my contact strength and get on the board? I always find it's a very weak link for me, that is connecting to small holds and moving from them (the same holds that I find my mates can campus between!).

Is it fair to say that increasing my tonnage on the fingerboard will improve my contact strength as a byproduct?

Thanks for all your help so far  :kiss2:

tomtom

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#6 Re: Finger Strength Benchmarking
May 18, 2018, 11:34:33 am
I weigh about the same as you Mugabe251 and can hold those Edges with about the same added weight (maybe a bit more but not much) if I spend a week or so building up to it.

I boulder in the low/mid 7’s...

I’m not sure max hangs helps with actually holding anything in that range I try - but I makes me more confident holding edges.. like I’m used to it. Mind you a few sessions on edgy peak lime gets you the same conditioning...

I gave up at that weight as whilst i saw gains i got bored and it wasn’t finger strength that held me back.

teestub

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#7 Re: Finger Strength Benchmarking
May 18, 2018, 11:37:50 am
Is it fair to say that increasing my tonnage on the fingerboard will improve my contact strength as a byproduct?

As i understand, no, not at all. Fingerboarding trains slow contraction whereas contact strength requires a quick contraction. As you have noted the best way to train this is a 45 board or campus board. It may be the case that an increase in finger strength leads to you moving slower to the next hold.

Nibile

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#8 Re: Finger Strength Benchmarking
May 18, 2018, 03:38:44 pm
I love being quoted on a fingerboarding thread.

Monolith

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#9 Re: Finger Strength Benchmarking
May 18, 2018, 03:52:32 pm
I love being quoted on a fingerboarding thread.

Amen. Hopefully fingerboarding will become a recognised sport soon. If Extreme Ironing can be...

Rocksteady

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#10 Re: Finger Strength Benchmarking
May 18, 2018, 03:54:02 pm
I love being quoted on a fingerboarding thread.

I thought if anyone deserves to be quoted re: finger strength, it was you  ;)

Luke Owens

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#11 Re: Finger Strength Benchmarking
May 19, 2018, 02:29:47 am
Which leads me to my question: what kind of weight are you lads operating at f7b and above pulling on your fingerboards?

You're not weak, for reference I've climbed 7B boulder and can only hang a 20mm edge for with two hands with 2.5kg added for 10s max.

Muenchener

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#12 Re: Finger Strength Benchmarking
May 19, 2018, 11:31:50 am
I clearly have lamentable technique then. Have bouldered 7A - exactly once so far - and can hang a ~20mm edge for 10 seconds with +12kgs

finbarrr

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#13 Re: Finger Strength Benchmarking
May 19, 2018, 03:10:34 pm
I climb 7b boulders, sometimes in a few goes, sometimes after many sessions.
I can just hang those beastmaker edges 10 seconds with 20 kg added (at 80 kg body weight), BUT only open crimp. Hanging by skin and friction.
Half crimp I manage 6 kg

Mugabe251

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#14 Re: Finger Strength Benchmarking
May 21, 2018, 12:15:08 am
Christ, how can you even hang onto anything at Pill Box wall Luke? Pure technical mastery I presume.  :-\

Just remembered I need to have a punt at your route in Denbigh next time I'm over that end. Looked great.

yetix

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#15 Re: Finger Strength Benchmarking
May 22, 2018, 10:38:49 am
2nd day in a row but comfortably did +24kg at 63kg body weight. Boulder 7B fairly comfortably I guess. I do also climb technically terribly, so could definitely gain a lot in terms of getting better.

 

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