Hi Chaps,
Did a tough 3 hour plus climbing session last friday week and since then I seem to have lost all my grip strength. I felt OK at the time but my fingers were sore for a week after, right down to the bones.
Should I keep resting or get back in the saddle?
I'm a relative novice to climbing and this was the toughest session I've done to date. I'm a bit concerned I may have fucked myself up for the foresable future. There's no pain or selling in my fingers or forearrms BTW, just a lack of grip strength.
Cheers.
As another relative novice here, I can tell you I did exactly the same a couple of weeks ago myself!
I had a really hard session, blasted loads of problems at the wall I had been struggling with and felt really awesome, went back a few days later and my grip strength was simply non-existent.
It was a bit scary at first, but I think its just a case of rest, massaging them, very light finger exercise, and a week off.
I did all of the above and I felt ok after the first session back, I also find Sauna's followed by freezing cold showers, repeated a few times seem to be awesome for recovery and getting all the junk out of your muscles fingers, I put my hands on the hottest bit of wood I could find then put them straight under the freezing cold shower when I got out, felt great the next day, i've also started to make sure I stretch my fingers regularly, individually as well as stretching them all at the same time.
Hope thats of some help.