[metal arms]

There are many weaknesses in my climbing  but this is the biggy!

When climbing my hands get much more tired than the my arms, so the limiting factor is not being able to hold on.  I mainly notice this when I stop to clip.

Are there any specific exercises people recomend for increasing hand/finger strength, (apart from the obvious  ) ideally that I could do at my desk.

I have some of them squeezy grip things (just cheap ones from physio when I broke my wrists) and hold them closed for a while everyday.  Normally hold them closed for about 12 minutes a day (4x3mins or thereabouts).  Would I be better getter some stiffer ones and doing open/closed reps or are they no use for building climbing specific strength?

Any advice or tips you guys could provide would be appreciated. 

[Dexter]

The mian thing I would say to do if the main problem is when you stop to clip is body position. I have the same issue mainly because I boulder most of the time and so im used to dynamically moving between every hold and so i'm not used to letting go of one hand for extended periods. My advice would be to try and climb a longish bulder problem and force yourself to let go of one hand for a set period of time before moving to the next hold (eg chalk up between every hand movement or hold your hand at the next hold without actually grabbing onto it) this forces you to find the best body position to let go of one hand with. As far as things to do whilst at a desk I really dont have any idea unless you have a fingerboard at your desk?

[The Aaronator]

... My advice would be to try and climb a longish boulder problem more routes...

It's not rocket science. You can't do anything whilst sat behind a desk, except maybe working on your clipping technique.

[metal arms]

So there's no point doing them squeezy grip things then?  Was what I was trying to ask in a roundabout kind of way...

Cheers

[Norton Sharley]

... so the limiting factor is not being able to hold on.  I mainly notice this when I stop to clip fall off.

[The Aaronator]

So there's no point doing them squeezy grip things then?  Was what I was trying to ask in a roundabout kind of way...

Cheers

Not for static (clipping) endurance. Deadhangs would probably be better, if your colleagues don't mind you putting a finger board up. Technique, body position and lots of route climbing will soon do the trick, even if you only manage to climb at the weekend.

[slackline]

So there's no point doing them squeezy grip things then?  Was what I was trying to ask in a roundabout kind of way...

Cheers

Certainly not holding it for three minutes!  If you're bouldering how long are you in contact with each hold?  If you're doing (sports) routes how long are you on each hold (even when clipping)?

Holding for three minutes might be similar to hanging around placing trad gear, but personally I place my gear when I can get most of my weight onto my feet.

Try adopt the seven on, three off advocated for fingerboarding.

[robertostallioni]

So there's no point doing them squeezy grip things then? 

Try adopt the seven on, three off advocated for fingerboarding.

Akin to holding a birds egg in your fingers for seven seconds at a time. As Jim would say. Next to fuck all. Squeezing a ball is not hanging your bodyweight off a rung now is it?

[slackline]

Indeed, get a Cap'n

[metal arms]

Cheers guys.  I will get on the fingerbored at home, and do that 7on 3off thingy-o.

Certainly not holding it for three minutes!  If you're bouldering how long are you in contact with each hold?  If you're doing (sports) routes how long are you on each hold (even when clipping)?

Good point, I clearly hadn't thought this through!
Would there be any benefit in getting one that is harder to close and doing reps of opening/closing it?  Is it the case that this doesn't really mirror climbing at all thus not recommended?  Or would it be useful as a start point and a way to be able to do a bit of training at my desk?  I only ask again because my hands are very weak in general (think like a octenagerian old dear rather than 20something male!), not just on routes.

[metal arms]

Akin to holding a birds egg in your fingers for seven seconds at a time. As Jim would say. Next to fuck all. Squeezing a ball is not hanging your bodyweight off a rung now is it?

I see!
Cheers guys!

[slackline]

Cheers guys.  I will get on the fingerbored at home, and do that 7on 3off thingy-o.

See some of the resources linked from here (Wikipage itself is far from complete).

I'd say its an over-simplification to dismiss hand-exrecisers as pointless simply because its not the same forces involved in hanging your body weight off a rung, otherwise there would be no point to weights, thereabands, press-ups or any number of other non-fingerboarding exercise.

Admittedly they're not the answer to everything, but with the right resistnace there can be some benefit to using them (how much I've no idea).

[robertostallioni]

I agree that weights, thereabands, press-ups will do just as much for hand-strength as sitting at a desk and squeezing a tennis ball.

[slackline]

 

[erm, sam]

If you wanted to get better at climbing whilst at work you would be better to do a quick body weight work out at lunch time. Pressups, planks, burpees, squats, what ever. It won't directly improve your grip strength or what have you but will make you fitter and generally in better condition. Won't do anything for hand strength though. Have you tried really gripping your mouse?

[runt]

Don't bin the grippers just yet, it's worth trying to close them with your fingertips and thumb for some pinch strength gains, and heel of your palm and fingertips for meathooking strength.

[petejh]

Do you have door frames at work? They're like free fingerboards if you sand the edges a bit; depends on the workplace obviously.

[Nan]

Have you tried really gripping your mouse?

work keeps billing me for new ones you could leave your job and get a job as a farmhand instead. Full body workout and it worked for birkett