[cheque]

OK, opening up this old thread. I've never fingerboarded with any kind of dedication before this winter and need some advice.

I've now completed the exact same fingerboard routine once a week for twelve weeks  - 6 reps of 6 seconds on, 4 seconds off repeaters on most of the paired holds on my Beastmaker 1000 from biggest to smallest with two minutes rest between each.

My fingers are weak (not really anything to do with my accident, I've always had very weak fingers) and I can't do a set on most of the holds unassisted so after the three pairs of deep slots are done I kneel on a set of mechanical scales (with books on them to bring the height up) and record what the scales are reading.

I can feel that it's working when I climb and, looking at the weights I've noted down now (first time I've looked back on them) I am slowly increasing the amount of weight I'm pulling.

I remember reading (can't remember where though  ) that twelve weeks is the optimum period for this sort of thing. Another twelve weeks will take me 'til mid-May, by which time weekday evening daylight will allow me to be either having a proper rock climbing session, recovering from a proper rock climbing session or doing something fun a long way from a fingerboard, so another twelve weeks of fingerboarding seems like a good idea whether or not it's a magic number or not.

The question is, what do people think is the best thing for me to do in them?

-Not worry about periodisation and keep doing what I'm doing every week?

-Tweak it (ie. more time on, less time off in each rep, using different holds or finger combinations etc.)?

-Do something totally different like max hangs or something?

-Accept that fingery climbing just isn't for me and just climb cracks and jugs forever?

Cheers 

[Ged]

If you've been doing that for 12 weeks, I'd switch to power (hard bouldering, campussing) for say 6 weeks, and then start crushing

[teestub]

To completely contradict the previous post, I'd have a rest week from fingerboarding and then switch to a different protocol for the next 12 sessions, max hangs would seem to be a good fit for you. You can also do the other power bits on other days if you require, but I think fingerboarding should be done regularly throughout the year.

If possible I would also try and keep to one session per 10 days or so during your fun rock climbing time of the year. This doesn't necessarily have to be as comprehensive as your non rock climbing sessions, but consider it 'greasing the groove' so when the nights draw in again you won't be back to square one on the fingerboard.

[Smith42]

Thanks for resurrecting this discussion, good topic but I’ve more questions than answers.

I am aiming to increase my finger strength and have started a twelve week finger board programme. (essentially the Eva Lopez protocol for max hangs but one set of six reps after warm up and recruitment phase). I’m fitting in two sessions a week for three weeks and then having a week off hangs. 
 
I am using the bottom slots on BM1000 and in week one was at +20kg, last night was +27.5kg.    So that’s nice. 
After the Max Hangs I usually have energy left to boulder and have noticed bench mark problems which were close to my limit feeling noticeably easier.

Anyhow few questions;

I’m only doing one set of six hangs and have plenty left should I do more? A second set of six (or two sets of five?)

For the third cycle (weeks eight to twelve) should I keep going with adding weight or switch to trying smaller holds (15mm and 10mm edges?)

Once the twelve weeks are up what next?  Do I just do one Max Hang session a week for maintenance or would it be worth doing another twelve week cycle and if I do is it Max Hangs again or Smaller holds?

 

[Stu Littlefair]

This is in no way a helpful answer, but most FB threads boil down to people asking - what protocol should I use?

The problem is, this is a question without an answer, or with no one answer, as it will be different for everyone.

There are “standard” protocols such as the Anderson hangs, the Lettuce FB sessions on their crampd app; and max hangs either Eva Lopez or CWP style. All of these allow you to track your progress in terms of what weight you can add.

Unless you want to get totally into the nerdy side, just pick one of these and stick with it for as long as you are making good gains. When the gains stop, pick another one.

[Smith42]

Thanks you more or less confirmed my gut feeling.

Think I am going to move on to two sets on the basis I generally feel quite fresh afterward and keep repeating the four week cycle till I plateau then might drop to once a week for maintenance and see what happens.

[cheque]

Cheers for the replies. I should have added that since suffering the climbing accident from hell I can’t boulder any more. I guess I could campus if I had a burly personal trainer-type spotter to lift me down after every rep but as funny as it would be to turn up to the Foundry with a huge silent Russian bloke to help me train that’s not an option either.

Unless you want to get totally into the nerdy side, just pick one of these and stick with it for as long as you are making good gains. When the gains stop, pick another one.

Cheers Stu. No interest in the nerdy side of training (although I did spend yesterday evening going through my training diaries and recording what my pre-accident PBs in all sorts of training stuff were...) so I’ll take your advice.

I have the Anderson Brother’s book so I’ll get working on the routine they recommend. That falls under the “max hangs” category right?

[Nutty]

I have the Anderson Brother’s book so I’ll get working on the routine they recommend. That falls under the “max hangs” category right?

No, the typical Anderson hangs are repeaters with resistance varied through adding weight / removing weight with pulleys depending on the grip type and hold you're hanging, though there is a different 'power' fingerboard routine in the book which is fewer, shorter reps at higher resistance (typically one-armed with weight removed as necessary).

[cheque]

OK. What is the definition of max hangs?

[teestub]

One hang followed by rest, typically 5-15 second hang and 2-3 mins rest. Most protocols have the difficulty set at around 80% of maximum (eg 10 second hangs with added weight/assistance that would lead to failure at 13 secs). Repeat for several sets and then vary grip (with weight/ assistance varied to match).

[moose]

The Lopez protocol is that you first spend a session benchmarking yourself.  Select hold and grip (18mm'ish half crimp is a good start), and determine the max added load you can take to just about manage a 12-13s hang. 

A hang for 10s at that load is then basis for the routine, so you are operating at 80-90% of threshold (the thinking is that operating at your absolute max would increase the injury risk).

First warm-up, then progressively increase the calibre up to the max added load: do a 10s hang at 50% of the max added weight, rest 2-3 mins, then a 10s hang at 80% of the max added weight, rest 2-3 mins, then a 10 hang at 90% of the max added weight.

Then do 10s hangs at 100% max added weight - say 6 with 2-3 minute rests in between.

Lopez recommends resting at least 2 days between sessions (I usually do 1 or 2 midweek so as not to interfere with the weekend's climbing), and bench-marking again every 4 weeks (perhaps change the hold if you are feeling gains have plateaued).  It doesn't feel like much - whole routine can be done in 45 min  - but you see quantifiable gains fairly quickly (admittedly possibly neurological rather than increases in tendon strength, and how much it translates to actually grabbing real holds is debatable).

[Mushin]

 I generally agree with the idea that most people overthink this hangboarding stuff. Stu said it very well I think.

However, due to a very unfortunate accident (torn ACL), I will soon be faced with a sustained period where hangboarding will likely be my only or main training tool. Therefore I am interested in people's opinion on the best ways to make gains in fingerpower over sustained (say 3-4 months) of only/mainly fingerboarding.

Would it be better to:
1. do 4 weeks of max hangs, then switch to 4 weeks of repeaters or
2. alternate between max hangs and repeaters between workouts or
3. Do something else?
 
At some point I will be able to do 1 foot climbing, but I suspect the fingerboard will be the dominant tool untill at least 4 months after surgery.
Thoughts?

[PipeSmoke]

That depends entirely on what you are good or bad at. You want to do at least 2 of the same session a week, increasing as you adapt, and potentially doing one of the other session. Start any training cycle with strength work as this all leads in to the rest of the training. I usually do blocks of 6 weeks not 4, factoring in bench marking and rest at the end of each period.