Fingerboarding for first timers - Effective and simple advice with workouts to get you started....24 February 2016, 3:08 amWith the huge amount of training information out there for fingerboarding... hang times vs rest, set numbers, cycles, half crimp, full crimp, max hangs etc etc.. It is easy to be overwhelmed and not really know the best approach to get started.
Here are some basic 'rules', a simple target and a tried and tested routine that will work for climbers at any level. A quick start into the world of finger strength training and a basis to work from to develop and tweak your fingerboard training..
The routine is essentially based on a long time served weight lifters strength program, aimed at new lifters but also a go to routine for experienced lifters wanting to continue good base level strength.
5 on 5 Strength TrainingThe principles when 'tweaked' transfers very well to fingerboard strength training.
This is a routine I have used for years, every year at the start of a winter training season..
Open Handed hangs on the Crusher Matrix
The Rules1. Warm Up - 10 minutes - 5 Second Hang (both hands all fingers in
Open Handed position) with
10 Seconds Rest between Hangs for a duration of
3 minutes. Performed on holds you can easily hold.
- 1 Pull Up (flat hold or jug) with
10 Seconds Rest between for a duration of
2 minutes. Use a foot stool for assistance if you require.
- 5 Second Hang (both hands all fingers in
Half Crimp postion) with
10 Seconds Rest between Hangs for a duration of 3 minutes. Performed on an edge you can easily hold.
- 1 Pull Up (flat hold or jug) with
10 Seconds Rest between for a duration of
2 minutes. Use a foot stool for assistance if you require.
2. Hangs Must be performed with shoulders and elbows engaged, no slouching straight armed and hanging on the joints - feels as if you are about to pull into a pull up.
Half Crimp hang on the Crusher Matrix
The Targets4 Finger Open handed Hangs (see top picture)
3 Finger Half Crimped Hangs (above picture)
why?.... they are the most commonly used, they are the most stable positions, they translates well into other hangs that you are going to save for training in the future! ... see two finger pockets and monos training blog coming soon...
The Routine (protocol) - 5 on 5 TrainingTotal Duration - 6 weeks Week Duration - 2 times a week
Hang Duration - 5 secondsHang Repitions - 5 timesRest between Hangs - 5 secondsNumber of Sets - 5 timesRest between Sets - 5 minutes
Total - 18 minutes 45 seconds
Perform the
4 Finger Open Handed hangs for the first fingerboard session in the week, then the
3 Finger Half Crimp for the second session in the week.
The hangs should be performed on a full first digit edge, that is an edge that approximately 20-25mm deep.. the outside bottom edge on the
Crusher Matrix for example.
The Appropriate Loading - 80 to 90% of your single repetition maximum.
That is the maximum weight of yourself plus or minus extra weight for you to perform a hang on the edge in use for
4 seconds before failing.It is very important to get this correct, it is the ideal level of stimulus for the muscle to develop pure strength gains.
You will need to work this out for both 4 finger and 3 finger hangs.
So before you start the routine... use a rucksack or weight belt and (in most cases) add weight until you find you are failing at 4 seconds. Add your body weight & this extra amount together and multiply by 0.8. This is your appropriate loading.
e.g. Jimbob weighs 80kg, he adds 40kgs to his rucksack to achieve a 4 second hang.
80 + 40 = 120kg x 0.8 =
96kgs 96 - 80 =
16kgs total extraSummaryThis will get you started and you should see gains after a 6 week cycle of this. If you go into a second 6 week cycle try doing both 4 and 3 finger exercises in the same session thus doubling the work load.
The alternative would be to incorporate a Max hang session or three into the 6 week cycle, plus moving onto training a different more 'stressful' hang... this I will cover in another blog..
Incorporating these into a normal climbing week by doing them after a rest day or before you have a climbing session.
Tiptabatatimer.com is a very useful tool for fingerboard session timing....
Source: Crusher Holds Fingerboards Climbing Blog
