[Alex Smurthwaite]

What do people think is the best way of building outdoor transferable finger strength?

My fingers aren't that strong (max hang on bm 2000 small edges is 20kg for 10 seconds) but I've always used a fingerboard along side board climbing.

I've noticed recently that I'm struggling to hold onto smaller edges outside, which going off my max hang I should be able to hold just fine.

I haven't climbed outside consistently for ages due to work etc, will it just take time for the finger strength to adapt again to outdoor hold types?

Or would I be better focusing more on board climbing and less on fingerboarding?

Cheers

[moose]

I've not finger-boarded for a while, but a quick look at my old records suggests that you are better than I ever was.  I personally found that after a winter spent indoors, outdoor climbing required a lengthy adjustment period, to gain endurance and the pain tolerance to use awkward / painful holds (over winter I seem to decline from around 8a+/b  to 7b/+).

The only way a fingerboard can recreate British limestone is if the grips are smashed-up with an axe and covered in broken glass.

To my mind, if you only have time for one activity, board climbing is better than finger-boarding.  A finger board works "in vitro" finger strength, max capacity under perfect conditions; a woodie builds core strength and the ability to hit-and-latch holds under stress, which seems more applicable (no science applied, I must admit).

That said, my own plan for this season is to climb at Kilnsey every Sat-Sun; then, during the week have a max hangs fingerboard session (one-armers with weight taken off by pulley).  If I can get another session in, without compromising the weekend, I will go on the woodie, and work recreations of the cruxes of my project route.  I figure that whilst woodie sessions are generally most appropriate for all-round improvement, if I am working my project a lot, and essentially "bouldering  on a rope",  then woodie sessions are less necessary and fingerboarding will best work my weaknesses

[Ged]

I think in the basic vocab, fingerboarding is probably training strength, and climbing hard stuff on a board is training power (as well as climbing skill and core etc).  SO the answer is probably both, but more on a board if you have chance.  I've done loads of fingerboarding over the past few years, and whilst it's definitely brought me on a bit, it's getting hard to find any gains now.  I trained on a 50 degree board a bit this winter, and the difference when I got back on local projects was quite noticeable.  I've just had knee surgery so will be exclusively on fingerboard for a few weeks, but as soon as it's up to it, I'll be on the board again.

So in summary, if you mainly climb on a board, a bit of fingerboarding wouldn't hurt, and vice versa. 

[jwi]

Solid advice from Ged and moose. Wadded both.

[Alex Smurthwaite]

Cheers everyone. Glad to know my fingers aren't as weak as i thought they were.

I think trying to get outside more often along with prioritising board climbing over fingerboarding is definitely the way to go.

Hopefully get me to my year goal of font 7c

[Coops_13]

Hopefully get me to my year goal of font 7c

Any in mind?

[Alex Smurthwaite]

Hopefully get me to my year goal of font 7c

Any in mind?

Got a few on the go
-Jerrys roof
-Vertruvian man, been trying this since last year
-Not bad dave

I live near burnley so if anyone has any recommendations of problems slightly closer, without minuscule holds i'm definitely open to more suggestions.

[sxrxg]

Things at longridge are generally on decent holds with it being steep. In excess sitter and the priory are both 7c.

If you like more technical climbing then hellebore at stronstrey bank is good.

The other option is earl however I find all the 7's up there to be nails. Lager, lager, lager is a classic line though and would make an amazing 7c to work.

[r-man]

I live near burnley so if anyone has any recommendations of 7C problems slightly closer, without minuscule holds i'm definitely open to more suggestions.

Loads on the Lancs side! Some of these only done since guidebook was out, so details (and usually video) on the website. All are within 20-40min drive of Burnley...

--Natural Grit-- (you might have to wait for cooler conditions, though most of them have been climbed in summer).
Bionic Harmonic, Lobb Mill - Todmorden. Ace linkup - slopers, heels and powerful slapping. Short walk in, fast drying. Should get more attention.
Something Under The Bed Is Drooling, Orchan Rocks - Todmorden. Landing a bit wiggy, but cool problem. Shady and non slopey.
The Clutch Gene, Reddyshore Scout - Calderbrook. Fierce pull on and slap to an edge. Steep lowball. Shady.
Chilli Burn - Higer Chelburn - Calderbrook. Wierd undercut move. Probably soft at the grade, but hey!
Hero sitter - Blackstone Edge - Littleborough. Best hard problem at Blackstone. (At the same crag is also Tempest, a nails rockover lowball.)
Mike's problem, Stony Edge - Littleborough. He never got round to naming it, but it's the sitter on the East Moors Mix vid.
Cow's Mouth Roof problems - Littleborough. Several in the 7B+/7C/7C+ range. The theme is slopey!
The Knockdown sitter, Hammerhead - Littleborough/Todmorden. Bit of a walk in, but a good problem. Slopey slapping. Shorties find the top hard, lanksters find the bottom hard. Seems to balance out.

--Quarried Grit--
Magic Beans, Troy - Haslingden. Ace problem (#trumpetblowing). Gets shade in the evening. Intimidating, but all the hard climbing is low down and easy to work.
Rocksucker sitter, Lee quarry - Bacup. Mike said 7B, but I reckon 7C might be more like it.
Harcles Dyno, Harcles Hill - Ramsbottom. Huge launch off crimps.
Longridge Various - Colon Power is a softy at the grade.
Hellebore & Noisy Cricket, Stronstrey Bank - White Coppice. Hellebore is better, Noisy Cricket probably easier. Both easy to work.
Meeting Palms, Ousel's Nest - Chapeltown. Possibly soft for tall folk. Nobody non tall has done it yet, I don't think.
Mad Man's Monologue, Wilton 1 - Belmont. Standup is 7Cish. Harder for shorties. Thin, but not miniscule holds. There's also Fingertoe nearby - tough rockover.
Nemesis, Wilton 4 - Belmont. Only one small hold, mostly pretty techy.
Starship Wilton Direct, Wilton 3 - Belmont. Direct start is more powerful than the guidebook version, and not soft at the grade. Crux has one small hold, but not super small.
Battlestar sitter, Montcliffe - Horwich. Burly undercutting, then sequency slapping.

[tomtom]

Hopefully get me to my year goal of font 7c

Any in mind?

Got a few on the go
-Jerrys roof
-Vertruvian man, been trying this since last year
-Not bad dave

I live near burnley so if anyone has any recommendations of problems slightly closer, without minuscule holds i'm definitely open to more suggestions.

I’ve only done one 7C ever.. but aspire for more :D

Vitruvian man feels nails+++

I’ve had a play in NBD a few times.. feels do-able.

I’d second RMans suggestion of meeting Palms at Ousels nest

Also Colt at Brownstones.. (in winter) which I’m close on and doesn’t feel desperate.

[r-man]

Also Colt at Brownstones.. (in winter) which I’m close on and doesn’t feel desperate.

...the sidepull on that one might reasonably be described as miniscule! Good moves though.

[Alex Smurthwaite]

Cheers everyone.

Done every move on vertruvian countless times but can't put it together.

Definitely keen to check out the qaurrys,heard colt is supposed to be good.

Earl is amazing but it's so sharp. Makes working stuff difficult