[GCW]

Sorry for a silly question guys.

On small holds (ie we're talking about 2 finger holds here) I tend to crimp and open hand differently.
On holds that are crimp-able I use (mostly) my index and middle fingers whilst on open handed holds/ pockets I use middle and ring.
On the board at home I feel stronger on open-handed pockets using middle/ring rather than index/middle.

Questions:
Is this because the index is naturally weaker than the ring in combination with the middle (strength and mechanically speaking)?  Or by always crimping am I not exposing the index to proper open-handed power?
Do I need to train more towards open-handing index/middle in order to improve crimp strength too?
Does it matter with regard to outdoors?
How do you lot crimp/ open hand small stuff?

Thanks in advance.

[Nibile]

i think open handing with ring and middle is easier cos the two are of similar length so the same part of the fingers stay on the hold, while index is shorter, so to have it on the hold you have to crimp making middle shorter as well.

[Stubbs]

Is it not that when crimping on two finger holds you use the index finger so you can wrap you thumb over it?  If you make a two finger crimp shape with your middle two fingers and wrap your thumb over it, you just end up throwing the horns \m/

[GCW]

You are right guys, putting your thumb over makes using the index/ middle more natural.   But because it's natural are we using the index too little and ending up with it being weaker than it could be?  Open handing trains crimping but not the other way around.

[dave]

i know i am in the minority here but i tend to openhand 2finger pockets with index and middle. it feels more natural to me, and my index finger is long than the ring finger. it just all depends on your relative finger lengths. theres one pocket on my board i hang the other way though, i think thats cos its got a slanting back inside, so it only works one way.

[Serpico]

Are you saying you've got a more 'feminine' finger length?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4314209.stm

[dave]

well i am fairly effeminate. anyone wanna come round for a pyjama party, do each others hair and watch dirty dancing? I think not.

[Nibile]

so he must have been the nicest person around.

oh waitaminnit, is that middle or index?
 

[cofe]

i know i am in the minority here but i tend to openhand 2finger pockets with index and middle.

i do the same. on the occasions i've felt flare and gone balls deep with the middle two i normally end up injured crying into my soup and muttering something about "the good old days".

[GCW]

So it looks like the answer is "it depends"?  Each to their own.  So I don't have to do 5 hour weighted dead hangs on index and middle then?  Phew 

[Paz]

I'll normally try and crimp the lip of most pokets if I can't get into it's juggy depths.  Are we talking about holds that are so small or without a high bit to get into, so you can't tripod (I've ben told this is called a hock-stack). 

So after cramming, crimping and stacking, my fourth instinct with such a pocket is to see if my pink tricam fits in it, and if none of those work I'm going home. 

[Scouse D]

I always use middle and index. I'm always injured. Read into that what you will.