[Tubbs 15]

I can't crimp at all really i can only do open hand grip, does everyone face this problem when they start or is it just me because i want to be able to get those smaller holds.

All help appreciated!

Tubbs 

Have a good day!

[erm, sam]

I can't remember to be honest. I'm sure that if you stick with it, crimping will soon be as normal as, er erm, normalness.

[Jim]

You've gotta be a troll.
Just asked misses to crimp the edge of the bed head to and she did no worries and she's never climbed before.
The weak can only crimp, the strong open hand

[unclesomebody]

The weak can only crimp, the strong open hand

How can one man be so wise... 

[cofe]

Just asked misses to crimp the edge of the bed head

should keep private life to yourself word.

[Paul B]

The weak can only crimp, the strong open hand

How can one man be so wise... 

what a crock of shit. If in doubt crimp it out.


open hand that shit!

[Control freak]

The weak can only crimp, the strong open hand

How can one man be so wise... 

what a crock of shit. If in doubt crimp it out.

Indeed - I was speaking to the Birch about this a few years ago. The verdict - crimp the fuck out of everything.

Job done.

[Nibile]

do what you like, but bear in mind that crimping stresses joints, tendons and pulley much more, cos of the angles it creates.

[Bonjoy]

 I have met a few climbers over the years who claim not to be able to crimp, or that they never do because it doesn't feel right.

[Adam Lincoln]

Its no coincidence that the Bransby is as good as he is, and he openhands everything!

[moose]

I used to open hand / half-crimp everything too.  Full crimping just felt unnatural, uncomortable, and didn't seem to bring much benefit.  Perhaps something to do with having very long, thin fingers: crimping felt like an exercise in digitary origami that resulted in awkward stresses before I had even started to crank!  Besides I always seemed to be able to find better uses for my thumbs than curling them over:  catches, dishes, pebbles etc.

It was only when I started to regularly try thin V6+'s (UK 6b+ etc) that I was forced to crimp.  It now feels fairly "normal", but it was definitely an acquired skill rather than the instinctive recourse that many people find.

[BenF]

I have met a few climbers over the years who claim not to be able to crimp, or that they never do because it doesn't feel right.

I tried to persuade my girlfriend to crimp on small holds for ages 'cos she never seemed to lock her fingers into crimps.  In the end I had to show her how to crimp on holds (a kind of crimping workshop at the wall; e-mail me for booking details) and she was just pretty nonplussed by the whole idea and still very rarely actually crimps anything, she just doesn't seem to get much benefit from crimping.  I don't understand why she she doesn't find many small edges etc much easier by crimping, she just doesn't.  

Personally I'm a devotee of the open handed hold (ie slopers that have to be openhanded and cannot be crimped, they're much more satisifying) but appreciate that often a crimp is utterly essential for edges/pebbles etc.  I do tend to avoid crimpy stuff though and head straight for anything with mofo slopers.  

[SA Chris]

Learning to climb on nasty non frictiony quartzite, you quicky learn to crimp on almost anything. Almost my default grip, why I got spanked so severely for my first outings on grit. And every outing on grit afterwards.

[jfw]

the joints in my fingers don't seem to line upwhen i try open handing (like on fingerboards)

i am weak as sin - and crimping is one of my few fortes (my crowning climbing achievement being mansons wall at shipley) - think it comes from a misspent youth traversing round guiseley wall on the stone inserts - that and being a girl!

i have got long skinny fingers - so they'll probably be fucked from all the crimping. that said i don't generally try to crimp slopers - sidepulls seem to be more natural holds for openhanding - it seems like when i am trying to pull down i default to crimp.

[Paul B]

I have met a few climbers over the years who claim not to be able to crimp, or that they never do because it doesn't feel right.

just look at ned, he cant seem to work it out.

ie slopers that have to be openhanded and cannot be crimped, they're much more satisifying)

a rare hold.

Surely being able to do both must be the way? I know that my openhand strength is pretty dire and want to do something about that but you cant get away with open handing everything just like you cant get away with crimping everything.
In terms of the original post, I think crimping came pretty naturally, does open not feel insecure all the time?

[Nibile]

i think it also depends on the shape and proportions of the fingers.
with a pinky finger alot shorter than the others, in open hand you prolly lose it all the time, and have to resolve to slightly crimp the others to have the pinky on the hold.

[r-man]

You're probably right - body shape often makes people gravitate towards certain moves or problem types, and the same must be true of hands and holds.

Having said that, I have odd pinkies, but I prefer open handing holds when possible, even if it means not using my pinkies. I spent my first climbing years in an indoor cave, so open handed everything. Crimps sometimes feel to me like there's a worrying amount of pressure in the fingers. Give me a nice comfy hold any day.

Incidentally, Monkey Boy was telling me about someone too strong for his own good who actually broke his finger crimping too hard!

And another freakish thing - I have a friend who crimps with his thumb. He can line it up completely parallel with the rest of his fingers and bone down with it, giving him a five finger crimp. Says it's his strongest digit, and really useful. Give it a go, if you can do it, you're lucky but wierd...

[BenF]

ie slopers that have to be openhanded and cannot be crimped, they're much more satisifying)

a rare hold.

Getaway.  You're obviously not climbing on the correct rock!   Step away from the limestone and put those crimps down.

[webbo]

i have found myself crimping more and more recently but what is worse i caught myself starting to share on holds as well.

the shame of it all.

[Paz]

Can we do some science then?  Has it got anything to do with that measurement they look at to assess people's aptitudes for taking part in scientific surveys (or eating cheese I dunno) - the difference in length between your index finger (that's your peter pointer, the one next to your thumb) and your ring finger (the one next to your pinky (little finger))

So can the following people let me know if your index finger is longest or your ring finger is longest (I know your middle fingers are probably longer than both).  And everyone else who feels like it let me know too, especially if you don't have a preference - as that means you have Control.  Or something.

Crimpers:
Paul B, (silver) Birch, Control Freak, Me, Sa Chris, jfw.

Open handers:
r-man, unclesomebody, Tubbs 15, Jim, Nibile, and Adam (on behalf of Bransby)

I'm not sure if I prefer the crimp grip but I just dislike the open hand grip.  In general my secret tactic is to over grip because then I feel like I'm least likely to fall off.  They should teach that on those master classes. 

[SA Chris]

My ring finger is slightly longer, but they are pretty much the same the length. Like I said before I think my crimping is due to being weak and starting out on predominantly small sharp holds.

I can also do that thumb crimp thing that R-man is talking about, in theory, but in practice I dont think I've ever used it, prefer to wrap the thumb over fingers.

[Paul B]

well in the name of SCIENCE: my ring finger is longest  (and oddly the first finger to get injured always)

i'm sure this is just the age old way of telling someones sexuality?

[jfw]

in blokes - the ring finger is generally longer than the index finger (i think)

for us wimmin - they're more likely to be the same, but having a longer ring finger than index finger has been linked to being better at sport (for women). i have longer ring finger and so therefore am amazing athlete 

wiki info on digit ratios

obviously being part man (as shown by freakish finger length) i'm more likely to be a lesbian as well

[Paz]

Aye, so that's where I heard it from!  That wiki is one of many that I glance at, think WOW us humans sure are a clever lot, yet know fulwill that I will never read or understand it all.

We need to hear from some open handers but it sounds like we men need to break out with the rulers.  I think I last used one in secondary school where the only thing we ever measured was making sure our margins were of the correct width in RE. 

[butters]

In the name of science eh? Isn't there some sort of email that always gets sent out on a 6 monthly cycle that supposed proves your sexuality using this? 

Ring finger is slightly longer on both hands - always been able to crimp but that is largely due to starting out climbing at the wall. Not that bad on openhanded holds as I usually climb grit but given a choice between the two holds would always go for the crimp.

Suspect that I can do the thumb thing as well based on trying to crimp on the edge of my desk.

bluebrad