Finger Strength
Tendon Strength: A Primer
Tags: Finger Strength, peter Stuger, Tendon strength
by Peter Stüger Even though tendon strength is crucial to athletes and rock climbers in particular, there is rarely any discussion about it. Today, the little information we find about training our tendons is truly disproportionate to the abundance of information we find about muscle training. Tendons, like muscles, are crucial components in…
Are We Assessing the Right Things?
Tags: Assessment, ken klein, testing
by Ken Klein, NASM, PCC This past August we were winding down the Climb Strong training camp in Lander, WY and Steve Bechtel said something that really stuck with me. A participant asked about assessments and Steve replied that if we piled all of our physical assessment numbers together we probably wouldn’t be able…
Developing General Grip Strength
Tags: Finger Strength, finger training, Grip Strength, grip training
In the old days, training “specifically” for climbing was almost unheard of. You either just climbed or you were one of the few climbers who trained in the weight room and did some door jamb pull-ups. Over the years, things changed. As climbs got hard and more physically challenging we sought out ways to beat…
Integrated Strength
Tags: Finger Strength, foundation, Hangboard, integrated strength
Combining Hangboard and Weight Training for Maximum Climbing Strength Introduction Everything about training for climbing is complicated. It is an exercise in compromise – focus on power and you lose endurance, too much time getting your fingers strong, and your redpoint grade drops. Over the years, there have been many creative solutions proposed to…
Hangboard Training for Finger Strength – A Primer
Tags: Finger Strength, Full Crimp, Half Crimp, Hangboard, Hangboard Ladders, Open Hand, Strength, Training
By Steve Bechtel The hangboard is perhaps the best tool for developing finger strength in climbers. Unfortunately, it is too often “over-sold” by manufacturers as a one-stop training device for all climbing movement. When your desire is stronger fingers, let that be your goal; don’t be fooled into trying to get a pump or do…
Making Sense of Hangboard Programs
Tags: Finger Strength, Hangboard, Hangboard Ladders, Max Hangs, Repeaters, Rock Prodigy, Strength, Training
by Steve Bechtel I’ve been asked to weigh in more than a few times on various discussions on which was the “best” method of hangboard training. Although this is much like deciding which is the best dumbbell workout, it got me thinking. To truly decide what the best hangboard program for you is, you’ve got…
Training Contact Strength
Tags: Campus Board, Contact Strength, Finger Strength, Hangboard, Rate of Force Production, SAID, Strength, Training
By Steve Bechtel Contact Strength is a term unique to climbing. It refers to one’s ability to grasp a hold with maximum strength “on contact.” The ability for different climbers to do this varies widely, and many climbers have to “ramp” their strength a bit each time they grab a new hold. Although we see…
Forearm Hypertrophy Training
Tags: Forearm Training, Grip Strength, Hangboard, Strength
By Steve Bechtel Unless we’re talking about super lean people, about the last thing any climber wants to do is get bigger. The bigger you are, the more you weigh, and the harder it is for you to climb. But climbers can really benefit from creating more mass in the forearm musculature; it helps improve…
Hangboard Ladder Training 1
Tags: Finger Strength, Hangboard, Hangboard Ladders, Max Hangs, Repeaters, Strength, Training
By Steve Bechtel Over the past few years, we’ve seen some incredible climbing gyms opening around the world. We’re talking multi-million-dollar indoor crags here, some so diverse and huge that you might never want to wander outside again. Strangely, though, the gyms aren’t cranking out superstars as fast as you’d think. I had a great…