Half crimp hangboard. The strongest position for most of us, you should use an edge that ...

Half crimp hangboard. The strongest position for most of us, you should use an edge that allows you to hold the PIP and DIP joints at approximately the same level. The full-crimp is locked into place with your thumb so you should only perform small amounts of sub-maximal load levels on the hangboard. Avoid full crimping unless you have years of training experience, because it places the most stress on your finger pulleys and is the grip position most likely to cause injury. For most climbers, this is the top grip to train, as it builds finger strength, which translates to the broadest range of holds. Follow these guidelines to maximize your training. Mar 20, 2023 · The converse is also true—some people score poorly but climb well on small holds and aren’t hindered by the apparent “weakness”. Beginner-Friendly Hangboard Routine A simple beginner routine involves 2-3 sets of dead hangs, holding each rep for 5-10 seconds, with 2-3 minutes of rest between sets. Check out my climbing training pr Oct 15, 2021 · To safely practice the half crimp grip, use a hangboard (also called a fingerboard), a practice tool commonly found in indoor climbing gyms. · · · Hangboarding for climbers, hangboarding strength training, how to hangboard correctly". It features four different edge depths for finger training: 6mm, 10mm, 14mm, and 18mm. Hey, I've been bouldering for 5 months now but I still don't understand, when people train hangboarding (I don't hangboard) that they train different finger holds. When performing your hangboard routine, try to practice the half crimp. The hyperextension at the dip is something I avoid when hangboarding. Aug 28, 2022 · Crimping vs open hand grip will also increase your risk of pulley injury. I wondered if there is a data base or somewhat of anecdotal benchmarks for finger strength compared to grade. Bend the index, middle and ring fingers at 90 degrees, keep your little finger straight, and rest your thumb next to the index finger. Jun 10, 2020 · The full crimp is most prone to injury and hence not often trained by any climber. My default grip on the wall is usually a mixture of open crimp (4 fingers on with 3/4 hyperextended), and half-crimp (all 4 hyperextended). Four-finger hangs, performed on a hangboard edge using only the four fingers, focus on open-hand or half-crimp positions without significant thumb contribution, prioritizing finger flexor tendon and pulley adaptations on a 3 days ago · Between sets, rest a full three minutes to let your tendons recover. On week 4, the climbers starts the sessions with an additional 4 sets of half crimp starting at 2 kg I decided to give hangboard-training a serious go to see how it translates to my outdoor climbing. The most open position—often referred to as a “drag”—is extremely useful for resting on large positive holds where the high contact surface with the hold allows for frictional assistance. Remember when to start hangboarding, and the routines themselves are highly individual. 5. Aug 28, 2024 · Full-crimp: Grip position that mimics the half-crimp but goes one step further to where the climber hyper-extends the DIP joint (the joint closest to the fingertip). I'm confused on when to use these different styles and why there are different ones? This article breaks down proven methods like 5-second max-load hangs, intermittent repeaters, and reduced-intensity endurance sets. Mar 11, 2026 · I recommend half crimp as this allows you to activate a boat load of motor units without overloading your pulleys unnecessarily like a full crimp. like: Full Crimp, half crimp, 3 finger drag, open crimp, etc. This is the workhorse position for edges and the safest crimp variation to train under load. Understand What You’re Really Training When you train on a rock climbing hangboard On week 4, the climbers starts the sessions with an additional 4 sets of half crimp starting at 2 kg I'd suggest downloading the crimpd app from lattice, its free, and looking over their hangboard workouts. Building the robustness of the structures in our hand that the full crimp stresses takes patience, consistency, and time. This will be done for two repetitions with the same time intervals. Oct 10, 2024 · Beginners should focus on the open-hand and half-crimp grips, as these are safer and less likely to cause injury. Athlete and coach Christian Core recommends against training the full crimp position. The goal is building strength while protecting your finger joints from excessive stress. Hang/open/drag. Given the huge discrepancy between my half-crimp and closed crimp, what is a suitable (and safe) way to train the closed crimp? For reference, I also have a super short pinky, so adding the thumb would put extra strain on my wrists, as I have to torque my wrist CW to compensate. Includes sets, timing, load selection, and progression rules. Dec 21, 2022 · Half crimp: 5 sets of 3-6-9 Week 4 (x2) Open hand: 3 sets of 3-6-9-12 Full crimp: 3 sets of 3-6-9-12 Half crimp: 3 sets of 3-6-9-12 Hangboard Ladders: A Few Rules The goal of this program is to build strength over a variety of hang times while maintaining a very low risk of injury. Understand What You’re Really Training When you train on a rock climbing hangboard The super classic half crimp (drawing 1; thumb wherever) feels extremely non ergonomic to me. Relieve your pain Jun 10, 2020 · The full crimp is most prone to injury and hence not often trained by any climber. Whether you love or hate climbing crimps, mastering them is key. Start with bodyweight exercises on larger hangboard edges and gradually progress to smaller edges as your technique improves. Something to take into account though in addition to the added stress on your fingers, half or full crimping a hold also gets you more pumped which can really suck on longer routes. 3 second pulls at max effort, 3 reps per set, 3-5 sets. Learn how to use density hangs on a hangboard to build finger strength with controlled volume. Typically this means using a hangboard 1-2x/week with a slow and steady progression. The thumb rests alongside the index finger but does not lock over it. When you have just started hangboarding, ALWAYS go for either an open hand grip or half crimp grip. People are either natural full crimpers or natural open handers (me. According to one study, pulley injuries may require 2-3 months to heal and 4-6 months before full load-bearing capabilities return. Watch pro climber Genevive Walker demonstrate her hangboard workout. My own grip is like #1 in terms of a flat line from edge to dip to pip parallel to the edge. Nov 17, 2025 · Alternate with open hand positions When practicing half-crimp training focus on maintaining a relaxed yet controlled grip. . With the knees and elbows straight, pull the body into the ground by curling the fingers (PIP joint at 110 degrees of motion to start) for 3 seconds. I did the above 2 things for about a month or two, then I slowly started working in some full crimp climbs. half crimp). Grips Half crimp. 1b. Keep your shoulders engaged during dead hangs. Jan 11, 2024 · A typical finger strength testing method is to perform seven or eight reps of increasingly heavier seven-second deadhangs on a hangboard hold of your choice (e. 100%. Sep 4, 2025 · Here, the half crimp and full crimp will typically result in the highest performances. Hangboarding Exercises (Crimp Climbing 101) Apr 7, 2024 · That's why it may be a good idea to train it separately in the half crimp. com📱720-316-9974- Our 3-step process to your recovery We use a personalized 1:1 approach to 1. Jul 31, 2023 · This will be done for two repetitions with the same time intervals. Thank you guys and gals. Learn how to use repeaters on a hangboard to build finger endurance and repeatability. I exclusively train with no-hangs, mostly with 10s working reps half-crimping a 20mm edge. Mar 10, 2023 · 1a. Full crimping is a much more active gripping style than half crimping. It's also outside the norm to be open hand training on hangboard exclusively and especially max weight open hand training. Mar 26, 2025 · Smaller holds can be used with the half-crimp or full-crimp positions, but the full-crimp should be reserved for climbers experienced with training, because it’s the most likely to cause injury. The half crimp grip is the number one grip position in terms of strength transfer to all other grips and climbing performance. In regards to safety And anyway, hardly anybody climbs with a half crimp as their habitual position - it's the recommended grip for hangboard training because it is strenuous and mechanically inefficient. Half crimp is 4 fingers all on the edge, with fingers bent at ~90 degrees. For example, when can a person begin to hangboard? Gravelle says that, “it really depends on the 5 days ago · Half crimp: Fingers are bent at roughly 90 degrees at the middle joint, with the fingertips flat on the hold. An open-hand crimp puts less strain on your finger tendons, and is therefore less likely to injure you. The max hang benchmark simply doesn't capture the full picture. Oct 15, 2021 · The half crimp is an open-handed grip where the thumb doesn't overlock onto the index finger, while the full crimp does overlock the thumb. Nov 9, 2022 · Half crimp: This is best ‘all rounder’ for training strength as it is arguably more transferrable than other positions. Examples of a progressive dynamic warm-up for climbers can be finger tendon glides, ball squeezes using different grips, and hangboard repeaters at 30-40% of max using an open-handed or half crimp grip position (more on this below). Your numbers are a dramatic reduction in weight by mm hangboard size and definitely outside the norm. Middle Two Finger Crimp: Finish off with the middle two finger half crimp, using the middle and ring fingers. An open-hand position (fingers more extended) develops strength across a wider range of motion and is generally safer for your tendons. For most climbe Sep 18, 2024 · When hangboarding, it’s recommended most climbers use an open-handed or half-crimp hand position. Beastmaker 2000 benchmarks. Make sure you engage your hand and thumb for a half-crimp, but don’t wrap it over your fingers, and don’t let the fingers hyper-extend. Training at a half crimp is a great place to start. 20mm edge) using a specific grip type (e. (Photo Jordan Hirro) Half-crimp. Jan 25, 2021 · Some people are stronger in open-hand, some are stronger in half-crimp. Sep 19, 2022 · Hangboard training should actually be a relatively calm, controlled experience, usually with a half crimp, though exact finger position will depend on your finger anatomy and goals. We’re going to keep this simple - use a half crimp, and never train on a hangboard with a full crimp. This is an unlevel edge hangboard, also known as uneven edge hangboard. I could hold the 18mm edge with one hand for 5 seconds on both hands on the 11th. Anatomy Of A Thanks a lot for sharing! Good content. Sep 30, 2025 · Wood hangboards are the best: versatile, smooth, and they force you to use pure finger strength—which, after all, is the point. More importantly, you shouldn’t be sliding off the hold during every hang as this changes the force on your fingers. Important Note: Ensure that you are comfortable on the hangboard and not feeling any form of fatigue. 5”) wooden hangboard, which boasts a 38mm rounded incut, a 38mm sloper, an 18mm crimp, and a 13mm micro-edge. Limit yourself to a maximum of six sets. Use an open-hand grip on everything except the small edge, which you can half-crimp. I don't use it on a hangboard. What to know Break-down complete, we can begin to understand finger strength as a concept. For example, when can a person begin to hangboard? Gravelle says that, “it really depends on the Aug 25, 2019 · I stayed away from anything full crimp for a while and mainly worked open hand and non-aggravating half crimp climbs. Your drawing #2 is also not what I use. Jan 31, 2022 · HALF VS FULL CRIMPING Half crimp training alone cannot fully prepare you to crimp with all your might on a tiny edge. As discussed in chapter 4, full crimping is mechanically stronger than open-handing or half crimping when on small holds. As the beastmaker 2000 is probably the most famous hangboard and a lot of people are using it. Advanced climbers can do a second set for each half- and open-crimp grips, plus one or two additional sets that target one- and/or two-finger pockets. Sep 27, 2024 · Learn how to improve your crimping technique, a crucial skill for boulders. Don’t get A short form deep dive into the half crimp and open hand finger position for fingerboard training. I started off with the Beastmaker 5A program first week and then decided to give the 5B a spin when i realized I'm not 100% sure i know how a 4 finger chisel hold differs from a 4 finger half crimp. Includes exact timing, sets, load selection, and progression rules. Moved Permanently The document has moved here. Usually this is a slightly lower risk grip position to train. I used to be weak in open hand hangs, but after multiple rounds of hangboard I was stronger in open hand drag than in half crimp. It also has two dedicated pinch grip surfaces: a 30mm and a massive 100mm wide pinch, so you can work on that often-neglected part of grip strength. Some grip types are more “active” than others. Full Crimp Hangboard Metrics Is there any commonly used full crimping standard to compare oneself against? Full crimping doesn’t work very well on the BM2K edges because of their roundness, and half crimp correlation to closed crimping also doesn’t seem to be very high (anecdotally/ according to training podcasters). Hangboard in half crimp position, like how you tested. Also, he can't one arm hang BM middle edge in half crimp, but he has the ability to send V13 right now without a doubt. In regards to safety Sep 18, 2024 · When hangboarding, it’s recommended most climbers use an open-handed or half-crimp hand position. Will this lead to injury, should i not be half-crimping then? This only happens on edges that are 10mm or less. It’s lower injury risk, and will instantly produce some benefits in other grip positions. You’ll learn when to use half crimp versus open hand, how to adjust intensity without ruining the stimulus, and why your skin condition matters more than your motivation. This article breaks down proven methods like 5-second max-load hangs, intermittent repeaters, and reduced-intensity endurance sets. The Hangboard Workout: Hold 1: 10-second hang, 5-second rest Initially, focus on training the half-crimp and open-crimp grips—one set each. Aug 15, 2024 · Most hangboards have a flat edge, and as a result when training your fingers in the half crimp position, most of the load will be on the middle 2 fingers. Oct 5, 2022 · A climbing coach shares a beginner-friendly 8-week hangboard training plan along with some crucial tips for how to avoid injury. May 1, 2024 · Open-hand and half-crimps are generally fine to train until failure because your fingers will straighten when you fall off an edge. For an intermediate and even an advanced climber, this ability to execute a single quality hangboard workout each time matters less than the overall quality and compliance of the training week or month on the whole. Want to Take Your Pull-Ups to a Whole New Level? Just join the newsletter below and get a free copy of my pull-up performance guide with 16 powerful tips. Oct 26, 2021 · 5. Its mainly focused on half crimp/open handed repeaters but its a good place to start for a longstanding protocol. I'm confused on when to use these different styles and why there are different ones? Aug 12, 2020 · It is available here: Hangboard Protocol - Training for Climbing If you’re interested in a hangboard routine that is a full climbing session replacement, then check out our introductory and intermediate/advanced routines as well! These are 45+ minute routines to work on pull strength, core strength, finger strength, and mobility. the At home training plan for bouldering strength from Louis Parkinson (I made a video about that on my YT channel if you are interested), Lattice Training, Andrew McFarlane or Shauna Coxsey. Half-crimp overcoming isometrics 25-30mm edge. To summarize, the importance of using the strict half crimp form while Arm-Lifting and hangboarding is still debatable. Try a set of hangboarding repeaters where you consciously dead hang without full crimping. Anatomy Of A Feb 9, 2020 · There are different schools of thought on whether to use an open-hand, half-crimp, or full-crimp position on small edges. Recent 7s 20mm half-crimp hangs @ ~100% effort: 100lb on a no-hang BW+70lb two-armed hang on a Tension Grindstone I’ve noticed that my wrists feel weak when testing my no Mar 24, 2020 · As Jonathan, the crimp master, demo’ed the board, it became clear just how much was being done with so little for this reversible, portable (18” x 3” x 1. 7. Hangboard benchmark ≠ grades Reply reply leventsombre • May 3, 2020 · After a few weeks of training, you may also add the half crimp to your exercises. If your half crimp is your weaker grip I'd say definitely train it on the hangboard, having more even numbers across grip types will likely mean less injury when you are climbing. If you have access to a gym just stand under the hangboard and pull (focus on strict form, not on even lifting your weight) for ten-ish seconds on each hand, then do it again after some rest. These hand positions avoid the full crimp, which positions the knuckles above the fingertips and Aug 20, 2019 · Half the battle is picking the right target, the other half is hitting it. 1. Back 3 half crimp: Good for those with weaker pinky fingers. Full crimp: Same as the half crimp, but the thumb wraps over the index 12mm half crimp 35 seconds 18mm front 3 35 seconds 18mm back 3 25 seconds 8mm half crimp (beastmaker micro) 5 seconds I could also hold a one arm hang for the first time 2/3rds into the hangboard routine so I tested that too. Also in one of their videos they say that, based on their data, the half crimp and 3 finger drag are the two grip positions that translate best from hangboard training to all different positions. You said you're doing this with hangboard: All with an additional +N pounds, on a 20mm edge 2x three finger drag 2x crimp with dragged index and pinky 2x crimp with dragged pinky 2x half crimp So that's 8 total sets. The open grip builds strength for pockets or catching edges at Feb 11, 2021 · The Training Program: Half Crimp on 14-millimetre edge: 3 sets of 10 seconds on, 50 seconds off Engage about 80% of the weight it would take to lift off the ground Three-finger drag on large edge: 3 sets of 10 seconds on, 50 seconds off Engage about 80% of the weight required to pull off of the ground Middle-and-ring finger open-pocket position: Oct 15, 2021 · To safely practice the half crimp grip, use a hangboard (also called a fingerboard), a practice tool commonly found in indoor climbing gyms. g. Hangboarding half-crimp question. As you gain experience, you can expand to four or five positions per session. The flexion in the DIP and PIP joints means that the fingers are at an advantageous Oct 29, 2020 · For climbing, this means building up our strength and resilience to the full crimp position in a methodical and controlled manner. Yes, your lack of crimping (full or half) is keeping you from developing strength to hold small holds. Training on a hangboard is a very static load and environment, so if done with proper form (and adequate warm up) really it is safer than climbing where you're moving dynamically between holds. Rest for 5 seconds between reps and 4 minutes between sets. Front 3 drag: Good for catching holds and using pockets. But still good post, thanks. But take it slow at first to avoid a devastating pulley injury. Half crimp a) has good carryover to the other grip types and b) is much less prone to creating injuries like a full crimp. Questions? Contact us at ️info@physioroomco. Going from 6 to 9 apparently is aggravating on your fingers. Just regularly pull submaximally in a strict half crimp so as to train your brain to recruit your forearm musculature appropriately. Sep 21, 2023 · Train with both the half crimp and open crimp grips. Especially strong climbers can also perform a hang or two using the three-finger drag and two-finger pocket grips. Hangboard technique. Do two to five sets of one or the other—not both!—focusing mainly on the half-crimp or open-crimp grips, although advanced climbers may want to dedicate a few sets to pocket and pinch grips. Starting a hangboard routine is great. While some people believe that you should use an open-handed grip and avoid crimping when training with a hangboard, others add half-crimp and full-crimp positions to their training. People who don't half crimp properly or well: how is it affecting your climbing? Hi all, I'm wondering if some of the stronger climbers here have a stronger open hand/three finger drag max hang numbers over half crimp. I think he is stronger in the fingers than me, but that is somehow lost in translation to the hangboard. If you’re training finger strength (hangboard), always train open hand just to avoid injury and because it’s the one you and most people are worse at. The full crimp is a stronger hold but is more likely to sustain finger injuries. These hand positions avoid the full crimp, which positions the knuckles above the fingertips and May 1, 2024 · Open-hand and half-crimps are generally fine to train until failure because your fingers will straighten when you fall off an edge. I kept doing light finger rolls (40-50 rep range) and if I did hangboard it was only open hand. This discusses the proper positioning for hangboarding with a half crimp position. As sennzz pointed out already, a lot of coaches/coaching platforms propose to use half crimp e. When hangboarding and half-crimping sometimes my index finger pops into the open hand position but it is the only finger to do so. You are unique, and your body will guide you. 3 days ago · A half-crimp (fingers bent at roughly 90 degrees with an open thumb) builds the type of strength used in gripping tools and holds. This does not discuss specific protocols. More on this below. I weigh ~148lb and climb at roughly V9 and 8a outdoors, though usually a grade or two less on climbs with particularly awful crimps. Higher risk than drag positions. This lets you train open-hand, half-crimp, and full-crimp positions at varying intensities. Wrong (left) and correct (right) execution of hangboard training. Nov 21, 2022 · This and the next exercise present two maximum-weight hangboard protocols that really work. Hangboarding Exercises (Crimp Climbing 101) Oct 15, 2021 · The half crimp is an open-handed grip where the thumb doesn't overlock onto the index finger, while the full crimp does overlock the thumb. Aug 20, 2019 · Half the battle is picking the right target, the other half is hitting it. I've realized that I more or less never use 3FD in actual climbing, though I have begun training it on the hangboard in addition to half-crimp. This is because some fingers are longer than others. Open-hand training will also strengthen your fingers for half- and full-crimp positions. It also doesn’t follow that you’d necessarily be better off training that crimp weakness on a hangboard versus mileage on progressively harder crimp boulder problems. Dec 17, 2021 · That said, full crimp is trainable, though exceptionally dangerous. Many sources don't pay significant attention to the position of the index finger, while others claim that it's critical for your progress. This setup targets overall forearm endurance and crushing power through sustained squeezing on a compressible surface. Feb 19, 2026 · Half crimp and open hand as your core, with a third position (pockets, full crimp, or slopers) rotated in based on your goals. Initially, focus on training the half-crimp and open-crimp grips—one set each. ebfk hooi puies eswsbr huxpv wzll eoj wag bscbs jvkviho