Mountain Project Logo

Training boards?

Original Post
jamesldavis1 · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jun 2014 · Points: 0

Hey,

I'm pretty much a newbie to climbing and have been recovering from a long illness, so my strength is mediocre, and I'm looking at buying a Metolius climbing board. Does anyone have any suggestions? Some people say just climb, but I can only climb once or twice a week max, and would like to have something at home to get strong on. I am looking at the Simulator 3d and Contact boards. What's upsides, downs to each.

Thanks

Tony Monbetsu · · Minneapolis, MN · Joined Jan 2014 · Points: 616

I have a Contact and I love it- if you're going to get a Metolius I'd say go for it. If you aren't set on a Metolius board, the Trango Rock Prodigy two-piece board looks really cool. I got my Contact just before they came out, and I kind of wish I had waited.

Superclimber · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Mar 2009 · Points: 1,310

Based on my own experiences and opinion I'll offer the following. First, "just climb" is probably sound advice for most of us. Especially if we are talking about climbing at the sub-elite grades. However, a bit of general fitness that includes antagonist muscles and maybe some cardio may help. For example, push ups, pull ups and cardio of choice once or twice a week in addition to your climbing once or twice a week is probably sufficient. Just make sure you leave enough time to recover between climbs and workouts. Also, be aware of the risk for overuse injuries. Especially if you decide to train on a board. Watch out for the dreaded Tennis Elbow and/or Golfer's Elbow. They start with a stubborn pain around your inner or outer elbows respectively. If you are affected by either of these issues and you ignore it, it is a long long long miserable and frustrating recovery. It never really seems to go away completely.

Tony Monbetsu · · Minneapolis, MN · Joined Jan 2014 · Points: 616

Agree on all accounts- I make sure to only train in my board on alternating days, and don't do any pulling on it, only hangs. As for just climbing, I live two hours away from anything. I have a Woodie, but the board helps combine with that to really target specific gross I want to improve.

jamesldavis1 · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jun 2014 · Points: 0

So I just decided to get the Metolius Simulator 3d. The Contact seemed too advanced for me and a bit more expensive anyhow. I am looking forward to starting to use it once I get this damn thing on the wall. I'll just follow Metolius' recommendations for training.

Anson Call 1 · · Provo, Utah · Joined May 2014 · Points: 5

I also have a 3D and I really like it. I also downloaded an interval timer app on my smartphone, and that seemed to make a huge difference. It really discourages cheating on your timed dead hangs. I set mine to 10 or 12 second hangs, with 10 second rest in between. It gets the pump going really quick.

Mike Gilbert · · Bend, OR · Joined Jul 2013 · Points: 21

In the spirit of this thread, I am looking to get a training board soon but am trying to pick it up on the cheap. Any ideas if I am not at all picky about the specific board? I just want something I can work on for twenty minutes or when I don't have time for the gym or crag.

jamesldavis1 · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jun 2014 · Points: 0
Tony Monbetsu wrote:Agree on all accounts- I make sure to only train in my board on alternating days, and don't do any pulling on it, only hangs. As for just climbing, I live two hours away from anything. I have a Woodie, but the board helps combine with that to really target specific gross I want to improve.
Really? Don't do any pulling on the board? I thought you were supposed to do plenty of pulling?
Tony Monbetsu · · Minneapolis, MN · Joined Jan 2014 · Points: 616
jamesldavis1 wrote: Really? Don't do any pulling on the board? I thought you were supposed to do plenty of pulling?
There's a lot of different ways to train on them, but my staple exercise is sets of dead hang repeaters- eight seconds on, three seconds off, usually five sets. If a given hold I want to to target is too easy, I add weight.

Doing this, I feel, helps me avoid injury and overuse issues. Static hangs don't involve any sudden loading or stressing of the finger joints. I know a lot of people do pull on their boards, but I've read advice against it and the reasonings made sense to me.

Whatever you do, listen to your body. I'm a beginner, but so far I've been able to see measurable gains in strength with no pain or injury.
jonathan.lipkin · · Brooklyn, NY · Joined Dec 2012 · Points: 70
Michael G. wrote:In the spirit of this thread, I am looking to get a training board soon but am trying to pick it up on the cheap. Any ideas if I am not at all picky about the specific board? I just want something I can work on for twenty minutes or when I don't have time for the gym or crag.
Micheal -

My first hangboard was a 2x4 mounted short side to the wall, with another 2x4 below it long side to the wall for support (ie an L-shaped cross section).

You can vary the 'depth' of the hold by either just placing your hands to hold with one two or three joints, or by putting spacers on top of the 2x4.
jamesldavis1 · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jun 2014 · Points: 0
Tony Monbetsu wrote: There's a lot of different ways to train on them, but my staple exercise is sets of dead hang repeaters- eight seconds on, three seconds off, usually five sets. If a given hold I want to to target is too easy, I add weight. Doing this, I feel, helps me avoid injury and overuse issues. Static hangs don't involve any sudden loading or stressing of the finger joints. I know a lot of people do pull on their boards, but I've read advice against it and the reasonings made sense to me. Whatever you do, listen to your body. I'm a beginner, but so far I've been able to see measurable gains in strength with no pain or injury.
Did you just mount yours to a doorway?

What do people think about Metolius rings vs the training boards? I might be moving and dont want to be hampered with setting up a board every time I do.
jonathan.lipkin · · Brooklyn, NY · Joined Dec 2012 · Points: 70
jamesldavis1 wrote: Did you just mount yours to a doorway? What do people think about Metolius rings vs the training boards? I might be moving and dont want to be hampered with setting up a board every time I do.
I used the G-string from Sicgrips ( sicgrips.com) last summer and it was pretty good. It's a bit of a pain to switch grips, as you have to fiddle with the cord, but I have three minutes rest between sets.

Very easy to hang, you just need to find something to attach them to. I found a joist in the ceiling and screwed in eye bolts. I just measured in multiples 16" from the wall, and probed with a nail til I found it. You might have to patch some holes in the ceiling if you do this.
jamesldavis1 · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jun 2014 · Points: 0
jonathan.lipkin wrote: I used the G-string from Sicgrips ( sicgrips.com) last summer and it was pretty good. It's a bit of a pain to switch grips, as you have to fiddle with the cord, but I have three minutes rest between sets. Very easy to hang, you just need to find something to attach them to. I found a joist in the ceiling and screwed in eye bolts. I just measured in multiples 16" from the wall, and probed with a nail til I found it. You might have to patch some holes in the ceiling if you do this.
Cool, they didn't flop around a lot like the rock rings do? Stayed in position?

I would be just hanging them from a a pullup bar, would that work?
jonathan.lipkin · · Brooklyn, NY · Joined Dec 2012 · Points: 70
jamesldavis1 wrote: Cool, they didn't flop around a lot like the rock rings do? Stayed in position? I would be just hanging them from a a pullup bar, would that work?
I found it pretty easy to keep my hands facing forward. yes, pullup bar would be a great way to mount them.
Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Climbing Gear Discussion
Post a Reply to "Training boards?"

Log In to Reply

Join the Community

Create your FREE account today!
Already have an account? Login to close this notice.

Get Started.