How quickly should I expect to progress on a hangboard?

reboot wrote:I can't do that on holds anywhere close to what I can dead hang off of, so I think there isn't too much worry w/ overload. Regardless, as I boulder more (& watching/analyzing many top boulderers either in-person or during competition), I'm finding that so called "finger power" isn't just contact strength. Well, it's one of 2 components. While having good contact strength means you can latch a hold even if you are a bit out of control, the flip side of it is with good movement quality, you can reach a hold w/ minimum residual momentum. The latter requires, along w/ timing, core strength & many other things, "finger power" for controlling your movement. Campusing trains both types of "finger power" (albeit with a very restricted movement pattern), but dead hang on the fingerboard seem to over-emphasize one type.

definitely agree with the multiple aspects of the finger power/strength. i can generally latch pretty well, but have a hard time moving (particularly massive side to side foot switching) and setting up/executing the next hand movement.

so many things to work on, so little time!

frankstoneline wrote: This seems to achieve/target the same approach as the finger curl workout outlined here: stevemaischtraining.com/cli… but probably is easier to cheat. I've been playing around with the pinch and crimp workouts on blocks a bit and find them pretty useful

the finger block curls look interesting, but it would take a lot of discipline not to cheat. definitely looks a lot better than the usual finger curls as the blocks are more secure and won't roll off your fingers.

slim wrote: the finger block curls look interesting, but it would take a lot of discipline not to cheat. definitely looks a lot better than the usual finger curls as the blocks are more secure and won't roll off your fingers.

I've been playing around with them, it's pretty apparent when you are engaging the fingers appropriately and when you are cheating. Same blog has some other cool block ideas for static lifts (pockets drilled in blocks etc.) that I'm interested in trying. the blocks are also nice because they take up essentially no space outside of the plates I already have for weighted hangs and such.

Like others have suggested, if you are only a year into climbing, you'll find that a focus on technique will yield much better results. We often think, especially early on, that our inabilities to make it up a route are due to physical weakness. My first real breakthrough came after I returned from an injury and spent probably a month just focusing on footwork and movement efficiency on easy terrain. No amount of HB workouts will get you up a route if you don't know how to use your body on the rock. That being said, I don't think HB workouts are misguided for you, but plan for adequate rest and don't neglect the technique aspect!

Hi all, new climber here (coming up on about a year). I have a hangboard and I've started getting serious on it, following some of the training principles outlined here. .... or am I doing something wrong?

Yes. By climbing 2-3 times and fingerboarding 2 days you are ending up with 2-3 days of rest a week. The recommended rest period after fingerboarding is 24-48 hours for a VERY GOOD REASON. You get stronger in the rest period after a workout. Not during the workout. You are doing TOO much.

You say you come from a weight lifting background. How often would you lift legs 5 times in a week? That is in essence what you are doing. There's a time for volume and a time for intensity, and very rarely is it the right time for both.

Thanks again for all the advice, guys. I've toned it down to one solid day of hangboarding per week, with a rest day after and usually before. I also dropped the effective weight by increasing the weight I take off so that I can hopefully progress more without stalling. Three weeks in and I'm feeling great so far.

An update:

I've finished my first hangboard cycle, once a week for six weeks as per the volume recommended in this thread. I had my final session last night, which was intense but successful on every target hold.

On average, I was able to reduce 5 kg of assistance from each hang. I prioritized M2 pockets as my first hang, and in this hang I was able to go from removing 20 kg to removing 12.5. Testing afterwards, I can hang without too much trouble at bodyweight for around ten seconds. My body weight has stayed the same during this cycle, which- while not exactly good- does remove another variable factor.

I did feel that my applied finger strength has increased- a few specific holds that gave me trouble in the gym are noticeably easier now.

When I do my next cycle, I think I'll try going to 8 second hangs, still with 5 second rests. I also might reduce the size of a few of the holds- I didn't change the holds I was using during the cycle, and I think I'd like to keep it that way.

Finally, my fingers feel fine, even the morning after my most intense session yet. I'm glad people warned me to back off on the volume.

Thanks everyone for the help and encouragement!

@frankstoneonline you can lose and gain up to 10lbs in water weight overnight. I wouldn't stress about adding 1 lb of difference. As for strength gains, isomeTric contractions are The way to go. For pure hypertrophy that combines a little local muscular endurance, use a forearm roll bar. (Dowel rod with string attached to weight) you can also use flexion against resistance and other methods. Chances are, when you feel pumped, you'll be building muscle. I never really understood the whole overtraining crowd in terms of progress. I squat every day, bench every other day. Hangboard every other day when not climbing. I feel awesome. When I take a small break and eat well, my numbers skyrocket. There isn't much use in waiting to fully recover between workouts, because you don't really make progress. Soreness is not a reliable measure of overtraining and overreaching symptoms. What IS a reliable measure is elevated morning pulse, sluggishness, and getting weaker. So far, I blatantly deny any health textbook or fitness guru recommendations and I rarely lose progress or have any issues. Tendons and pulleys are something that takes years to develop so you don't want to full crimp with weight every day, but all open hand hangboarding every other day is not gonna kill you.

Sloper and vertical pinch training provides minimal tendon strain and Max muscle recruitment. Any strength that involves thumb grip is neglected in terms of overall forearm strength, and make sure to work forearm extensors too. Sorry if I sound like a dick haha ;)

As mentioned previously, using a systematic approach to hangboarding where you are consistent with the amount of weight added/subtracted, reps/sets, grips, etc, makes hangboarding a safe way to increase strength of ligaments, tendons and muscles. There is nothing wrong with 3-4 times a week with a days rest in between as long as your workouts are not producing pain. This would suggest you have improper form or are too aggressively training. An important concept to keep in mind is the time frame for strength increases in different tissues. You will typically notice strength gains in muscles in 2-3 weeks due to neuromuscular changes (muscles getting smarter) and actual hypertrophy of muscles (muscles getting bigger) in 4-8 weeks. Tendons and ligaments on the other hand take 10+ weeks to increase tensile strength. This explains why climbers injure ligaments and tendons. The muscles strength gains allow them to physically perform harder moves/hangboard workouts, but the ligaments and tendons have not matched the muscles in strength, thus leaving them suspect to injury. The take home message is not to progress too quickly, and be very consistent with your workout!

Tony it is also very good to remember that you are trying to strengthening "virgin" untested and untrained muscles and tendons for your grip, no? If you are a new climber it is as if you are going into serious free weight training without having ever exerted your muscles. I am trying to say that the normal persons finger strength is non-existent in comparison to my favorite Anderson brothers goals.

It will take time and persistence, and not overworking. You will do it, yes!

Real, lasting progress takes the better part of a year at least. Finger strength is a lifelong endeavor for the non-gifted.

Agreed. I usually set aside a whole winter to hangboard while im not climbing with tools and I notice that I am way better out of the gate than my other buddies who have been smoking dope and eating doritos. Developing neuromuscular patterns can vary depending on the activity and skill level, which is why it can be important to spend some time with bouldering movement pathways and stuff every once in a while so you're not mr. iron grip but have no balance.
For me, cardio was something that limited my climbing on long routes and once i started running and stuff i noticed immediately. you might find something that holds you back and the offseason is perfect for working on that!!

youtu.be/gwY4IPfrIW8

Just write Dow in good details all of your workouts and try to see progress over 4 months time. Tendons grow strong more slowly than muscles and you could tear one if you push it too hard too soon

FWIW, my neighbor trains hangboard regularly and swears it will put me a couple of grades higher if I do it consistently. He's has been climbing over 20 years and has built a lot of knowledge regarding training.

I'm pretty intrigued by it as I think it could end a multi-year plateau, although I'm not sure how much I can gain and remain injury free at 51-I'm way more cautious now regarding injury. About two years ago I started taping my fingers and always do it now.

I'd say it took two years for my finger tendons really get stronger, that point where you go for a hold that you once peeled off of only to find yourself sticking to it. I distinctly remember going, "wow, that's new...."

One oddity is that my index and middle finger knuckles have gotten significantly thicker over the years. Initially I thought it was arthritis, but apparently not as the bone adapts by thickening and strengthening somewhat.

All I have to say is this (coming from my own view) and limited training:
TUT is important.
Depending on load on fingers, the energy system trained is different. Know what 1 rm feels like, work from there.
The same principles apply to fingers (relative overload vs absolute) in breaking plateaus, treating injuries.
There seems to be several camps in how to train (linear progression, conjugate, etc...)
Pick one and try it. If you aren't seeing results try something else or periodically cycle between them
Ie) you can climb and do hangboarding, even on the same day, just pick a priority for the period and plan that to be done after the warmup irregardless of how much you hate it..
You don't get to climb 5.15 overnight. Especially if you aren't 16 and jacked on endogenous growth hormone. This takes tiiiiiiiiiiimmmmmmmmmeeeee.
Welcome to measuring your life in seconds :)