Hand gripping?

What are the best exercises or training tools for increasing hand/finger/contact strength. I would assume hand grips (those things they sell at every sports store that you squueze together between thumb and fingers) but don't see them talked about much in climbing? What about the Metolius Rock Rings? Puddy? Anything convenient and effective?
Thanks

Don't bother with those generic grip trainers.

-climb more

Tendons take longer to strengthen than muscle does. So to avoid injury, take it easy for a couple years and just try to strengthen grip and technique through climbing.

Then you can:

-purchase and hang on a hangboard regularly (one with good slopers and pinches is best) Here are my personal favs; trango.com/p-232-rock-prodi… & summithut.com/products/iron…
-for ultimate finger contact strength, start campus boarding at your local gym: youtube.com/watch?v=wjf1a7c…
youtube.com/watch?v=L861czX…
-for additional sloper and pinch strength training, look into the Atomik bombs: atomikclimbingholds.com/bombs

I do pull ups, trx, and basic hangboard-esque exercises on the metolius rock rings at home then use several different hangboards, campus boards, and systems boards at the gyms I train in. That works well enough for me.

You can write whole books on the subject, and many people have. Some of my favorites are: The Self Coached Climber and Performance Rock Climbing. That being said, if you're new to climbing you'll see the quickest gains by just going climbing.

Jon Zucco wrote:Don't bother with those generic grip trainers. -climb more Tendons take longer to strengthen than muscle does. So to avoid injury, take it easy for a couple years and just try to strengthen grip and technique through climbing. Then you can: -purchase and hang on a hangboard regularly (one with good slopers and pinches is best) Here are my personal favs; trango.com/p-232-rock-prodi… & summithut.com/products/iron… -for ultimate finger contact strength, start campus boarding at your local gym: youtube.com/watch?v=wjf1a7c… -for additional sloper and pinch strength training, look into the Atomik bombs: atomikclimbingholds.com/bombs I do pull ups, trx, and basic hangboard-esque exercises on the metolius rock rings at home then use several different hangboards, campus boards, and systems boards at the gyms I train in. That works well enough for me.

Thanks to both for the info.

So you would recommend only climbing for a couple YEARS, then adding in the other stuff?

I just don't have access to a climbing gym that consistently this summer, and may do a few months backpacking, so was hoping to find a way to get stronger fingers/hands and forearms while not being able to climb.

Any recommendations given that I may only get to climb 4 or 5 times this summer?

I tried a metolius board at my gym the other day and my fingers definitely aren't strong enough for most of the holds yet. I was sick for 2 years, completely unable to work out and obviously very weak, but otherwise was a very fit, strong guy before getting sick.

Those Atomiks bombs look awesome, have you used the "pipe bombs"? Those look pretty great for hand strength

Thanks

a lil of the old one two if you know what

good pro wrote:a lil of the old one two if you know what

Are you talking about boxing? Kinda cryptic there

I don't do any special training for grip strength, but I do occasionally use those really stout rubber bands from broccoli bunches for opposition training. I put the band around the ends of my fingers and thumb and stretch it open and closed for several reps. I feel like I don't get pumped as easily as I used, but I can't say that it's a result of the broc band. Its a super cheap thing to try & you can take it anywhere, so why not.

If you have the money, I would recommend getting a hangboard. Spend three to four weeks hanging and pulling/lock off on the slopers (the harder and insecure the better). You can put a chair little bit past underneath the board so that you can only rest your toes on the edge of it while moving your hands around on the hangboard. Try and stay on as long as possible without grabbing the jugs on it. If you are careful and practice on it like this and dont full crimp on it (crimping with your thumb wrapped over the top) you should see huge improvement. Dont be disappointed though if you dont end up climbing harder. The only way to get better ate climbing outside is to climb outside. Practice gripping with a half and open hand grip.

I don't care what anyone says: If you're only going to climb 4-5 times for the ENTIRE SUMMER then you should just enjoy those outings and forget about making any physical gains. It's 99% likely that it will not be your finger strength that is holding you back this summer.

It sounds like you will be doing more hiking/backpacking that climbing. But I doubt you are looking into specialised training for those activities.

If you want to see a noticeale improvent in your climbing, go climbing 2-4 times a week (yes, for a few years) and then when you reach a plateau, you can look into hangnoards and other specialised excersise. If you're not into that, then just climb routes that are fun and enjoy the outdoors.

good advice from Ryan. hangboards are for climbers that have plateaued after years of training

For sure. Just climb for at least a couple years. You'll eventually max out on strength gains from just climbing. At that point, your tendons will have the base level of strength to support more rigorous training and you'll actually benefit from it.

So, if you are as new to climbing as your profile is to MP, then just climb for now. That's where your gains will come from (both in terms of strength and technique).