Pull-ups on hangboard as a way to measure progress on hangs.

All the recommendations I've seen seem to indicate that there's no benefit to doing pull-ups on a hangboard. However, I've recently discovered that I can use pull-ups as a way to time myself on small holds. Rather than fiddling with setting up a timer and hanging my phone in a spot where I can see it while I'm hangboarding (which can be a pain at the gym) I just get on the hold I want to hang on and do a certain number of pull-ups. Instead of hanging for more timed hangs on a hold, I hang for more sets of pull-ups on a hold.

Are there any downsides to this strategy?

One issue is you change the angle you're applying force at as you go through the pull-up. Not a big deal for easy holds but if you're training max weight or minimum edge it's a problem. Last thing I want is to pop off small holds on a hangboard. I feel like if you're falling off while moving that's a good way to get hurt while training.

Possible solution, use Bluetooth headphones and an app that has audible cues.

Edit, they don't have to be Bluetooth I just don't like cables.

Second for audible cues

I've been using audible cues for years while hangboarding-- a playlist of songs that are all exactly 120 bpm, which allows me to just count off the seconds to the beat through the whole thing.  Works pretty well if you've got a few musical bones in your body. It's on Spotify as "Hangboard Workout Songs" if anyone wants to use it.

I've never been a fan of doing pullups on the hangboard.  I'd rather campus, or do weighted pullups on a bar.

Hangboarding is for finger strength. Adding in pull ups just turns it into a "workout" rather than strength training. I will incorporate pushups and pullups into my hang sessions if I want to make better use of time. Hang for 7 sec drop do a push up, pull up, lock off 90 deg. hang, repeat 10x.

As others have suggested, audible cues +1.

Do You have someone to work out with? My wife runs the time clock and yells motivating comments during hangboard workouts. (Ex. “I didn’t marry a man with bitch fingers”)
There are also some apps out there for workouts where you can set a series of timers and alarms to go off as you doing your work out. You could set them for hangs, rests, rests between sets etc....

boulder trainer app on ios. 

That’s a great wife you have there. Mine admires my workout for about 10 seconds and then leaves when she smells me!

Trango/RCTM made an okay app call "Rock Prodigy Timer". It has a customized timer that has audible cues. It does cost a couple bucks. Maybe there is a free audible timer app out there.

Here is what the customized timer looks like:

And for reasons already stated, I do not think doing pull ups while hangboarding is a great solution. Also kind of hard on the shoulders. Train pull ups separately on rings and just hang on the hangboard.

David Kerkeslager wrote:
Are there any downsides to this strategy?

Lots of elbow stress for no reason. 

I have used small-amplitude swings of my body to time my hangs.
By small amplitude, I mean just a few inches at my feet, so the angle of my center of mass varies by a few degrees at most.

David Kerkeslager wrote: All the recommendations I've seen seem to indicate that there's no benefit to doing pull-ups on a hangboard. However, I've recently discovered that I can use pull-ups as a way to time myself on small holds. Rather than fiddling with setting up a timer and hanging my phone in a spot where I can see it while I'm hangboarding (which can be a pain at the gym) I just get on the hold I want to hang on and do a certain number of pull-ups. Instead of hanging for more timed hangs on a hold, I hang for more sets of pull-ups on a hold.

Are there any downsides to this strategy?

It's been stated already, but doing pull ups with your hangs changes the nature of the exercise.

I've been using Tabata Timer to set work:rest cycles and using earphones so that I can hear the audio cues. In the past I've gone to far as to run cord/slings/whatever through an eyelet or around a beam and hang a watch from it to time my hangs. But I'm not especially focused and would lose count of my reps or sets, hence the move to Tabata Timer.

If you can do multiple pull-ups on the hold, the hold is useless as a hangboard hold for you, except for a warmup.

I highly recommend the Complex Timer app.  ( play.google.com/store/apps/…;hl=en)

I have 20 or so different timers for hangboarding, core sessions, or other interval type things. It isn't climbing specific but the way you layer the functions is really easy to edit and use.

And best of all it is FREE

The Crimp'd app is a pretty sweet all encompassing dealio

Mike wrote: One issue is you change the angle you're applying force at as you go through the pull-up. Not a big deal for easy holds but if you're training max weight or minimum edge it's a problem. Last thing I want is to pop off small holds on a hangboard.

Okay, but why is that a problem? In real climbing situations, you're changing the angle you're pulling at, right?

I feel like if you're falling off while moving that's a good way to get hurt while training.

Yeah, this seems like the most persuasive argument against it to me.

Lena chita wrote: If you can do multiple pull-ups on the hold, the hold is useless as a hangboard hold for you, except for a warmup.

I get that doing the pull-ups reduces the difficulty of holds you can hold, but why does that make it useless?

David Kerkeslager wrote: Okay, but why is that a problem? In real climbing situations, you're changing the angle you're pulling at, right?

Yeah, this seems like the most persuasive argument against it to me.

Because you're trying to increase finger strength by applying loads you can not during the act of "just climbing". The point is not at all to replicate climbing, if that's your goal you're much better off working hard boulders on a moon/tension/kilter board style set up. I would actually argue that people climbing moderate to intermediate grades (12+ and below) are much better off making steep board climbing a higher focus of their finger strength program vs. using a hang board more frequently. 

You can integrate different joint angles on the elbow in hangs, at a very high level this seems to be an effective way to break a plateau, look up Christopher Webb Parsons. Note I said very advanced, unless you've got a stack of V double digit boulders under your belt you're not at a high level. 

On the app note, I use seconds pro for a variety of timed things. It has three audible beeps prior to your rep counting down from 3 seconds so it's good for establishing yourself on the holds properly. 

I tried doing pull -ups on a hangboard for a bit, but found that my shoulders were better maintained by using rings for weighted pull-ups and using the hangboard with a static position.
On the small edges, just hanging on is hard enough without trying to do a pullup. ..... YMMV.
I also think there is nothing wrong with self experimentation and figuring out what works best for you.  Give it go and see what happens. 

+1 Crimpd App.

Zlag board vario. 

David Kerkeslager wrote:

I get that doing the pull-ups reduces the difficulty of holds you can hold, but why does that make it useless?

Because as part of min edge theroy it should be too hard for you to hold onto said hold