There is no secret that strong fingers are crucial to climbing strenuous boulders and routes. In addition, research shows that old and experienced climbing fingerboards are highly efficient tools to produce finger strength attains. As with any training, there are inefficient and efficient ways of using a fingerboard. However, using a good fingerboard and professional fingerboard trucks strengthens your training protocol. Also, fingerboard trucks can make significant strength gains in your finger.
On the other hand, premature or wrong use of fingerboards can be unproductive and result in pain and injury. To do fingerboarding correctly, read the following article that outlines evidence-based four fingerboard training protocols works.
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What is Meant by Fingerboard Strength Training Protocol?
While it may be tempting for many people to get going with fingerboard and fingerboard deck at once, beginners are in a favorable situation just waiting and climbing as it produces sufficient stress on your tendons, resulting in finger strength gains. However, for moderate and experienced climbers, the fingerboard is the best way to safely and progressively increase the training’s potency so that strength gains are constantly achieved. Here are four fingerboard strength training protocols.
⦁ Minimum Edge Protocol
⦁ Maximum Weight 10-Second Protocol
⦁ Maximum Weight 7-53 Protocol
⦁ Strength-Endurance Protocol
These protocols have independent merits, and this article outlines their exact benefits and how you can perform them accurately.
Four Fingerboard Training Protocols that Actually Work
Learn four crucial fingerboard training protocols to enhance your climbing endurance and strength. Talking about physical attributes, enhancing comparative peak finger force is midway to taking your training to the higher level – think about the finger force you may apply to the rock hold according to the body mass your fingers should support. Enhancing your finger’s strength-to-weight ratio is viable by decreasing the denominator and increasing the numerator.
Minimum Edge Protocol
As per research (Research on Grip Strength and Hangboard Training Protocols – Training For Climbing – by Eric Hörst), this low-volume training protocol is what is suggested as an entrance-level fingerboarding training program. Some multi-week cycles will notably increase the finger’s strength for intermediate players and act as preliminaries for involvement in the weighted fingerboarding hang. You will require a fingerboard with durable and pro fingerboard trucks and different-sized pockets and edges.
Then, you will also need to recognize the features to which you can hang on for 15 seconds or so. Real training must reduce scant seconds before the grip fails, so each hand should last for 12 seconds in duration. This hanging training protocol will make a bit or no muscle pumps as it marks the anaerobic lactic energy system. It further helps you to improve your fingerboarding skills and techniques.
Maximum Weight 10-Second Protocol
The dedicated minimum-edge fingerboard training period will finally lead you to a point where you must train on tiny but painful edges and keep up with the protocol explained above. Next, follow the maximum weight protocol (involving larger and more comfortable holds). But with some extra weight to create abundantly high strength for maximum-strength transformations.
The perfect size edge for maximum weight fingerboard hangs remains between 14 and 20 millimeters (5/8 to 7/8 inches) or is less than a finger-pad depth. This average size reduces skin pain, minimizes distal finger joint strain, and has been proven effective in developing maximum strength that carries over to dissimilar-sized edges.
Maximum Weight 7-53 Protocol
This is a bit of a more advanced maximum-weight training protocol that has been created to train maximum strength protocol and foster even more aerobic power. Thus, it can be done by stressing your muscles to elevate the rate of CP (Creative Phosphate) resynthesis during the 53-second-long rest between two maximal hangs. In addition, it is a time-efficient protocol as well if you are performing multiple sets. Finally, this is a favorite fingerboard training protocol for many players as you also learn to apply proper force on the pro fingerboard deck!
Repeaters Strength-Endurance Protocol
Repeaters are the most popular and original fingerboard training methods as they carefully mimic the grip-relax while repeating the climbing sequence. Regrettably, maximum repeater sequence protocols in the public domain are done at high volume and body weight. Thus, Repeaters Strength-Endurance Training Protocol is a lot more than strength.
Popularized by the Anderson brothers in their Rock Climber’s Training Manual, following repeater protocol employs some extra weight and limits every set to nearly 1 minute. That’s why Repeaters Strength-Endurance Training Protocol is a bridge between endurance training and maximum strength training.
Wrapping Up
While not suitable for a novice climber, regular hang board training is pretty useful to increase finger strength and also improve performance among advanced and intermediate climbers. Additionally, popular training protocols and less than maximal weight will yield notable qualitative and quantitative gains. Also, it may be greatest for training strength-endurance.
