Well, i started climbing about 8 months ago and have been having alot of troube building up finger strenghth by just climbing. I know this is a noob question but are there any workouts that can strenghten my fingers and forarms so that i can climb longer.

www.gripboard.com

join and read around. you'll find all the info you'll ever need.

I found finger curls to be very effective.

Grip a straight bar as if your were going to do bicep curls. But then just do wrist and finger curls. It's a massive pump out of the forearm.

Then flip your hands around so the palms are facing inwards, and do wrist extension exercises. This exercises the opposing muscles for balance.

Climb more, rest more.

Boulder outside on thin holds and not just overhanging stuff. Someplace like Stoney Point with lots of crimps will make your hands stronger than anything else. Work on hand matches where you work some fingers of one hand off the hold while fingers on the other hand take their place. Vertical or just under is best for this kind of training.

Get one of those rubber rings and discipline yourself enough to use them regularly. They are quite effective.

Here's a variation on finger curls: dangle a weight from a straight bar using webbing or cord. Tie it off tight or hitch it, so that when you "roll" the bar along its axis, you're coiling the cord, lifting the weight. Do this while holding the bar in front of you in a curl position, using small movements of the fingers to rotate the bar. Lower by same method, and repeat with opposite direction of motion. Then flip your hands over (palm up vs palm down) and repeat again.

Wollv wrote:and have been having alot of troube building up finger strenghth by just climbing.

You're doing something wrong if you're climbing but not building any finger strength. It's like saying 'I want to get in shape for running and can't seem to do it by running alone.' I think your problem is that you'd like to progress faster than you actually are.

Rubber donuts and weights aren't going to do that much. They're OK as a supplement, but consider that most really good climbers never bother with them, other than with weights to work their antagonist muscles to prevent injury. The best advice here is from Short Timer: to boulder outside, or from the other person who wrote, climb more, rest more. Climbing outside is the best way to build pure finger strength, apart from a hang board. You'll build endurance in a gym but your finger strength will likely suck. Use a hangboard as a beginner and you're likely to get injured.

Plus, climbing is a function of far more than finger strength. You need to work on your footwork and your lock off strength. Building technique as a new climber is FAR more important than strength. I've seen a ton of strong climbers who suck but lots of not so strong ones who are good on the rock. I saw many examples of that maxim just yesterday at Stoney Point.

Climbing will help, but you should climb around three times a week. The most important thing you can do is learn all the movements required from climbing.

There are lots of tips on this website http://www.mountain-trips.co.uk/training.html

Have fun

Loz

Im not sure if you go to the gym or not but a few weeks ago I started putting kettlebells on a pull-up bar and have been doing pullups while hanging onto the bottom of the kettle bells... Its killer! Also towle pullups are great....

Wollv wrote:Well, i started climbing about 8 months ago and have been having alot of troube building up finger strenghth by just climbing. I know this is a noob question but are there any workouts that can strenghten my fingers and forarms so that i can climb longer.

I was going to say it, but I'm not going to say it....

fatdad summerized it pretty well.

Give yourself time. Allow your body to adjust to the added stress load. The last thing you want is to go from injury to injury. Nothing will slow your development down (and be more frustrating) as having to deal with finger injuries.

Sierra Ledge Rats (both flexion and extension) also are good.

Remember to build strength, you need to stress the region adequately and then rest it adequately. Not enough stress and you won't develop strength. Not enough rest and you will either get injuried or you will not develop any strength or become chronically fatigued.

Sierra Ledge Rat wrote:I found finger curls to be very effective.

Grip a straight bar as if your were going to do bicep curls. But then just do wrist and finger curls. It's a massive pump out of the forearm.

Then flip your hands around so the palms are facing inwards, and do wrist extension exercises. This exercises the opposing muscles for balance.

I have a thin 30 lb Free Weight like the one below that I do five sets of 30, Finger Rolls on, every other night, while setting at the computer or watching the tube. I also use a 45 lb Barbell Plate (five sets of 20) that I do the same except I stand and maintain the weight at my side, utilizing the lip. Been doing that for over ten years now and seems to really strengthen and maintain my finger strength and endurance.
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I also utilize a 10 lb plate, pinch it vertically between my thumb and four fingers, and do horizontal/side to side laps. Do 5 sets of 25. Then hold it horizontally and do the same except in a vertical motion. Great forearm workout.


The key to all of these exercises, gotta do them slow and continuous.

I wasn't going to say it previously but one of the things that you should do is get an unadulterated opinion from a highly experienced climbers where your areas of weaknesses are. Too many climbers focus on only one aspect, which is the easiest to define; which would be strength..... "if only I was stronger I could do this route".......Climbers of all levels fall for this trap but especially beginners. While finger strength is important, I find it really only comes into play on extremely hard routes. I am climbing on low to mid-5.13 cracks on a very frequent basis, and I RARELY find finger strength to be a huge factor.

Strength (and finger strength) is only one aspect of a triad of strength, technique and mental outlook. I have climbed with individuals who weren't that strong but were very strong on the other two aspects and would climb mid-5.12 (trad) and significantly harder.... this individual being one of them...



Likewise, I am a whole lot stronger (and my partners say I have better technique) then Kyle (below) but if he gets his fingers on something he just won't let go since his mental aspect is like a bulldog.



Being honest with yourself about strengths and weaknesses will allow you to maximize your potential.