Hangboard

Intro Hangboard Session:

• Warm-up: 5-10 minutes of light exercises and stretches (e.g., finger stretches, arm circles).
  • You should be warming up before every climbing session!
  • You can always do this at the end of your climb session, too.
• Hangboard: 3 sets of 6 hangs (7-second hang, 3-second rest) on the biggest holds.
  • Maintain good technique throughout your hangs to prevent injury.
  • Avoid locking your elbows and keeping your shoulders relaxed.
  • Try to engage your scapular by pinching your shoulder blades together.
  • If you feel fatigued or your form is not optimal, adjust the workout by reducing the intensity, number of sets, or rest time.
• Rest: 3 minutes between each set.
• Cool-down: 5-10 minutes of light exercises and stretches.
  • Allow adequate rest between hangboard sessions to allow your body to recover and adapt.
  • Do not overtrain; as that leads to injury.

Why Hangboards Are Helpful for Climbers

⚠️ Important
Hangboards are not for total beginners—finger tendons take time to strengthen, and hangboarding too hard, too early can cause injury. The goal here is to introduce new climbers to hangboards without adding risk of injury or overtraining. Overtraining or skipping rest days can lead to chronic finger issues which we want to prevent – so you are welcome to adjust this training as needed – listen to your body!

1.  Finger Strength Development
   1. Climbing, especially on steep or small holds, is often limited by how strong your fingers and forearms are.
   2. Hangboards allow precise, progressive overload on finger tendons using different hold sizes (edges, slopers, pockets).
   3. Stronger fingers mean better grip on small or slippery holds—especially useful for sport climbing and bouldering.
2. Controlled, Targeted Training
   1. Unlike climbing walls, hangboards let you:
      1. Isolate specific grips (e.g., crimp, open-hand, pinch)
      2. Track progress easily (weight added, time held)
      3. Train even when short on time or unable to get to the gym
3. Injury Prevention (When Used Correctly)
   1. Progressive, consistent hangboard use helps strengthen connective tissue (like tendons and pulleys)
   2. This reduces the risk of common climbing injuries like A2 pulley strains—especially if you ramp up slowly & carefully.
   3. It’s important to not overtrain, especially for newer climbers, since fingers adapt more slowly than muscles.
4. Training Consistency
   1. You don’t need a full climbing gym to train—just a hangboard at home.
   2. It supports year-round strength maintenance, even if you’re off the wall due to travel, weather, or injury.
5. Customizable Difficulty
   1. You can adjust training intensity in a number of ways, but make sure you have a solid foundation here before ramping up.
6. Mental Training
   1. Hangboarding is repetitive and often uncomfortable, which helps develop mental grit, focus, and body awareness—useful for redpointing and projecting.

In Short:
Hangboards help climbers build serious finger strength, prevent injuries, and train consistently. They’re a foundational tool for anyone looking to climb harder, especially when combined with thoughtful programming and recovery.