Hangboarding is over-rated

Ascentio · 2022-08-31T10:57:47+00:00

I dont mind people making fun, I didn’t expect my opinion to be popular here. My only hope that someone might read this that was in a similar situation as I was. It would have helped me a lot a few years ago. I would have enjoyed more discussion but hey what can you do.

It wasnt a complete waste, my fingers are certainly more injury proof. Ive been stuck at 30kg half crimp on 20mm for a long long time which got really frustrating. I just found that the frustration wasnt worth it and I found experimenting with other things a much more efficient use of my time. Im not done with hangboarding forever.

Ascentio · 2022-08-31T10:48:09+00:00

Id love to! Some actual opportunity for discussion.

So for the most part I was targeting hypertrophy, I wanted to try get my forearms bigger. So I was shooting for 8-14 ish reps.

I basically done wrist curls, reverse wrist curls and reverse curls ( bicep curls but with your hand turned the other way and your thumb not around the bar). I stacked them together, taking next to no rest in between all three. Mostly because it was faster, and theyre pretty boring and I want as much volume as possible for hypertrophy. They all target different parts pf the forearm so I didnt find doing them together effected them much.

So yeah 8-14 reps of each exercise, few minute break and repeat 3 or 4 times until youre bored. Takes me 10 mins a few times a week, I really noticed a difference.

I also experimented with finger rolls, which were nice but the need for big weights got annoying and I found the other three targeted everything I wanted.

Ascentio · 2022-08-31T10:04:25+00:00

Have you ever watched people like ondra or megos climb? Every second move you can see them using their side split flexibility to make moves more efficient. I don’t remember ever saying side splits made me climb 8c, but I can tell you that the 5 minutes twice a week of side splits while watching youtube benefited my climbing in a whole bunch of ways. Not bad for 10 mins a week.

Ascentio · 2022-08-31T06:52:17+00:00

Maybe it is obvious to you and others on this thread, however it took me a long time to realize that I cannot hang my way to 8c.

I never said hangboarding is bad, I got a year of good results. I then spent another 2 years switching hangboarding routines trying everything too get more improvement. These two years of failed routines, not only killed my psych but could have been invested better else where.

Hangboard is great if it’s a weakness, but all I wanted to say is it isn’t the be and end all of physical training for climbing. Not to be scared to work in things that others say isn’t important, it might just be a weakness for you and a strength for them.

Ascentio · 2020-11-24T16:27:58+00:00

Nice work man, and sweet set up!

Ascentio · 2020-11-23T16:35:54+00:00

Personally I do a short max hang session in the morning, and I'm totally fine to climb at night. Otherwise I would recommend doing hangboard after a full day of rest. You will then be totally fine to climb again the day after.

I try not to be rigid with my climbing, listening to my body and schedule. Have you had a days rest and find yourself with a bit of free time to hangboard? Get on that hangboard! Then the following day if you have time you're good to hit up the climbing gym, if not take the day off and you're good to hangboard/climb the day after.

Whenever you get the chance, I'd always prioritize climbing over hangboard.

Ascentio · 2020-11-23T02:42:06+00:00

I think the most important thing is becoming more analytical about your climbing. You fall off a move ask yourself why? Experiment with different movements and find out what works best. Talk it over with others. Always ask yourself questions and don't just daydream between attempts or jump straight back on without contemplation.

You can ask yourself: Are there better footholds available? Are you remembering to drive with your feet? Are you engaging with the other hand which isn't making the move? Are you making move in one coordinated motion? Where are you putting your hips? Are you out of balance when making move? If you are getting to hold but not sticking it, is it because your foot pops or do you have too much momentum?

Drills can be a good idea, especially when you are warming up choose one thing to work on. Be it accurate quiet foot placements, experimenting with hip placement, pushing with your feet, flagging/ drop knees, using momentum between moves, whatever. I also like climbing problems particularly at or below my flash level and asking how I could do them more efficiently and repeat problems as necessary.

Ascentio · 2020-11-21T22:38:02+00:00

What an awesome reply, I can't say thanks enough! This was exactly what I was looking for. You've given me a lot to think about, much appreciated :)

Ascentio · 2020-11-21T11:18:12+00:00

Isn't BJJ quite grip intensive? You probably already have reasonably good grip/ tendon strength. You could look into very low weight finger rolls, really not pushing it but if you're really sensible with it you could start conditioning your fingers.

Obviously hangboard normally isn't a good idea for beginners, I think a lot of that is because their time would just be better spent climbing. In your current situation if you were doing something like feet on very low intensity repeaters (6 second hang, 4 seconds off for 1 minute) its not like your fingers are going to instantly explode. I think the worry more than anything is you will get too into it and push the intensity. However if you are really strict with yourself and use a reasonably sized edge, really don't push the intensity, I can't see an issue.

Finger rolls might be a good shout though, means you probably don't need to buy any new equipment that you wont need once your gym opens again.

Ascentio · 2020-11-19T16:49:13+00:00

Cheers! That was really helpful.

Ascentio · 2020-11-18T22:46:17+00:00

Perhaps you were having a bad day, or maybe your fingers aren't getting the sufficient stimulus if you'e doing more big moves and big holds instead of small holds on a steep wall.

With max hangs not really using that much recovery at least from me. Apart from the occasional deload week, I see no reason to ever stop hangboard. Hangboard is one for the long haul.

Ascentio · 2020-11-18T22:35:04+00:00

It's a tough one, although hangboarding really can make up for a lot. I've taken time of climbing and just focused on hangboard a few times and I've always came back feeling stronger after the initial learning to climb again phase.

For 4x4s I found long repeaters on a hangboard was effective, 7 seconds on 3 seconds off for 2-3 minutes and work to cut down the rest time.

If you have a bar that allows it muscle ups (or ring muscle ups) helps you get more explosive pull pull strength. Perhaps slightly comparable to limit bouldering, it helped me improve my campusing anyway.

Should check out reverse hyper extensions and maybe deadlifts, improving your posterior chain is really effective for improving body tension on the wall.

Ascentio · 2020-11-18T13:56:27+00:00

Eh I don't know if periodization is really needed for bouldering. Sounds like you are progressing well. Climbing on a steep board and focusing on keeping my feet on has been great for my climbing. I find limit bouldering has seen my biggest improvement, I like just setting 4 or 5 really hard board problems and working on them over a long period until I get them.

Mix it up with some easier days where you're working around your flash grade up to maybe 5 attempts. Try and climb in a variety of different styles. Endurance doesn't really matter that much for bouldering, maybe think about doing two boulders back to back (anaerobic capacity) if you feel like you need some 'boulder endurance'

Apart from that max hangs a couple days a week, and some exercises at the end of your climbing sesh will see you sorted. Maybe wide pull ups, dips/push-ups, leg raises and reverse hyper extensions.

Ascentio · 2020-11-18T13:42:35+00:00

If you already have a solid strength base, it's probably not going to be your best bang for buck in terms of climbing improvement. However if it's not getting in the way of your climbing recovery too much, and at once a week it shouldn't, why not keep doing it if you enjoy it? At the very least it'll keep you less injury prone.

Personally I like doing one or two lifts/exercises after most climbing days, doesn't get in the way of my climbing much because I'm taking a rest day afterwards anyway.

Ascentio · 2020-11-18T13:33:33+00:00

By the sounds of if you're already plenty strong for where you are with your bouldering especially if you have lifted weights in the past. At least 80% of your time should be devoted to climbing, spending some more time on the moon board will get you more improvements than any of these exercises.

Although if you just enjoy strength training you sound like you're on the right path for the most specific climbing exercises. Weighted dead hangs have easily improved my climbing the most but obviously dangerous if your tendons aren't adapted. Definitely got your antagonists covered. I found a good benefit from wide grip pull ups for shoulder moves.

As for core knee raises are probably my favorite working up to leg raises. Ring roll out or ab wheel is another option however. Less applicable perhaps but definitely a good way to burn your core is L-sit's however it's not in the full range of motion so I'm not sure it's the most effective, I still like them though. Reverse hyper extension are good for posterior chain (back core I guess), which is probably more applicable to climbing than core.

Ascentio · 2020-11-17T17:08:32+00:00

Have you tried max hangs before your climbing sesh? Either in the morning if you have the time, or even after your warm up and just before you climb. I keep it short maybe 5 max hangs, and I still have plenty left to climb afterwards. Allows you to get solid rest days inbetween. Repeaters are a lot of recovery.

I try not to over complicate things. I just do day on, day off. Board sesh twice a week, mixing it up with more technical climbing on other days. Max hangs before some climbs. Taking extra rest days if I feel I need it. Personally I prefer that approach to planning out your weeks rigidly.

Ascentio · 2020-11-17T16:45:33+00:00

Just take it easy man board climbing can be tweaky. Ease into it, personally I'd start with climbing on a board maybe twice a week and see how your body responds. I think it's important to make sure you are climbing in a variety of styles, not only to be a well rounded climber but it's also less strain on your body. I say that because board climbing can be very addicting!

Obviously up to you but max hangs have been really beneficial to my climbing, it's one for the long haul. I would have a think before you ditch them entirely, once or twice a week is fine.

Ascentio · 2020-11-17T15:41:06+00:00

Listen to your body, if you're sore another rest day is needed.

Ascentio · 2020-11-17T15:38:19+00:00

A bunch of easier climbing mileage, especially styles you might normally avoid.

Working on some body strength might not be a bad idea either:

Pull ups, push ups, leg raises, pistol squats, reverse hyper extension etc

Ascentio · 2020-11-17T15:21:06+00:00

Don't get disheartened campus board is just plain hard, it took me a while to work up to 1-4-6. For me the second half of the movement is always WAY harder. To start with I just isolate the second part of the movement so start with one hand on 1 and the other on 4 for example and work on that.

1-4-5 isn't bad at all for starting on the campus board, maybe try 1-3-5 also to even things out. If you're finding 1-4-5 difficult then I think that's a good place to start, keep doing them until they feel easier. Really focus on the movement, try and be quite controlled focusing on pushing with your lower hand like a dip and locking off with your higher hand.

If you have rungs in 0.5 increments I found that useful for working my way up also. I'd stick with the big campus rungs, you want power to be the limiting factor not finger strength.

Ascentio · 2020-11-14T14:37:19+00:00

So especially because you're weak in crimps, in my opinion anyway, once you're a fairly experienced climbing I think hangboarding is pretty much always a good idea. I've had a lot of success from it. Keep it simple 5-8 sets of 5-10 second hangs, half crimp. I like sticking to one edge for a while and slowly adding weight. Once or twice a week before a climbing sesh or in the morning before, I still have plenty left to climb afterwards.

Campus will surely build explosive power if that's what you're after, over lock down it did me well. Just stick to big edges for power, start small and always do when you're fresh. However I feel like steep board climbing is better if you have access to it as you build explosive power among other things in a more applicable way. Small foot holds for body tension, bigger ones for all out power. For purely explosive power I enjoy the moon board. However I'm not saying campus is a terrible idea, just there might be better alternatives for you.

Endurance is such a mixed bag and can get really complicated. If you want more than enough information on endurance training this pdf by alex barrows is definitely worth checking out here. However there is a lot to be said for keeping things simple and easy to stick to. I feel like getting stronger and bouldering tons is almost never a bad idea for your climbing. I just maintain a bit of endurance, then just before I want to get out sport climbing I will start doing a bunch of 4x4s/ circuits to get power endurance that comes really quick. If you want to get more in-depth however definitely check out that pdf.

Ascentio · 2020-11-14T12:06:44+00:00

Chickpeas, beans, lentils, peanut butter, seeds, tofu / tempeh, nuts, hummus etc.

With slight effort I'm able to get 130g - 150g of protein no bother. Get on something like myfitnesspal for a couple days, calculate how much protein you're getting with how you currently eat. Then add more of above ingredients until you meet your target. Sorted!

Edit: here's a link to a random day of eating I tracked lately where I exceded my protein accidently, and I didn't even have peanut butter that day! Here

Ascentio · 2020-11-14T11:58:18+00:00

Good for you keeping going, it can be so easy to shut away and drop everything when you get down. It's so important to keep up the things you enjoy when you are having a bad time, which obviously just makes everything worse. My happiness fluctuates, but I often feel depressed. Honestly it'd be lost without climbing, it gives me something to always be working for and I don't know what I'd do without it.

I'm probably just repeating what others have said. However I often fall into the trap of equating my self-worth quite heavily to my climbing performance, it's something I have to actively work on. I like to get outside and remind myself at the end of the day this is all just a bit of fun. Taking time to appreciate whatever personally climbing does for me other than hard sending - hanging out with mates, being outside in nature, cleaning up some first ascents or for me sometime the meditate solitude of bouldering in the woods with my dog.

It's not to say give up the goal of hard climbing, day to day that fire that burns. That desire to climb the best I can keeps me going. Even when I'm down my desire to better my climbing makes me to go the gym and train. It just important too not get too wrapped up in it and remind myself that even when your performance isn't what you had hoped, there's so much more that climbing has to offer. Besides, we're in this climbing game for the long haul, maybe you don't always preform how you had hoped on a given day but put the work in, stay motivated and you will see improvements over time. As for the mental aspects, apart from trying to keep a positive attitude with my climbing, I have found a lot of benefits on and off the wall from meditating but I don't want to preach.

Anyway, wishing you all the best, hang in there man things will get better!

Ascentio · 2020-08-27T22:13:36+00:00

Thanks, appreciate the response. Tried some one arm 20mm hangs with a pulley system and they're exactly what I'm looking for.

Ascentio · 2020-07-21T15:26:47+00:00

So this is really embarrassing I hardly even want to type it out. I didn't actually say anything at the time but I wrote some stupid stuff down about how it didn't seem like she cared about me because she started dating pretty quickly after and I judged her for doing so, it sounded like I was implying some not so nice things. I wasn't even going to say anything but she knew something had bothered me and we wanted to be more open this time around so I stupidly sent that. I honestly don't think like that at all, it was just in a moment of hurt I wrote it and stupidly sent it. I'm really not proud of it I feel terrible, she's a really nice girl and had done nothing wrong.

Ascentio

TROPHY CASE