Does Hangboard Training Increase Pinch Strength?

Breaking Beta | The Science of Climbing

In this episode, Kris and Paul discuss another study seeking to determine if there’s really a best way to train on a hangboard:

Hangboard Training in Advanced Climbers: A Randomized Controlled Trial

authored by Saskia Mundry, Gino Steinmetz, Dominik Saul, Elizabeth J Atkinson, Arndt F. Shilling, and Volker Schoffl; published in Scientific Reports in 2021.

They’ll attempt to determine whether or not there’s evidence that hangboarding can help you train more than just your crimping skills. Tune in to find out if this study dives deeper into the debate between Added Weight or Minimum Edge, or if it just dives off the deep end altogether.

*Additional studies/resources mentioned in this episode:
From Episode 1: The Effects of Two Maximum Grip Strength Training Methods Using the Same Effort Duration and Different Edge Depth on Grip Endurance in Elite Climbers authored by Eva Lopez Rivera and Juan Jose Gonzales-Badillo; published in Sports Technology, 2012.

International Rock Climbing Research Association (IRCA), Reporting Grades in Climbing Research, Climbing Grade Conversion Chart

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And then please tell all of your friends who spend their warmup time telling you that your hangboarding is only going to carry over to that one rare four-finger flat edge on a rock climb, that you have the perfect podcast for them.

Breaking Beta is brought to you by Power Company Climbing and Crux Conditioning, and is a proud member of the Plug Tone Audio Collective. Find full episode transcripts, citations, and more at our website.

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