UKC

What do people think about the gains that can be made from fingerboards? I'm currently bouldering regularly around V5-V6 again after a period of (climbing) unfitness. Would a fingerboard really help me to move into the V7-V9 territory? - considering I've never really managed to go beyond V6 really

In reply to SARS: I don't think anybody can give a good answer to this. Structured fingerboard training will improve your finger strength, but the impact of that on your bouldering grade is not clear. It depends on the extent to which your finger strength is a limiting factor for you.

If you add in fingerboard sessions (without getting injured, or replacing a bouldering session), it won't harm your chances of improvement!

In reply to Nick Russell:
As Nick says, surely it can't hurt if you don't cut down on actual climbing and don't injure yourself.

Personally, I've been getting on the fingerboard (as an addition) recently - hasn't made any difference to my bouldering, but I've noticed I can use tiny slate matchsticks more effectively. That and I've got really good at nipple crippling.

In reply to ianstevens:

Impossible to put a number on if then? E.g. something like if I boulder V6, adding such and such fingerboard workout will improve grade to V8 within x months...?

I'm trying to figure out the most effective way to get to high V numbers.

In reply to SARS:
>>

Live in Font/Bishop/Rocklands for a year?

In reply to SARS: I've been fingerboarding for just under a year, mostly I haven't done structured training, but I use it a lot - every day essentially.

My bouldering grade has gone up immensely in the last year, and although I don't know how much that has to do with fingerboarding, it's definitely got something to do with it. (did my first font 7a this time last year. Did a font 7c by April and am doing a couple new 7a/+'s every session)

I took a few months off climbing this summer (by necessity!). I noticed when I got home, I couldn't hang onto the fingerboard at all, just the biggest holds of a Beastmaker 2000. Within a week I was back almost to full strength. I reckon I was almost as strong as 3 months previously, but I'd forgotten how to hold onto tiny edges. Once I'd calibrated what felt 'right' again, it was back to business as usual.

Anyway I'm going on. Hard question!

In reply to SARS:


Impossible, yes.


What are your weaknesses? Find them and work on them.

The usefulness of a fingerboard will vary depending on what your strengths and weaknesses are - you might be struggling with spaghetti fingers, or already have steel tendons let down by an inability to use your heels. I don't know. You do.