UKC

Hi can anyone recommend a hang board training program for me. Last year I pursued a 3x8s Max Hang routine during a bouldering session and I managed to get to 150% body weight. I'd like to get closer to 180% and I think the benefits of short duration 100% effort training regime *might* be tailing off. For whatever the reason  I'm finding it more difficult to make gains that way so can anybody recommend a suuitable training program for me to get my forearms real strong pls.

I‘ve had and am still having very good results with this one:

Do max tests on various edges, flat + sloper, with + without weight, 3 + 4 fingers. Choose 4 results where you can hang for max 10-12 sec. A set will then be each hang for 7-8 sec with 2 min rest in between; after the 4th hang I pause another 2 min then do the max possible number of pull-ups on big steepish slopers in 30 sec. Aiming for 5 clean sets with 3 min in between, the whole thing takes about 75 min; I do this every 3-5 days. After 6-8 weeks I do a new max test, take a week off and start again with adjusted sets. With the new set I can often only manage 3 clean sets, but after a couple of weeks I‘m back up to 5.

Caveat - I put this together after lots of research online, it‘s not been designed by someone who really knows what they’re doing, but it‘s worked for me and I‘ve had no adverse effects from it.

That's actually quite an interesting protocol and I like the variety of training several different grip types across a single session.

I usually work through cycles of four to six weeks with a single grip, whereas I can definitely see some value in training a few types at once.  I'd reflect that it might mean 'max' isn't quite where it might be with a single-grip focus, but swings and roundabouts I suppose.  I also mix pull ups into max hangs cycles.

This is to be expected. You've had the easy gains associated with being relatively new to finger board training. It is normal for the rate of gains to slow down as your body gets used to fingerboard training.

The difference in effectiveness from one protocol to the next is going to be fairly small. As long as you're in that ~75-95% of max effort, you will make good strength gains on any protocol as long as you're consistent.

My usual approach is to follow a particular protocol for as many blocks as I continue to make good progress (usually 2 or 3 training blocks), then to switch it up to something slightly different to alter the training stimulus. 

When switching it up, the things I will consider changing are:

- one armed or two armed hangs

- Duration of hangs. Anywhere from 5-12 seconds will make good strength gains. Shorter durations will trend more towards recruitment.

- Change the edge size. The majority of my hangs are done on edges between 14 and 20mm. I will replace one season per week with some smaller edge work if I'm training for a particularly crimpy style e.g. if my goals are a trip to Switzerland or a project on Peak lime. I don't do more than one session per week on smaller edges as they are more effective for recruitment and conditioning finger pulp than for strength.

Have a look in Ned's book beastmaking for some fun protocols to mix things up. I've been making solid gains following his 20 second max hang protocol 

thanks- got me a copy of BeastMaker and its chock full of the sort of info I need. Good recommendation