UKC

Hi All

I know I lack a lot of technique I've increased my climbing/bouldering to 3 or 4 times a week. I seem to be getting blisters forming on my fingers just under the opposite side of my knuckles. Is it just a case of carrying on until it hardens or am I doing something horrifically wrong do you think?

In reply to 6ASTU: Are you using large climbing wall holds? These can cause this type of problem. Eventually your skin should toughen up and possibly form calluses. If you use small holds, these should only affect the finger tips. After a few months yout skin should become 'leathery'.

In reply to 6ASTU:
In my experience:
a) yes it does toughen up a bit but
b) it mostly seems to happen when I'm climbing lots of steep juggy stuff, so if that's the case for you then it might be worth trying to vary your climbing to get more of a range of angles and hold types.

In reply to 6ASTU:

Thanks guys. It is mostly on big holds. I've been climbing for over a year, all indoors apart from one trip and am up to 6A(+) so it's still largish holds. But have recently started bouldering and that is pretty much larges holds while I get into it which explains it. You're right about trying angles too, I need to make more of an effort to try different holding angles.

Thanks muchly, I'll persevere

I started getting pads forming which reduced the blisters but it also meant i would tear the pad off as a whole and get a flapper instead. When they get really tough i tend to bite the top layer off which seems to work for me As the second layer is still tougher but less likely to rip off. I'm sure there are better ways but i don't like using tape.

In reply to 6ASTU: I tend to warm up by pulling on big juggy holds but to try and improve I then start using big slopers and smaller holds at various angles. I find that the large juggy holds make my fingers sore at the third crease back from my finger ends.

In reply to 6ASTU:

Antdav - I did the same on my palms as I play a lot of tennis which had the same effect there.

Good idea about the warm ups I normally just do the stretches.