UKC

Pinch grips...why am I so poor at them?
So I've found out recently that I'm shockingly bad at pinch grips. Any advice on how to improve/train on them? Typically if something approaches a pinch I will always end up crimping the hell out of it (and use my thumb) or gaston/laybacking it but if its a wide hand pinch on a slopey hold I'm completely incapable....

Really came to light on a pretty standard boulder problem (at a grade I usually flash at) where the crux move relied on a wide hand pinch (that I can't layback/crimp the hell out of). Everyone else I climb with cruised it first or second time and I'm on my 20th or so attempt -I've checked that I have opposable thumbs and Im not just a step back in the evolutionary process as this would be perfectly acceptable excuse for failure

In reply to Birks:

Volunteer to do some brick-laying - you'll be right after that

In reply to Birks:

Not avoiding pinches would help to start of with.

In reply to Birks:

Surely the best way to use most pinches is to get off to one side and use them as sidepulls? However, you can’t always; I did a route on Saturday where the start of the crux involved pulling frontally on two fairly mediocre pinches, so I was glad I’ve been training them.

How? By getting a bit of wood, hanging a weight from it using a sling (20kg kettlebell because that’s what I happen to have) and picking it up. Can be varied by changing either the weight or the thickness of the bit of wood. I do this as part of my fingerboard routine.

(Rumour had it bitd that Ron used to do pull-ups on ceiling joists. That would clearly be far cooler)

In reply to Birks:

pick up two breeze blocks with one hand pinching them. could also use those big 20kg weight lifting plates.

In reply to Birks:

Those recommending bricks, or heavy blocks are bang on the money.

Try picking up barbell weights with a pinch, or go even further and fashion a wooden block you can pinch and add weight to.

Pinches on a wall tend to get crimped, laybacked or on steep ground you end you compressing them. Only with the strictest of technique do you get the full pinch, which is a pain, as such the blocks or weights are much easier to use for training.