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Tests for recording finger strength

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I am starting to write my training plan for next year and I am wanting to measure what my max finger strength is, so I am able to record it and compare results in the future.

I was just wondering what exercises, what apparatus you would use and how you would measure it?

I was thinking I could test max grip strength by using a hangboard. I would test different grip positions by doing single hangs for at least 5 seconds. Each hang I would add weight until failure occurs in less than 5 seconds. I would then measure the results by recording the highest weight prior to failure.

For grip endurance I was thinking of using a medium sized campus rung for open hand and crimp positions. For front 2, middle 2 and back 2, I would use a hang board. I would test by timing how long I can maintain the grips until failure. The time would then be a measurement of my max grip endurance.

Hopefully this makes sense and isn't a load of waffle!! I am interested to here your ideas!
 snoop6060 18 Dec 2016
In reply to Connor Dickinson:
The max amount of weight you can have added to hang a 16mm edge for 5 seconds.

16mm is arbitrary really, choose whatever edge depth. I choose 5 seconds as that is about the contact time with a hold when climbing according to Eva Lopez I seam to recall.

You could do 5 seconds and 10 seconds, benchmark both I guess.

Or do the benchmarking one armed with weight removed.

Point is the measurement is weight not time if benchmarking your strength.

Post edited at 07:40
 AJM 18 Dec 2016
In reply to Connor Dickinson:
If you want to do endurance then as you get stronger it will obviously get easier if you keep the weight at which you do endurance static.

Better to do endurance at a fixed percent of your max hang weight to allow you to track relative endurance.

You could try 7:3 hangs to failure rather than a continuous hang, as an alternative. That's how the Lattice fingerboard testing works as far as I know...

[Oh, and always track total weight hung rather than weight added - make sure you don't skew things through variation in bodyweight]
Post edited at 08:16
 snoop6060 18 Dec 2016
In reply to AJM:

Good point on total weight, hadn't considered that.
 Greasy Prusiks 18 Dec 2016
In reply to Connor Dickinson:

I'd do it by standing on a set of scales underneath a finger board/campus board and doing one arm pulls on a small hold (2cm is what I use). You then measure how much you have decreased the weight on the scales by which gives you the amount of force you've pulled with.
 zimpara 18 Dec 2016
In reply to Connor Dickinson:

That App that got released on here a while back is brilliant! Cant remember what its called.
 johncook 18 Dec 2016
In reply to Connor Dickinson:

Simple test. Pick up a set of bathroom scales and squeeze between finger tips and thumb and record weigh held for 5 seconds. Keep checking at regular, but not too often, intervals. Record in a table and line graph and look for a trend.
 Fakey Rocks 18 Dec 2016
In reply to Connor Dickinson:
The zlag fingerboard they have been touring comps would be good for comparing with the rest of the world, on just that one hold, which is a 20mm edge.
They cost about £200 mind you!
Post edited at 15:43
 Fakey Rocks 18 Dec 2016
In reply to Greasy Prusiks:

Wouldn't that be more a measure of how strong you are in the one arm pull up discipline....?
Perhaps you'd get the same result pulling on a bar?
Depending on how well you can 1 arm fingerboard hang, it would be a mixed measure of both?
 Greasy Prusiks 18 Dec 2016
In reply to rox to fakey:

You definitely don't get the same result as if you used a bar!

I think because the hold is small your fingers are the limiting factor hence they are what gets measured. Here's a video of Alex Megos doing a posh version of this test and the instructor talks about "maximum crimp power"...

youtube.com/watch?v=3JJnwgxjK5A&

I'd have that down as finger strength but neither is a particularly well defined term.
 stp 19 Dec 2016
In reply to Connor Dickinson:

I would suggest in addition to hangs you could also count the max number of pull ups you can do on a given edge size. Although not pure finger strength that would be a measure of a more functional kind of strength that's more similar to what we do in climbing. Depending on edge size, your strength etc. you probably want to keep the number of reps below 6 - 10ish to measure strength rather than endurance so add weight if necessary.

For 'endurance', as commonly used in climbing, I'd have thought a better measure would be number of laps on a fixed route or boulder problem traverse would be better. Most hangboard protocols I would think are too short. But I suppose it all depends on how you intend to use the results: just a general training diary or something more specific.
 AlanLittle 19 Dec 2016
In reply to stp:

The problems I could see with the fixed route or traverse would be that you'd get too efficient at that particular sequence so wouldn't be measuring only physical gains, and if it was indoors it would be gone before you wanted to repeat your benchmarking session.

An alternative might be things where you just repeat the same move over and over again, e.g, feet-on campusing, or lattice board i imagine although I've never seen one.
 joeldering 19 Dec 2016
In reply to Connor Dickinson:

Sounds reasonable to me, though I'm concerned that the added weight on a 5 second hang on a medium campus rung would get quite large and a bit impractical. Doing the hangs one armed using a pulley & some static rope with the other hand to take off some weight is something to consider.

Also, I'm really not a fan of hanging two finger pockets until failure - seems a bit of an injury risk.
 stp 19 Dec 2016
In reply to AlanLittle:

> The problems I could see with the fixed route or traverse would be that you'd get too efficient at that particular sequence so wouldn't be measuring only physical gains

I think that's true but if you keep training on the same route/traverse then eventually the improvements in efficiency bottom out and variation in performance is down to changes in fitness. In the Peak there are various routes that a lot of people seem to have very wired. Sardine at Raven Tor springs to mind. Some climbers tend to do it every visit as a rather strenuous warm up so have the route completely dialled. But even then there are problems with certain failure points like at the crux sections.

I agree with the point about temporary indoor routes. Another alternative is old skool brick wall traversing.

As you say this seems like the kind of thing the lattice board is used for. However even that can have problems. I heard about one young member of the British team who could basically recover on it and hence stay on indefinitely.

 AlanLittle 19 Dec 2016
In reply to stp:

As a somewhat relevant aside, I notice very different setting styles on circuits at bouldering walls over here in Germany versus what I've seen in the UK. My local bouldering wall tends to set cruxy circuits with tricky, low percentage moves that are ok for redpoint projecting - and for entertaining the punters, which I assume is the object of the exercise - but not so great for mindlessly pumpy ancap training. British walls that I've been to lately (Climbing Station & Manchester Depot spring to mind) seem to have much less technical, more training oriented circuits.
 stp 19 Dec 2016
In reply to AlanLittle:

The circuits at the Climbing Works definitely have cruxes though I suppose they're not loads harder than than the rest of the circuit. But generally most of the moves are fairly powerful relative to the grade in question. Not mindless pump climbing. If something was too cruxy though I'd consider that poor route setting whether on a circuit board or a lead wall.
 Matt Vigg 20 Dec 2016
In reply to Connor Dickinson:

This thread reminds me a bit of a thing I read about a guy training to do one finger pull ups by hanging heavier and heavier weights off each finger. Eventually one went pop! To be fair he did do it the end but I think he lost six months to that so be careful with your measuring technique!!
 LJH 20 Dec 2016
In reply to Connor Dickinson:
Bit of a curve ball approach but I quite like it.

Mark a set of dial read bathroom scales with finger an thumb locations to train and measure pinch grip. You have to hold both sides of the scales and press with both hands. If you mark finger/thumb locations in a few different places its possible to train/monitor open hand strength as well as finger tip pinch strength.

You can target either certain pressures for various times or just go for max reps.
It also helps if you hold you arms straight as it keeps the wrist angle the same which can help or hinder.
 Jimbo C 20 Dec 2016
In reply to Connor Dickinson:

If you've got some small dumbells or kettle bells a simple one to do is to use a loop of cord hitched around one or more weights and see what you can lift with one or two fingers at a time.

Use a 'open handed' position with the cord held by the finger tip so that you're not stressing your tendon pulleys.


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