Hmmm... There's so many questions about bouldering...
The latest is something that's been on my mind for about 2 months, but it came up twice this weekend and so must be addressed...
I open hand everything I climb - at the moment it feels absolutely natural.
A couple of boulderers have told me to see it as a weakness and work on developing my crimp strength.
I think of crimping as holding a tiny edge with 4 finger tips and locking the hand position by holding your thumb up to your finger tips on the edge.
I wonder if it's possible to develop my open hand strength to the point where I can use it as effectively as a crimp hand position... Is it possible to be as strong as a 'crimper' if I just use an open hand technique...
Or is that just wishful thinking, when I should be focusing on developing my ability to crimp.
If there's evidence out the that one can climb as hard using open hand only, I'd be all for it, because I hear tendons blow very easily if you crimp too hard too soon... However I see how solid people are on tiny edges using a crimp, where I feel strong with my open hand, but on the verge of slipping always...
Any opinions?
Never say never. I wouldn´t say you need to train crimps yet but at the same time don´t write off a technique... every gripping position and technique is another weapon in your arsenal. if you exclusively open everything you´re effectively limiting your options further down the line. Just climb! worry about training specific gripping positions in a year or so when you´re bouldering V11
ReplyDeleteHa ha, cheers Dave, I had a feeling that might be the advice,
ReplyDeleteCrimping just feels entirely unnatural, however I really envy how solid some of the guys look when they're crimping on those edges...
As always... there's work to be done!
:D
the semi-open hand or half crimp position is very strong and covers a lot of bases, check out some video of someone on a campus board to see what i mean.
ReplyDeletechris r
answered all above :) if you finding crimping with the thumb uncomfortable, go with the idea that Chris had - just drop it and crimp that way. I can't remember the article but one of the World Cup champions from the past few years said that he trained only open-handed and non-thumb crimping which was the secret to his success. Guess it's something to do with forcing the 4 fingers to take all the load so really focusses strength.
ReplyDeleteYou can definitely get open-handed to a ridiculously high level of strength though - then go to the Frankenjura and crush! :)
It's definitely good to have the option of crimping - I much rather open-handed but am noticing that I'm stuffed when it comes to climbing UK sports routes if you can't crimp due to the nature of the limestone...
That's really interesting about a top level climber training only open handed... however I'll bet he could crimp like a good thing if he wanted to!!
ReplyDeleteAs Dave said, I definitely want as many weapons in my arsenal as possible, but having had a look at the half crimp position I think that might be a good place to start...
For the moment though, again as Mr Ayton said, it's all about just climbing... I think I'm using specifics as a way to avoid dealing with the bigger issue...
I just don't have enough climbing under my belt!!!
But I wonder how many people find open hand climbing more natural than crimping... I'd be interested to see and will be having a good look at how people hold edges at the IBLs!!
I crimp like a mother-bitch as a result of climbing at Dinbren for a few years... i find the opposite to Neal on the steep pockets here. I constantly want to involve my thumb on the shallow closed poskets and just end up pinching them instead... I´m just climbing them whatever way feels natural at the minute but am noticing fairly rapid gains in my open handed strength as a result. Thinking about it more open handed may be the best start though because it involves less strain on your A2 and A3 pulley tendons (they´re the ones people can tear as a result of crimping resulting in bow-stringing - ouch!!)
ReplyDeleteYes, what I learned in Dinbren is that it's the Dinbren way or the highway! you do as you should or you get spat off!!
ReplyDeleteWould love to get back there...
I know that sometimes, while climbing with Sean, he'd say to me - use your thumb! and it would make all the difference in that particular move,
But it's not something that occurs to me when I'm doing a problem...
I feel strongest when I'm open handed, but never feel as solid as 'crimpers' look!
(if that makes any sense!!!)
I think you need to systematically train all 5 basic hand poisitions. (Take a look at http://www.8a.nu/?IncPage=http%3A//8a.nu/articles/ShowArticle.aspx%3FArticleId%3D4914)
ReplyDeleteWeakness in any position will eventually show up. You are only as strong as your weakest link.
If you trouble crimping, then try to crimp on every hold you use for a couple of weeks. The gains will come much more quickly than trying to improve your open handed strength, which is already good.
I've been climbing with a lot of competition climbers recently, and I am always amazed at home much time they put into training specific weakness and grip positions every session. Of an average session, 70% of the time is spent training weaknesses.