If you have been to the climbing gym more than a couple of times, you are likely familiar with the idea of hangboard (or finger board) training.  While the debate may continue as to who was the first actually start training their hand via different sized holds at the gym, the timeline goes back at least to 1980’s with big names like John Bachar, Jerry Moffatt, Wolfgang Gullich, and Rob Candaleria all taking some credit.  Moffatt claims that he started it, but the opening clip from in the 1980 video “That’s Incredible” suggests that it may have been Bachar. Using various pieces of wood either cut and screwed on to a backboard or drilling holes into the backboard itself, these climbers were able to train when away from the rock to stay in shape or get even stronger.

Believe it or not, it was cause for a major ethical dilemma with their contemporaries calling them out for “cheating.”  But, when climbers like the all-time godfather of free solo, and the climber that established 8b+ (5.14a) through 9a (5.14d), are changing the game with what was possible in the US and Europe through this heathen training on fake holds, the world starts to take notice.  By the late 80’s and early 90’s, the Stone Monkeys of Yosemite’s Camp 4 knew the value of training on small holds to get ready for the Big Stone.  Rain today? Train.  Partner sick from ketchup and cracker sandwiches? Train. Already climbed this morning and looking for something to do to impress the tourist girls while you have a beer?  Train.

And damn did it show!  These folks became absolute specimens of physique and performance setting the bar higher and higher on the some of the toughest holds known to climbing.  In the meantime, to battle harsh winters, Jerry Moffatt and Ben Moon start their first climbing gyms, in Germany and England, respectively, that were dedicated solely to training.  Very little actual climbing took place in these hole-in-the-wall facilities, but as they experimented with protocol and different holds combined with the application of the first plastic holds and the first modern hangboards, campus boards, and training plans were made available.  Dates vary, but 1998 seems to the general consensus.  These facilities further showed exactly what was possible when an athlete dedicated themselves to training our most crucial tools in climbing, our fingers.

Kids, be grateful for what you have

For nearly twenty years, anyone looking to get get better at climbing spent their time climbing, usually with a mentor.  If you wanted to get better in the off-season because you couldn’t dirtbag year round and needed a *gasp* job to pay for you next road trip, you worked out some hackneyed DIY system.  Or maybe you were someone in the know and got invited to someone else’s backyard system.

John Bachar and his “finger boards” (Photo: Reinhard Karl)

Suddenly, around the start of the new millennium, climbing gyms started to develop from tiny “practice” boulders in many cities and grew into full on replications of the outdoor experience.  Gone were the days of gyms being built with wood studs and plywood, top-roping on heavy synrock, plastic, and epoxy holds.  Here was steel, stucco, and textured panels, lighter, more durable mixes of polyurethane holds, clipping bolts, birthday parties, climbing teams, and mega-conglomerate partnerships each vying to open to largest gym with all of the bells and whistles.  The industry exploded and more companies were opened to fill our needs, the subset of hold companies and shapers took the creativity to the next level.  What started as some holes cut out of plank of wood grew into works of art with developers trying to offer the widest range of holds in the smallest space possible.

For my part, I bought the second generation Metolius Simulator early in my climbing career, and I still use it, as recently as today while taking breaks from writing this.  Three rails of decreasing depth offering 4-finger rails, 3-finger rails and pockets, 2-finger pockets, two slopers, and wide and narrow jugs.  At the time, it was one of the largest board on the market with the most holds, and it still rivals boards today for hold density.  On top of that, Metolius looked at the old dirtbagger’s hanging boards for inspiration for their Rock Rings.  Now, training was portable!  Find a place to hang the rings and off you go with a jug, 4-finger, 3-finger, and 2-finger that could be used almost anywhere.

Keeping it real since 2004

Fast forward another decade and hold companies started to diversify.  Many hangboards had grown in size, trying so hard to meet every possible need that they became cumbersome, becoming ill suited for home use but awesome for gyms that wanted to have a deep sampling size.  They started to specify with boards specific to hold types.  Want to get your crimp on?  Check out the Progression and *shudder* Transgression boards by Eva Lopez and Joan Machado.  Love a big, full-handed sloper and pinches?  The classic Iron Palm and Mini Palm by the Crytochild himself, Jason Kehl and So Ill.  This board also had the coolest debut with a pull-up competition during the after party of Hueco Rock Rodeo in 2009.  Freaking classic video.  And who could forget a company like Blank Slate that started by offering the same idea as the Perfect Pullup(TM) by hanging a backboard on a removable doorway hanger which doesn’t require you to penetrate the wall or search for studs.

And a place to hold your phone timer with the Nicros Ultimate Board

And now, in the latest chapter of hangboard development, we are introducing some science.  Previously, hangboard programs called for various holds, maximum hangs and lock-offs, endless pull-ups, all in the pursuit of the getting stronger and seeking the same pump from climbing.  As the realm of climbing’s participants grew to include doctors and physiologists, protocols started to change.  More rest was understood to be needed because of the incredible effort placed on connective tissue.  Pull-ups started to fall out of favor on boards and relegated to campusing, rings, and bars because these are, as the name implies, HANGboards and any hold besides the safe jugs should only be used for hanging.  The method of how we hang has also been studied.  If the trainee wasn’t in a lock-off position, then they usually did a full dead hang with limited engagement.  Instead, the shoulders should actually be pulled back and down, the back should be arched, the elbows lightly engaged, and open-hand or half crimp are the safest and most effective hand positions with the most carry over.  Turns out, all of us had been hanging wrong for decades!

Baby got back, indeed

On top of that, the necessity of having so many hold options has been called into question.  The new idea is that open rails for a jug or incut, and a couple edges, is enough for an effective training program.  An open rail allows for all finger combinations and eliminates the potential “cheating” by removing the extra friction gained from the side walls of a pocket.  The Lattice Testing and Training Board by Tom Randall is the most extreme example of this minimalism, and Lattice is a company built entirely around no-frills, all-science training, and I’m not going to argue with one of the Wideboyz.  Tension put the best holds into the literal smallest space that can fit in your back pocket with The Block.  Hang it from a bar, hang weights from it, or run a line under your foot and pull against yourself anywhere and anytime.

We’ve come a long way since this OG finger board, one that actually has room for each finger

I’ve droned on long enough.  Hangboard history is a small subset of climbing history and as an exercise professional I find it infinitely interesting – the number of open tabs on my browser is evidence of that.  I’ve only touched on the highlights and fan-girled a little over our predecessors.  As many of us are forced inside during Shelter-in-Place orders, we are taking a look at how to stay in shape until the time when we can return to rocks and our gyms (the spring season is shot down here in the south).  With proper protocol, practices, and tools, we can maintain our current level of fitness and even get stronger now that we have the time to dedicate to a program.  People have been scrambling in the midst of shutdowns to find, purchase, and install at the minimum some type of hangboard in the their home and apartments.  To get you started, please read this article from 99 Problems about your first hangboard training program.  It may not satisfying for climbing itch, but it can help to keep you in a good place so your day back isn’t a disaster.  Stay safe, get strong, and we’ll see you on the rock.

-Tylor Streett, has to train like the pros just to be average.