How to Train Finger Strength with Block Pulls (aka Farmer Crimps, No Hangs)
Hooper’s Beta Ep. 128
Introduction
Hello and welcome to Mesa Rim! I’m am in fact *not* Jason Hooper -- he’s off working on some other videos -- so we thought we’d take this opportunity to talk about a neat training technique that’s been getting a lot more hype in the climbing community lately, specifically: finger strength training with a pinch block or porta-board attached to weights, otherwise called “no hangs” or “block pulls.” These can be an excellent tool for many climbers, and Lattice even did a nice survey of it with Yves Gravell recently, so we thought it’d be worthwhile to build upon that and get into the nuts and bolts of what makes no hangs different from other methods (specifically for climbers), when you might want to use this technique over others, how to get started with an actual protocol and progressions, as well as just tips and tricks I’ve learned over the last two-odd decades of playing with these things. It should lead a lot of people to some pretty significant strength gains, so let’s get to it!
What are we talking about?
Ref: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMj8As56jAk&t=0s
Doesn’t seem to be a have name
Grip / Edge / Block Pulls or Lifts
Essentially using a grip tool to deadlift weight off of the ground instead of using a grip tool (fingerboard) to lift yourself off of the ground.
Why are we talking about this?
Block Pulls have been a common modality for rehab (with small weights) as well as warming up at the crag (isometrics) for quite a while, but they’ve only recently been gaining attention as a staple for strength training.
Enthusiasm for this ‘new’ training method has exploded, as attention is drawn to the incredible feats of strength happening at the intersection of rock climbing and grip sport (Yves Gravelle, Tanner Merkle and others), while at the same time, suspension type fingerboards and grip tools have become far more available.
This rise in interest brings with it two obvious questions:
Is this type of training something that I should be doing? (When is it appropriate)
If so, how do I go about it? (What is the protocol / How do I do it)
Should I Train Using Block Pulls?
Virtually all climbers that are interested in improvement (vs purely recreational enjoyment) should implement some sort of regular grip training.
In practice, this requires pulling on something. Therefore, your choices are:
Pull down on something (pull ups)
Pull forward on something (rows)
Pull up on something (deadlifts)
It turns out, rows are often rather inconvenient to set up, so they are often eschewed (but can work well if circumstances allow)
This leaves us with 2 choices:
Things basically like Fingerboards
Things basically like Block Pulls
So how do we choose between them?
Fingerboards are the most specific to climbing positions, and are the preferred starting point if no other factors need to be considered.
Block Pulls offer variety and some specific advantages
They allow you to train your grip with reduced stress on the typically associated musculature (shoulders, elbows, etc)
This can be beneficial if you have some little tweak or strain to work around, or if the rest of your climbing / training is putting a significant load on those areas.
They allow you to train grips that require loads far from body weight
Example: your project has a 2 finger, 6mm crimp. Much easier to lift a small amount of weight with a block than to reduce body weight significantly in order to use a fingerboard.
They are somewhat more tolerant of ‘bad’ conditions, as the hold time is reduced using a ‘repetition’ style workout, and it is possible to reset the grip and even chalk up between lifts if necessary.
Additionally, you do not need to stabilize your own body, so there is much less swing, rotation, etc. and therefore less ‘sliding’.
The suspended nature of the device often makes it easier to ‘feel’ how your fingers are engaging. This is very helpful when you’re exploring grips that you find challenging, and you can emphasize the different fingers in your grip or experiment with slightly different wrist angles.
This ability to move your wrist is a big part of why no hang training seems to work so much better for pinch training than currently available fingerboards.
Blocks are excellent for situations like rehabilitation of injury, as you need extremely light weight, but also desire specific and quantifiable progression.
Finally, they’re fun! After potentially years of regular fingerboarding, it can be nice to do something different.
Okay, I’m Sold. What is a good starting protocol?
Holds or reps?
It's a bit like hangs vs pull ups on a fingerboard (but not quite)
Both work, and you can utilize both methods within a single workout if desired.
Reps are a little more active, and have more of a dynamic component, which can be desirable. They allow resetting as discussed above, which may be a priority in bad weather. They follow an obvious rep scheme, which may be nice for people with a weight training background.
Holds are simple, controlled, and relatively gentle on the fingers. This is likely best for beginners, or when using extremely poor holds that are prone to slipping out of your hands.
Start with some testing (ramp to failure)
Take a guess at your 1RM, it doesn’t matter if it's correct. If you’ve ever trained on a fingerboard, you should be able to make a decent guess. If you haven’t, it's probably somewhere between 40-60% bodyweight for 1 hand (people significantly stronger than this should be somewhat aware of the fact)
Begin with 8 reps at 50% of your 1 rep max
If it feels extremely easy, add 20lbs
If it feels somewhat easy, add 10lbs
If it feels challenging, add 5lbs
If it feels hard, add 2.5lbs (or 1kg, whatever)
Repeat the above with 5 reps until it becomes challenging
Reduce to 3 reps when it feels hard.
Continue until you are no longer able to complete 3 reps, resting 3-5 min between sets.
This will establish your 3RM as well as providing some practical experience with the exercise and some ‘gut feel’ for the weights.
Next Session:
Start with 8x 50% 1RM, work up to 5RM in 2-4 sets, perform 3 sets at 5RM
Simple Progressions:
Build Sets (increase from 1 3-5RM set to 5 or more sets)
Simple overload (add weight weekly as long as reps are successfully achieved)
Overload with a floor (3rm) then build reps back up
More complex:
When you can no longer add weight every couple weeks, reduce weight slightly (~2-5%) and work on increasing reps to the 10-12 range, or time to the 10-15s+ range. Once you have achieved this ‘surplus’ volume, you have room to continue adding weight at the cost of reps.
Alternating between increasing reps and then increasing weight (with the occasional drop back) will make progress for a good long while.
Do some reading or talk to a coach. There are a ton of variables you can play with. The goal should be to continually increase difficulty in a tolerable and recoverable fashion.
How Long Should I Do These Before ‘Cycling Off’?
This is mostly a matter of taste. You should probably spend at least 4-6 weeks utilizing this approach to reap the early benefits. After that, you can return to your previous finger training, continue with the lifts if you enjoy them, or try a new combination of things. As long as you listen to your body, allow adequate rest, and keep an eye on enforcing greater difficulty over time, you can’t go too wrong.
What Are Some Good Tools To Consider?
Loading pin if your gym doesn’t have one
Rogue, Iron Mind, lots of budget options on Amazon
Choice of grip blocks
Pinch Blocks
Custom widgets
DISCLAIMER
As always, exercises are to be performed assuming your own risk and should not be done if you feel you are at risk for injury. See a medical professional if you have concerns before starting new exercises.
Written and Presented by Jason Hooper, PT, DPT, OCS, SCS, CAFS
IG: @hoopersbetaofficial
Filming and Editing by Emile Modesitt
www.emilemodesitt.com
IG: @emile166