Two finger half crimp training, and half crimping in general

[wellhung]

A)Just wondering about the experiences of people who train repeaters on 2-finger 1/2 crimps and how tweaky it is in the long term (I'll define 1/2 crimp as 90 degree at PIP, 180 at DIP for today).  I've found on routes with big reaches off shallow non-positive 2 finger pockets that  1/2 crimping them seems necessary.  No thumb wrap, obviously.  How many people train 2-finger 1/2 crimps without tweakage?  Do you use the RPTC shallow pockets?

B)Also, I know this has come up before, but it seems hard to find any hold on hang boards that require 1/2 crimping (except the tiny miserable ones, which actually seem to mandate full crimping), and this is even more true of 2 finger pockets. In contrast, it seems that outdoors I'm 1/2 crimping all the time.  On a hang board the direction of pull makes it so that my open hand is always way stronger than 1/2 crimping for holds that are bigger than around 3/4 pad or so.  My hang board failure on 3-finger 1/2 crimps always end up in an open hand position.  On routes, if my hand starts to open in a similar manner, I'm flying.   Has anyone messed around with training 1/2 crimps on a steep board with feet on in order to require a 1/2 crimp that can't open up without actual failure/falling?  It seems the angles of pull that make 1/2 crimping necessary on ~3/4 pad holds outdoors can't be simulated on a hang board, even with a sloping hold.

[MarkAnderson]

I believe Mike trains a 2-finger crimp, but I don't. He's the only one I know, but I don't know that many people

I suffered severe tendonitis in my Ring A2 pulley (that eventually progressed to a severe strain) from repeatedly latching a 2f pocket open-handed and then rolling it up into a crimp (I was also scumming my pinky on the outside of the pocket to help support the ring finger).

Offending pocket (left hand):



All things considered, I would say half or full crimping pockets is a recipe for disaster. You could make the argument that training that grip position will reduce the likelihood of injury when you have to use that grip on the rock. I would argue you almost never have to use that grip on the rock, so it's better to avoid it entirely. But if you feel strongly that you need that grip on the rock, you're probably better off training it. Curious, where are your climbing that requires this grip, and how often do you climb there?

I believe Mike uses an incut pocket with a fairly sharp lip, such that once his hand starts to open up the pocket becomes unbearably painful and encourages him to drop off.

As for B) I've found the same problem, that is, it's often hard to force yourself into a certain grip on the hangboard. You're right that it has to do with your body position relative to the hold. I've had modest success with a few different strategies. One is to use sharp-lipped, incut holds. These feel less painful (on the skin) in a crimp position, but they still tend to wreck your skin. Another thing I've tried is rotating the holds (relative to each other) which can force you to bend your PIP joints in order to get all your fingers on the hold. I've had the best luck with really shallow holds, where crimping is really the only way to get any useful contact.

[wellhung]

Aug 18, 2015 9:44:56 GMT -7 MarkAnderson said:

 Curious, where are your climbing that requires this grip, and how often do you climb there?

   
Thanks for the reply and info.  I would never have thought to use a hold with a sharp edge, as that is exactly the kind of hold I would probably not half-crimp outside.  I was headed in the exact opposite direction, and thinking about rounding off and sanding off all the texture from the front of a hold, but leaving it on the back 1 cm or so, which I thought might favour the half-crimp position, due to increased and better contact angle with the textured area.

The location is Lion's Head, on near vertical limestone and I have been on only a dozen or so trips there, so I may yet have to iron out some of the technical aspects to cranking to full extension on shallow flat or slopey holds/pockets.  Maybe my "open hand" technique is too open?