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How to Improve Grip Strength for Climbing

How to Improve Grip Strength for Climbing

HeavyGrips.com

Improving your grip for rock climbing will help you to become a more confident, stronger and safer climber. Of course rock climbing is great training for ice and mixed climbing as well. There are several ways you can improve your grip strength. Many of these ways can be done easily when you aren't able to be on the rock itself. So go ahead, train at your desk or in your living room.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:
  • Hand gripper tool Pull-up bar Disk weight Indoor climbing holds
  • Hand gripper tool
  • Pull-up bar
  • Disk weight
  • Indoor climbing holds
Step 1
Get a hand gripper tool and use it several times a day. There are many brands and designs, some of which may work your hand muscles in slightly different ways. Get two or three kinds and alternate between them to get the best grip workout. Some of these are metal and take more strength to open and close and others are soft and squishy and could be labeled as "stress relievers."
Step 2
Work your whole hand while using a hand gripper tool but as you gain strength, challenge your individual fingers by pressing the hand gripper between only your thumb and forefinger, then middle finger, ring finger and then pinky.
Step 3
Strengthen your wrists. As is recognized by many martial artists, you must have strong wrists in order for your strong hands to function properly. Use a round disk weight that is 10 to 25 lbs. and, while sitting, rest your arm on your knee. Hold the disk weight between your fingers and thumb and slowly curl up the disk while rotating your wrist slightly.
Step 4
Go kayaking. When you paddle you will inherently work your hand and finger muscles as you enjoy being on the water. You aren't going to get as much of a hand workout compared to using a hand gripper tool, but cross training like this can be fun. Kayaking is also excellent for building strong shoulders.
Step 5
Go climbing and use climbing holds. When you can't go climbing outside, go indoors. Install a few holds above your door where you usually use a pull up bar. Do your regular sets of pull ups to keep your arm strength and then pull yourself up on your climbing holds to challenge those fingers.

Resources

Article Written By Naomi Judd

Naomi M. Judd is a naturalist, artist and writer. Her work has been published in various literary journals, newspapers and websites. Judd holds a self-designed Bachelor of Arts in adventure writing from Plymouth State University and is earning a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing from the University of Southern Maine.

Write for Trails.com

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