In this article, made in partnership with PC Training, YY Vertical explains how to best use your climbing training hangboard VerticalBoard to gain strength and improve.

If you are passionate about climbing and want to improve, you are in the right place.

In this article, we will cover the following topics:

• Warming up, to avoid injuries
• Finger strength, to hold grips with ease
• Arm strength, to perform demanding moves
• Core strength, to control your body during your climbs

(In this article, we will focus specifically on using the VerticalBoard for training, but the general principles can be applied to other similar climbing beams.)

Warming Up

Why warm up before training?

Warming up has several physiological benefits, including raising muscle temperature to improve contractions and the mechanical properties of tendons. It also helps mobilize joints to promote the production of synovial fluid, lubricating the joints. Warming up also has sensory and technical aspects that improve the quality of climbing movements.

How to warm up properly?

The specific phase of the warm-up takes place on the climbing beam where the intensity of suspensions and pull-ups is gradually increased. The goal is to start with easy exercises and gradually increase the intensity of blocks and pull-ups until you are ready for the training session.

How to Warm Up Properly?

The specific phase of the warm-up takes place on the climbing hangboard where the intensity of suspensions and pull-ups is gradually increased. The goal is to start with easy exercises and gradually increase the intensity of blocks and pull-ups until you are ready for the training session.

It is recommended to start with gentle mobilizations of the fingers, wrists, elbows, and shoulders, and then gradually increase the intensity and range of motion.

It may be beneficial to use resistance bands to achieve consistent resistance and to vary the contraction regime during the warm-up.

Watch the PC Training video that explains everything about how to warm up properly on VerticalBoard climbing hangboard:

Finger Strength

What Are the Types of Grips for Fingers?

There are three classic types of grips: semi-crimped, open, and crimped with the thumb. Suspensions should vary between semi-crimped and open, with a distribution of two-thirds semi-crimped and one-third open in training.

How Do Fingers Work?

The factors that influence finger strength are neural factors, muscle architecture, tendon stiffness, and energetic qualities. To develop finger strength, you must work at high or very high intensity by choosing appropriate grips.

One thing is certain: finger strength is crucial for holding grips and staying attached to the wall.

Finger Training on Climbing Beams

For strength training, PC Training offers a method called EMOM ("Every Minute On the Minute") focused on strength, where the exercise is performed with a start every minute. The suspension time and the number of repetitions are set to stay in the strength domain. It is essential to choose a grip that requires significant effort but without risking finger opening. Adding weight to a controlled exercise like the beam is relevant for strength development, as long as progression is respected in training.

In practice, the goal is to perform 8 seconds of suspension followed by 52 seconds of rest, for 4 to 10 minutes (4 to 10 repetitions). When you reach 10 repetitions on a grip or with a certain weight, you can increase the intensity by doing fewer repetitions or using other types of grips (flat, two-finger, one-finger, or micro-grips) depending on individual needs.

Watch the PC Training video that explains everything about how to properly train your fingers on VerticalBoard climbing hangboard:

Arm Strength

What Are the Factors Related to Arm Strength?

Arm strength is a crucial element for performing in climbing, and to improve it, you must consider neural and structural factors. Neural factors include muscle activation and fiber coordination, while structural factors concern muscle size and architecture.

Before starting this training, make sure you are fresh and warmed up.

Arm Training on Climbing Beams

For this specific training, the goal is to find a setup where you can perform between 4 and 8 repetitions. This range will allow you to work on both neural and structural factors of the muscles.

During pull-ups, it is essential to have a full range of motion, i.e., start from a position of extended arms and bring your chin above your hands with each repetition. Controlling the descent is equally important.

PC Training offers you five intensity levels for pull-ups:

1. Two-arm pull-up assisted with a resistance band.
2. Two-arm bodyweight pull-up.
3. Two-arm weighted pull-up.
4. One-arm pull-up assisted with a resistance band.
5. One-arm bodyweight pull-up (expert level).

Do not hesitate to adjust the intensity by choosing the right resistance band for the assisted variants. Always maintain proper form during each repetition, regardless of the intensity level.

The ideal is to perform three to six sets with about 3 minutes of recovery between each. You can even take advantage of these recovery times to do lower body stretches or core work.

Watch the PC Training video that explains everything about how to properly train your arms on VerticalBoard climbing hangboard:

Core Strength

What Is Core Strength and Why Is It Important?

Core strength is the ability to control the position and movements of your trunk and pelvis to effectively transmit forces between your upper and lower limbs during different phases of climbing movement.

Core strength manifests in three dimensions, which means you must train all its components: flexions, extensions, rotations, and tilts.

How to Improve Core Strength with Climbing Hangboards?

To improve core strength, prioritize strength training using exercise variants that require significant effort. Take complete rest times between sets to optimize strength gains.

Here are two exercises to perform on the beam to work on both flexion and rotation:

1. Knee raises: Perform this exercise while keeping your back straight and avoiding arching your back. Find a variant that allows you to perform 5 to 6 repetitions.

2. The windshield wiper: This movement combines flexion and rotation. Adjust the amplitude, straighten or bend your legs, and adjust the speed according to your level.

During training, follow the classic modalities of strength development. Perform 5 to 6 repetitions, take 1 minute of rest, then repeat another 5 to 6 repetitions. Take another minute of rest before performing a final set of repetitions.
You can perform between 2 to 5 sets with 5 minutes of rest between each set.

Watch the PC Training video that explains everything about how to properly train your core on VerticalBoard climbing hangboard: