Here at Training Beta we are pretty big fans of training finger strength and spend plenty of time on hangboards. However, we are always looking for new devices and ways to train. Training Beta reader Morgan May got in touch with us to share his new pinch strength training device. This trainer looks inexpensive, easy to build, highly transportable, and like it will be effective in training a wide variety of pinch grips.
Take a look and follow Morgan’s simple directions on how to build your own.
Enter Morgan…
I built myself a super cheap, and super effective little device for working on pinches (works for all grip types too, but specifically it’s amazing for pinches).
It’s essentially a variation on the blue ring forearm trainer, or the grip strength device things you can pick up all over the place. The difference is that THIS device actually works for climbing grips. You can build it yourself for about $15-20$ with a trip to the hardware and a stationary store (like staples), construction time if you have a saw is about 3 minutes.
Supplies:
What you need from the hardware store is:
- A length of ABS(or PVC) plastic pipe (generally comes in 4 foot lengths) which is plenty. 1.5 in diameter upto about 2.5 inches will work well. Literally whatever has matching pipe bends and is available will work.
- Four 90 degree pipe bends. (Make sure they match the pipe diameter)
From the stationary store:
- A box of #84 rubber bands. They’re the decently fat ones that hurt like mad if you shoot them at someone… i.e. the fun ones. The band width is about 1/4 in). If they don’t have these ones specifically, any size will do. If they’re smaller bands you’ll just use more at a time.
How to Make It:
Step 1
Take the plastic pipe and cut it into four equal lengths. I went with 8.5 inches which works well for most peoples hands. Remember that the 90 bends will add some size to your hand trainer thing, so don’t go too big.
Step 2
Take about a dozen of the rubber bands and slip one of the pipe sections through them. You an always add more if you need, or if they break over time.
Step 3
Using the pipe bends, make a square out of the tubes. This will leave the bands free to flop around the pipe square.
Note, there are no glues, but since everything is under a tension loading it’ll never fall apart while you’re using it.
How do you use it?
‘Dynamic’ Thumb Strength
With the bands on one side link two or three bands around your thumb and stretch your fingers across. Keeping your fingers and thumb straight, start pinching.
‘Dynamic’ Finger Strength
Take one or two bands and link each of your four fingers through them. That’s two bands for your index finger, two for your middle.. etc. Stretching your thumb across and gripping the opposite side pinch with straight fingers.
Variation: bending your fingers as you pinch will work your forearm slightly more.
Pocket Pinch Strength
Take two bands and shift them around one corner, and two around the opposite corner. Loop the bands around one corner around your thumb, and the bands around the other corner around the finger team you want to focus on (index middle, middle ring, ring pinky, or if you’re a total badass you can try mono’s). With straight fingers, pinch away.
Literally anyway you can put your fingers or thumb through and practice squeezing will make you stronger.
I’ve been playing with this thing which looks super cheap and kind of ridiculous but it is absolutely amazing. I took it to my gym and a few people made fun of me for using it, I let them play with it for two minutes and every single one of them were raving about how awesome it is.
Part of the reason this thing is so good (in my humble opinion) is that it allows you to use a progressive overloading on specific grip types which can be difficult to train, especially if you’re weak to begin with. All of the research in bodybuilding and every other ‘studied’ sport seems to hail progressive overloading as the only way to build strength. For climbing grips it is just so ridiculously difficult to do that. Enter Morgan’s hand trainer and you can build up the resistance as you build up strength in small increments (i.e. progressive overloading), and you can log what you’ve done and watch your progress as you get stronger.
Morgan May currently lives in Toronto working as a mechanical engineering designer. He has been climbing on and off for a little over twenty years now and still loves every second of it. Recently, he was forced to take three years off climbing due to injury and academics. However, he is back at it again training hard with the goal of breaking into the double digit boulder grades in the next two years.Other Articles You Might Like:
I don’t trust Morgan. I climbed with him once in the bowels of Ontario and found some of his methods questionable.
When I met him he looked directly into my eyes as he shook my hand vigorously and said, “Hi, I’m Morgan – a professional rock climber.” I found it strange that he prefers climbing in a black morph suit and Evolv Luchadors, but his ethics are what really have my balls in a juicer.
He chips stone a lot. I actually saw him chisel a jug into a sloper. When I asked him why he was doing this he replied, “You’ll never be gnar like me, bro” then rubbed chalk on his nipples while I stared in bewilderment.
He claimed the first ascent and then left the crag and I never saw him again, which was awkward because he was supposed to be my ride home.
HAHAHAHAHAHA!
LOL
A) This is not true
B) This is hilarious