Vital for challenging climbs, crimping is. Strengthen your fingers and perfect your technique, this article will help. Worth reading it is, if progress as a climber you wish to make.
Types of crimping, there are several. The full-crimp grip, the half-crimp grip, and open crimping. Each has its place, depending on the hold.
Types of Crimping in Rock Climbing
The full-crimp, the most secure it is, but also the most stressful on your fingers. Wrap your thumb over your index finger, you do, to create a vice-like grip. For small, positive edges it works well. But overuse it, you must not, or injured you may become.
The half-crimp, a balance it strikes between the full-crimp and open grip. On your fingertips you crimp, but your thumb remains unopposed. Most common for vertical faces and long sessions, it is.
Then open crimping there is, where only the pads of your fingers contact the hold. For slopers and large holds, best this grip often is. Less strain it puts on your tendons and pulleys.
Decades I have climbed, and the importance of varying your grips, I cannot overstate. Too much full-crimping, a recipe for injury it is. Listen to your body, you must, and rest when you need.
How to Perform the Crimp Grip
Proper form, essential it is for safe and effective crimping. Engage your core and maintain tension in your shoulders and back. Straight your arms should be. On your toes, your weight should rest, not in your fingers.
Place only your fingertips on the hold for crimp grips. Curl your fingers, but not excessively. Relax your grip when possible to avoid overgripping. Strive to keep your elbows slightly bent.
Good body positioning, critical it also is. Press your toes into the wall for stability. Drive upward with your legs. Hips into the wall, you want. Flag with your free leg if needed for balance.
Improving Finger Strength for Crimping
Strong fingers, you must develop, to crimp well. Hangboarding, campus boarding, and climbing on small holds – all will help. Gradually progress, you should. Too much too soon, injury it risks.
| Exercise | Purpose | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Hangboarding | Builds finger strength | 2-3x per week |
| Campus boarding | Improves contact strength | 1-2x per week |
| Climbing small crimps | Trains grip technique | Every session |
Practice half-crimping and open-crimping too, not just full crimps. A variety of grips you should train. Open-hand strength, very important it is for slopers and pinches.
Rest enough between workouts, you also must. Tendons and ligaments, slower they adapt than muscles. Patience, you must have, my young climber.
“Crimping puts immense stress on the fingers,” says renowned climbing coach Udo Ilgenfritz. “Moderation is key. Strengthen your fingers gradually over years, not weeks.”
Safely Training Crimps and Injury Prevention
Respect the crimp, you must, or suffer the consequences you will. Warm up thoroughly before crimping hard. Never crimp dynamically. And if pain you feel, stop immediately.
Listen to your body, the most important thing is. Rest at the first sign of finger soreness or tweaks. Antagonist exercises like extensor work, rice bucket training, and active rest – incorporate them you should. Strong extensors and flexors in balance, critical for injury prevention they are.
Tape your fingers if skin splits or for added support. But a crutch, tape should not become. Strengthen your fingers instead so on tape you need not rely.
Crimping Techniques for Advanced Climbs
As progress you do, more advanced crimping techniques you will encounter. Thumb catches, ring locks, stacking – tools these are in the expert climber’s arsenal.
Thumb catches, useful they can be on slopey crimps or gastons. Bring your thumb against the side of the index finger for extra friction and surface area. But tweaky this grip is, so use it sparingly.
Ring locks and stacking, techniques they are for holding tiny one- or two-finger pockets. Drop your pinky or ring finger to “lock” your hand into the hold. Or stack your fingers on top of each other to fill the pocket. Intense stress these grips create, so only for short crux sequences use them.
Essential Crimp Climbing Tips
In summary, my essential crimp climbing tips:
- Vary your grip types to avoid overuse injuries
- Strengthen fingers gradually; avoid rapid increases in intensity
- Engage your feet and core for proper body positioning
- Warm up thoroughly and stop if pain you feel
- Train finger extensors and use active rest to aid recovery
- Advanced techniques like thumb catches, use sparingly
Heed this advice, and your crimping technique will surely improve. Stronger you will climb, and healthier your fingers will stay. The path of the crimp master, long and disciplined it is. But rewarding it is, when the send you achieve. Climb on, my friend, and may the crimp be with you!
After decades of crimping, the importance of open-hand strength I have learned. For longevity in the sport, critical it is. Neglect not your slopers and pinches, or pay the price you will.
