Rock Climbing Training: Pinches, Slopers, Forearms

Pinch like a vice, hang on slopers like sandpaper on sandpaper. That’s the goal.

rock climbing training pinches slopers
The goal. My husband’s forearms. While I don’t have his innate, legendary pinch strength, I’ve tried enough exercises to know what works the most efficiently.

Step 1: grease the groove with a grip strengthener (really)

Every time you go to the bathroom, squeeze a pinch trainer. It’s called Grease the Groove, where you do quantity of low-intensity reps to keep your muscles and neurons firing. The theory started with Pavel Tsatsouline, father of the kettlebell, and is used in military applications for training. I swear by doing a set of pinch trainers or hangboard hangs each time I go to the bathroom.

It really prevents muscle atrophy on your days off–meaning you’ll be starting off at a better base each day you actually climb.

Also do these with a “flat-finger” pinch–you’ll have to drop the resistance. You’ll feel your thumb and forearm kick in more.

An Actually Good Grip Strength Trainer

Amazon

A++ compared to those donuts. You can adjust from 20-90lb resistance.

Step 2: Dumbbell pinches

After each training session, spend a few minutes hanging dumbbells or small plates to blocks that you pinch. Train narrow to the largest size you can grip. Work on alternating sets of 10 seconds.

Bonus: you can hang these from a pull-up bar and try to dead hang from them. It’s way harder than having fixed pinches on a wall!

climbing training slopers forearms pinches
Hang weights to train. You can also loop the cord over a pull-up bar and deadhang from them. Way harder than it seems!
climbing training slopers forearms pinches
Make pinches out of 1-, 2-, and 3- 2×4’s. Clamp them together with Gorilla Glue.
climbing training slopers forearms pinches
Glue grip tape or sandpaper (100 grit works well) on the sides and add hooks on the bottom. 

Atomik Pinch Blocks

Amazon

You can find ready-made pinch climbing holds with an eyelet for a cord to hang, but they’re expensive and don’t come in multiple sizes.

Step 3: The broomstick

The forearm roller isn’t just for warm-up or rehab. While the pinch hangs train max strength output in an isometric contraction (muscles aren’t lengthening or shortening), the curl will train control and stability in various wrist positions. Take a broom stick, chop it short, drill a hole through, and hang a rope.

Curl both ways. Pull wrists up to lift the weight, working out the extensors, and roll wrists down to lift the weight, working out flexors. The direction that the rope twists around the stick matters, too.

Go slow and steady. Count each time you roll a hand. Each roll should take at least 1sec. You’re training control, not max output.

Do this at the end of the workout after Step 2: the pinch dead hangs. Both should take <10min.

Forearm Curler

Amazon

Attach weights to the bottom, get a burn rolling up and down. Or make your own out of a broom handle.

Step 4: G Strings

SICGrips Gstring. These specifically train slopers. Hang like hangboard workouts, X sec on, Y sec off. They’re completely adjustable for angle, and flip and you have a crimp. Do a 10sec hang each time you walk by.

Like the pinch strength trainer (step 1), doing these on your days off will grease the groove, so you maintain your gains between climbing sessions.

climbing training slopers forearms pinches
Hang from cross beams in your ceiling.

SICGrips Gstring

sicgrips.com

sicgrips

Step 5: Eye on the Prize

climbing training slopers forearms pinches

If you’re interested in more, here’s my actually-worthwhile training gear and apps. They’re the right price, efficient, and no-frills.


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