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jmvc
Dec 4, 2007, 5:14 PM
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Well, I have decided to get myself a fingerboard, and since all the posts that I found on the subject were fairly old, I'd like to ask if anyone has any more recent opinions.
So far I like the look of the metolius simulator or the synrock 12-part board..
Any advice? (About the board. I know I should get out and climb more, and that my fingers will be plucked from my hands, etc  )
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gobias
Dec 4, 2007, 5:35 PM
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Metolius simulator is good, except for pinches. I had some people give me suggestions to train pinch on it, but I haven't used it since I moved so I can't confirm.
Anyway, people always say get out and climb more to get stronger. Well, thanks for the words of wisdom, I've only heard that from almost every climber I've ever met. Brute force always works, it just takes a long time. There are better ways.
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jmvc
Dec 4, 2007, 6:55 PM
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gobias wrote: Anyway, people always say get out and climb more to get stronger. Well, thanks for the words of wisdom, I've only heard that from almost every climber I've ever met. Brute force always works, it just takes a long time. There are better ways.
I'd like to, it's just not an option some days.. Plus, I've got some money to burn and it will look good in my room . I don't intend to do heavy training on it, just keep my grip in practise on those sometimes week long stretches when I can't get to some real rock..
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xtremst80
Dec 4, 2007, 6:58 PM
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How long have you been climbing? The number should be greater than 3 years before getting a finger board. All you will find from them is injury if your a beginner.
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jmvc
Dec 4, 2007, 7:25 PM
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jmvc wrote: Any advice? (About the board. I know I should get out and climb more, and that my fingers will be plucked from my hands, etc ) |
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chilli
Dec 4, 2007, 7:32 PM
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xtremst80 wrote: How long have you been climbing? The number should be greater than 3 years before getting a finger board. All you will find from them is injury if your a beginner.
while i don't entirely agree that ALL you will find is injury, there is definitely wisdom in the cautionary note. jmvc, please take it to heart.
i had a hangboard as a beginner, and i didn't encounter injury, BUT i did listen carefully to all the people that told me to stick to the big holds, and dead hangs ONLY on the small ones (if you use small holds at all). did it help my climbing? NOPE. did i like mine? yeah sure. and it was part of a decent "stuck in the house" exercise routine, but that's it - just exercise.
on the other side, i had a friend really mess up some tendons because he was unaware of the hazards of overusing a hangboard when still a beginner. basically all they amount to, until you've been climbing for a couple years and have built up the tendon strength and techniques, is an expensive pull-up bar.
so, jm, i say if you want to get one fine, but please DON'T push it on all those holds with the suggested workout in the booklet, and don't expect it to help your climbing. Only climbing is going to do that (to harp on an old issue)
edit (addition): as far as advice about the actual board, i like the simulator. the NICROS board is pretty cool too.
(This post was edited by chilli on Dec 4, 2007, 7:36 PM)
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spideyman
Dec 5, 2007, 12:16 AM
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The MANTA!! Everything else is second rate.
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ja1484
Dec 5, 2007, 12:20 AM
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jmvc wrote: Well, I have decided to get myself a fingerboard,
Let's stop right there and address the first question.
Why?
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chilli
Dec 5, 2007, 1:07 AM
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spideyman wrote: The MANTA!! Everything else is second rate.
looks like a nice product, but can you speak to the stability and hold of that setup? what's the best way to set it up?
-just curious
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spideyman
Dec 5, 2007, 1:40 AM
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I most certainly can my good man. I put up a 1 inch piece of plywood and then used 2 different types of screws. I used a very long one to go through the very thick Manta board and into the studs "I could line up" and shorter length screws that go into the plywood. Additionally, depending on where you mount the Manta or any hang board for that matter, you might not be hitting studs. (Make sure your plywood goes into studs!!) I don't know of any board that has holes 16 inches on center; notwithstanding whether or not your house is level or that the carpenter was perfectly exact with his stud placements, etc. Also, many people if they are placing the board in the house will hang it over a doorway; to have that swing room. If so there are framing members which can be screwed into as well as the plywood and studs. Mine is up there bomber; also washers on the screws will prevent any spin and/or cracking of the board from over tightening. BAM!!!
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chilli
Dec 5, 2007, 6:15 AM
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thanks for the info. i really like the look of that manta.
my simulator actually has provided at least two (or more) points into the studs, typically. the rest (a couple more depending on house) of the stud anchors are from the plywood, making the simulator a pretty solid board.
however, if the texture is even half as nice as the rest of the board looks, i would suggest that jmvc go with that manta. nice looking piece of plastic.
jugs up top i assume? (jm, PLEASSE stick to those jugs and leave the rest alone if you get a board as a beginner)
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jmvc
Dec 6, 2007, 12:25 PM
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chilli wrote: thanks for the info. i really like the look of that manta. my simulator actually has provided at least two (or more) points into the studs, typically. the rest (a couple more depending on house) of the stud anchors are from the plywood, making the simulator a pretty solid board. however, if the texture is even half as nice as the rest of the board looks, i would suggest that jmvc go with that manta. nice looking piece of plastic. jugs up top i assume? (jm, PLEASSE stick to those jugs and leave the rest alone if you get a board as a beginner)
Thanks for the advice everybody!
Ps. Though I'm not a complete begginer I will be sticking to the jugs ;) I have used fingerboards before without hurting myself, and the main reason I want it is to do pull ups, as I may be aplying for a job that asks you to be able to do a fair amount of them. However, one of those bars is even more monotonous than a fingerboard to exercise on, apart from being uglier in my room..
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ntmb
Dec 10, 2007, 12:32 AM
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Do not get a fingerboard
You'll just get injured
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mushroom
Dec 11, 2007, 5:07 AM
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dude don't believe this old geezers who say you can't use a fingerboard or say that it'll be useless. I am 20, and have been climbing since I was 18. I got a finger board right around when I turned 20 and I never got any injuries from it. The point is that you should use healthly training techniques, it's not a matter of 'you can't use a hangboard until you are ready' dude you were born ready for a hangboard.
Ya, heed the advice about not using the small ones blah blah avoid injury blah blah. This should all be obvious. I think the key is that if you are a geezer or a fatty you should be careful because otherwise there's no harm in hanging around on a fingerboard. Just doing dead hangs will increase your endurance and lock-off ability tremendously, and that is one of the key component to climbing trad where you need to establish stances to place gear, and just gaining endurance for long routes in general. Not to mention, the hangboard can be the greatest way to train your core-muscles.
Tendons take like 7 years to get stronger, better to get started now. Just don't over train. Hangboard never did anything but make me way more comfortable on the rock.
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Arjen
Dec 11, 2007, 1:20 PM
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A quote from Dave Macleod to start with:
"If you can’t put up a fingerboard in your house, it isn’t worth living in…"
From this article on UKC:
http://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/page.php?id=317
I think fingerboards have a place, if you are careful with your fingers, that is.
I've got a wooden metolius one, and notice that I got stronger fingers- I can pull harder. Ok, it doesn't make up for the lack of technique, but its better to do a fingerboard session than nothing at all. Sometimes I come home so late that going to the gym doesn't make sense anymore, and a knackering session on the fingerboard is still better.
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