Hangboard Training 2 times per day for 2 years

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Today we are taking a look at what happens after hangboarding two times per day for two years. We also talk to an expert who explains how it's possible to see great results in strength from a low intensity hangboard protocol.

If you're in need of any help with tweaky or injured bodyparts, visit Aloma, Kalle's practice!
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Timestamps:
0:00 Background
1:57 Previous results
3:06 The new protocol
6:26 Kalle - The expert
7:05 How did I see such crazy results?
8:33 Can beginners do this?
9:29 Stiffness in a tendon
10:53 Is it dangerous for beginners?
12:35 Two years of hangboarding every day

My gear:
Favorite shoes
Chalk Bucket
Chalk bag

Everything shot on Sony A7SIII with Tamron lenses.

Any support is incredibly welcomed and appreciated. You all make the content happen!

Instagram:

[EmilAbrahamsson]

Heyo peeps!
I've made a little follow along video for anybody who would find it easier to try this themselves that way:

[Klossus]

I am a surgeon. Finger health is, like lots of other commenters, paramount to my livelihood. I always had terrible pulley pain but for about a year now I used the twice a day method...with my own way of interpreting it. I use any edge available to me to hang on, since I don't always have access to a finger board. Usually a door frame. I NEVER fully weight bear on these exercises and I think this is the most important aspect to it.

For the first time since I've started climbing, my hands/fingers are completely pain and stiffness free and I feel more confident not getting injured. Has it made me stronger? Probably no. Do I feel better and more confident training and climbing? Absolutely.

[spirit]

It's already been 2 years? No way, I refuse to believe

[priceviolinacademy]

I’m a professional violinist and avid climber so finger health has obviously been a major concern for me. I have to say this protocol has been amazing for me this last year. I’ve had exactly the same experience with the feeling of both less stiffness and increased recruitment in my sessions during the times when I’ve been consistent with it. I listened to the Lattice interview with Emil about it and liked the clarification that the protocol has more to do with tendon health rather than strength. Emil said it allowed him to pull harder in actual sessions and that was also pivotal to his gains. I appreciate the sharing and can add my voice to the non-scientific crowds of people benefitting from this!

[EmilAbrahamsson]

Hey friends!
After the last video on this subject (Feb 2021) I said I’d post an update in a month or two.. ended up being a long month 😅
I hope you like this episode and follow-up, and that it answers some curiosities that arose from the previous one!

Anyway, I’ll be away for the coming hours for the Nordic Championship final, so I’ll respond to comments a bit later, just fyi! Wish me luck 😊

PS. get Crimpd, it’s good for your health

[Melnihr]

As an electrician, something that is definitely an ongoing concern for me is finger health, since it seems pretty common for older electricians to develop arthritis in their hands. Your first video on this encouraged me to get a hangboard (I was pretty new to climbing at the time), and I've been doing this routine off and on ever since. Whenever I've stopped for too long, I start noticing a dull ache in my hands from work, and when I get back on this routine my fingers start feeling healthy and strong again.

I'm so glad I came across your channel, and especially the original hangboard routine video, it has changed my finger health for the better ❤.

[Neil_Pad]

Been on this protocol for about 6 months, only doing one 10-minute sesh a day instead of two. Went from pulling 130lbs on a 20mm tension block in August 2023, to now rocking a 4-second one-arm hang on the 21mm middle edge of the Beastmaker 2000 (I'm 180lbs). Was kinda doubting the protocol at first, but dang, it's been a game-changer. Helped with my finger tenosynovitis and helped a ton with rehabbing multiple pulley injuries. Currently dealing with a partial tear on my left middle A2, but I'm eyeing that one-arm hang on my left hand this year! Thx a lot for sharing Emil!

[adamhaas]

I think you guys have nailed it. It's really about motor learning in a controlled environment. As Emil aptly points out, climbing inherently tends to be chaotic. This makes it an example of what's called "random practice". Meanwhile, the hangboard sessions described would be considered a form of "blocked practice". Since it has been established that motor skills are more efficiently acquired through the combination of blocked and random practice than with either one alone, it makes perfect sense to conclude that regular hangboarding of this type is likely to cause a climber to develop more refined gripping technique. Any purely physiological changes that might also be occurring is really a separate matter.

[Tim_flips]

Didn't expect another update on this! looking forward to watching!

[tobias_george]

I loaded up YouTube specifically to watch your original hangboard protocol video again and I find this as the first hit!

[thechisensei]

This worked. I and my student did this starting January this year on the pinch (Trango Hangboard). We cannot hang on the pinch, like it's impossible. (i actually did hang before I stopped climbing for 7 years, and lost that power; while she, 16 yo, never tried it ever.). Just a few weeks ago, we can hang on the pinch for more than 10 seconds. It was the only strengthening workout we did on pinches. We never have injuries with it! Thanks, Emil! IT WORKED!

[TheMacroGravity]

I've use this program on and off since the first video released. I think, for me, the best use has been for creating a base before starting heavier hangboard/harder training routine. Over the course of a few weeks it primes the tendons so I can then start doing a max hang or repeater protocol with confidence that I won't hurt myself.

[Nicoandthepage]

Love the nerdy content! I saw that first video about this topic a few month back, started doing hangs for a bit but stopped because I was unsure about injuries. after hearing that it is reasonably safe for beginners I will definitely pick the habit back up so I can continue to speedrun bouldering!
Also good luck in the finals my dude!🙏

[Tarro]

This is very interesting. I also think it's great that you include an experts point of view, and that you include a number of disclaimers. (I may also be biased since Kalle, the expert in the video, helped my fingers recover from a persistent injury!)

[artglasgo]

Love this update! Would be good to see a video on what more intense training you did when you were at your strongest alongside the sub-max daily hangs

[guillermosanchezdionis]

I really like the part where your discuss hangboarding for beginners! I've been climbing for 1.5 years, and partially ruptured my pulley after 3 months. For recovery, I was recommended to do submax hangs in different grip positions and have kept the practice even after fully recovering. Indeed finger/tendon health is what I feel now! I think beginners should hangboard but following good guidance from people that know about finger health. This is also a great way to learn/understand different grip positions!

[hatifnat]

When i started hangboarding 3 months ago I used your training as I found it doable as a complete beginner.
I’m glad it wasn’t just a fluke.

[Gullshunter]

For a small time (about 1.5month) is used to do a small light morning training. About 5 set of 20reps with easy grippers, 2 sets of easy pinches, 2 set of easy wrist wrench, 2 set of easy finger extensor, and 2 light set of easy wrist flexion and extension.
No hangboarding tho as i didnt have an hangboard at home.
I remember during this time my fingers and my hand would feel really good on the wall, not tweaky as they always feel,

Seeing this video, il start to do that again with a little bit of hangboard too.

[codyheiner]

Wow!! Mad props Felix! And loved to hear from the finger expert!

This feels very well-analyzed and scientific. Amazing research and compilation, Emil.

[moluper]

Most injuries to the Fingers are not to the tendon itself but to the ligaments guiding the tendon. That training helps to build resillience in the passive structures aka ligaments. The model i came up with why it helps with recruitment is more indirect. Tissue has a fedback loop to the brain and if its near to damage it stops recruitment of the musle fibers. So probaply throu strengthening the passive structures it helps to go more to physiological Limit of the structure.

Also as i recal Keiths Bars research was on ligamnets not an tendons, but was quit impressive!