Full crimp vs half crimp weight Mar 11, 2025 · A full crimp involves the same finger positioning as the half crimp, but adds the thumb wrapping over the index finger. Full crimping is a much more active gripping style than half crimping. The half-crimp grip, where your fingers are bent at about 90 degrees at the first knuckle without thumb overwrap, is especially important for building strength safely. does the open… I'll get 4 fingers on, drag the index, bump to a full crimp, move to gaston, extend to index-only whatever it takes that feels within my level of risk. In that case, 3 finger drag is probably a great candidate (and then front three/back three in half crimp). Drop down to whatever weight is needed to safely do 90% max hangs like that. Climbers seem to fall into 2 camps with regard to definitions of half vs full crimp. Full crimping should be done sparingly, if at all. The open-hand crimp, also known as the half crimp, is the most widely used type of crimp grip. Going to the gym by myself and being surrounded by incredible climbers left and right. Progressive Overload: Gradually increase the difficulty of your hangs. May 1, 2024 · This hold isn’t as active as a half-crimp and relies more on friction and tension than your pulley muscles. Half crimp is also more tweaky than open on slopers IMO. com Sep 22, 2022 · From a biomechanics perspective, half crimp will be weaker than full crimp or drag because full crimp includes direct force from the thumb and open includes passive tension/friction over the edge. Half crimping stresses the fingers more than open crimping, but you will find that it is a much stronger grip. Aftercompletingthe questionnaire, the participants were asked to warm up their fingers and shoulders. In order to maintain contact with the surface, this usually requires the DIP to go from flexion -> extension -> hyperextension. I would say, however, that I see a strict half crimp every single time I'm at the gym or at the crag. Pretty sure I never pulled off the ground on a metolius 6mm either (not that I spend much time trying). I could hang 30+ kg on an 14 mm edge in the open hand position (4 fingers open). It can easily cause finger injuries, especially when overused. Nov 21, 2022 · After doing the first set of three hangs, rest 3 to 5 minutes before doing a second set of three hangs. The main difference is that your thumb is not wrapped over your index finger but instead, remains extended. Jan 4, 2024 · Half Crimp or Open-Hand Crimp. Many weight-lifters have gotten injured from deadlifting, too. When u are going on a trip to magic with a lot small crimps, implement this into your routine. 176. com/ Dec 4, 2020 · When the climbing becomes heavy, strive to utilize the half-crimp position. However if you are training open half only I agree with Sean that you need to also need to train full crimp as edge sizes begin getting smaller. Front 3 half crimp: Good for big moves (pinkie doesn’t catch) and smaller width edges. . (Photo: JOHN COEFIELD) HALF VS FULL CRIMPING Half crimp training alone cannot fully prepare you to crimp with all your might on a tiny edge. Forthefollowingforcemeasure-ments, we used an instrumented campus board. I'd be keen to hear My full crimp suddenly felt like a learned technique I could deploy at a whim, rather than a tweaky injury-prone crutch. They were provided withaguidedwarm-upvideoandseveralfinger-spe-cificwarm-uptools. Full Crimp. Your ideal training weight is 70 to 80 percent of your 1RM. If you find yourself using this grip on most holds, focus on using a half or open crimp to build up strength. Crimping was one of my major strengths, let me get my fingers on something i could pull through on a half crimp now I can’t even hold my body weight on half crimp but I can do 5 pull ups on 3 finger drag. The half-crimp offers the climber greater leverage when they are pulling hard. So why is half crimp better than full crimp? Half crimp grip and open hand grip were allowed without the use of the climber's thumb and chosen by personal preference. I forget which book I read but it claimed that half crimp would help train both the open hand and full crimp. The issue with full crimping is that, unlike a half-crimp, the ‘fail-safe’ in your body won’t react. However, this is not good for your tendons and pulleys. Oct 29, 2020 · For climbing, this means building up our strength and resilience to the full crimp position in a methodical and controlled manner. Train strictly half crimp. hoopersbeta. I recently did a cycle of only half crimp training, both 10mm and 25mm. Half Crimp . May 10, 2022 · The majority of new climbers don’t see the point in full-crimping, and many ask whether they should bother to use this grip seeing as the half-crimp feels stronger and more comfortable. Der Full Crimp ist die Grifftechnik, die besonders aus dem Kalten ein gewisses Verletzungsrisiko birgt. Posted by u/Dealios - 18 votes and 22 comments This is called full crimping! It exponentially increases the force on your fingers, meaning you can pull a lot harder. Sep 14, 2016 · Hang Board Primary Position Complex 8 Rounds: 5 Second Hang (to start, this work interval will increase first to 7 seconds, then to 10 seconds) 10 Seconds Rest of each Primary Position and the smallest ledge possible while still making the work interval. Cannot full crimp it. A full crimp is when your fingers on the crimp hold are at a full arch with your fingertips/finger pads and your thumb clasps on top of the hold. The DIP and PIP joints are usually also more flexed in a full crimp, which shortens the levers between fingertips and knuckles, putting the hand in a It seems like most good climbers I see get more power from half crimp and full crimp. My max hanging routine currently revolves around the standard 20 mm edge and some two finger pockets. Feb 9, 2020 · First, we must understand that there are 3 different crimping positions: 1) the open crimp 2) closed hand crimp and 3) full crimp. It definitely has the open-hand feel with the finger pads being peeled and the weight bearing on the A1 tendon rather than the A3 and forearms. Oct 6, 2024 · There are two primary ways to grip a crimp hold: the full crimp and the half crimp. Going to font, do the same with open handed or dragged hangboarding and some wristwrench work. U never climb like number 3. Why should we use anything but those holds in this discussion? Feb 1, 2022 · Don’t be shy of the crimp. Aug 25, 2019 · Maybe 1-3 climbs per session at most and not full effort. Due to the higher forces put through the joints and pulleys it should be trained via climbing After doing the first set of five hangs, rest for 5 to 10 minutes before doing a second set of five hangs. As a result I would only full crimp if I really had to and otherwise try to pinch a lot of stuff or just open hand it. I’m not convinced there is a big benefit to training true half crimp vs open half. And when I put my thumb over my index finger I feel like I'm going to break it. I am going to speak in anatomical terms to avoid confusion. With half crimp and the thumb just flexing in air, I have to actively fight to keep my hand from opening up. The full-crimp hand position should be reserved for those difficult crimp sequences where maximum stability is required. The full crimp grip involves curling your fingers tightly over the hold, with your thumb pressing down over your index finger for added support. Half Crimp (Image #2) The half crimp is a more sustainable grip. Advanced climbers can do one or two additional sets that target three-finger drag and the various one- and two-finger pocket grips. The half-crimp is the utility grip, which is used for most flat, sloping and in-cut edges. May 29, 2014 · fully closed crimp grip = (a) second joint (PIP) from the tip of each finger is flexed at roughly a 90 degree angle; (b) tip bone of the finger is angled significantly backward/upward relative to the second bone; (c) first joint (DIP) closest to the tip is vertically lower than the second joint (PIP) in from the tip; and (d) the thumb lies over Apr 5, 2018 · training the full crimp and half crimp is fine. There is an avalanche of misinformation on the internet vilifying crimping, and especially full crimping, as completely unnecessary and dangerous, whether due to misinterpretation of research or their own subjective experiences. The half crimp is characterised by a hyper extension of the distal joints and the full crimp grip is characterised by the addition of the thumb on the other fingers. Primary Positions Full Crimp Open Hand Half Crimp 3-Finger Open Hand The entire effort […] Crimping is commonly broken into three different grip types based on the angle of your fingers and the location of your thumbs called full, half and open crimp. The index, middle and ring fingers are bent at 90 degrees, the pinky may be slightly straighter and usually contours the hold, and the thumb either rests next to the index finger or pinches the side of the hold, if possible. I see the same hold/move getting done with full crimp, half crimp, and even drag sometimes. In a half crimp, the index, middle, and ring fingers are bent at a 90-degree angle. Unless you are really pulling on that project, I suggest half crimping for the majority of your crimps. So open hand should be better for A3 pulleys than crimping. Higher risk than drag positions. Building the robustness of the structures in our hand that the full crimp stresses takes patience, consistency, and time. When to Use Half crimp vs. Mar 16, 2005 · 4. Why Use a Half Crimp?: Climbers often use the half crimp grip because it . The half crimp is a lot closer to the full crimp morphologically so that makes sense I can lock off way deeper. Half-crimping front 3, or any 2 finger combos is also way more tweaky for me than dragging them. The biggest difference between the half crimp and the full crimp is that the thumb wraps over the pointer with the full crimp, and with the half crimp, the thumb doesn’t engage the pointer. At the same time if I ever had to full crimp it would A) feel weak and B) feel super dodgy. 9 cm Nov 10, 2024 · I’ve discovered my half crimp strength has gone almost completely and I now open hand everything. Crimping ain’t easy. This is screaming injury ^ stick with open drag, half crimp and (thumb on) full crimp. Jun 22, 2024 · The internet did not enjoy watching me full crimp pinches. For half crimping, the A2 has some redirection from the shear loading of the A3 pulley. The Also, you have to consider where your elbow is in relation to your hand, on real rock, like Gastons, crossing moves, really wide moves, etc. Camp 1: -Half crimp = hyperextension of DIP (B in picture linked below) -Full crimp = half crimp as described above + thumb lock over index finger (C in picture linked below) See full list on climbing. Dave Parry on I Like Ya Cut G, Gardom's Edge, England. This Nov 18, 2007 · I just had a read of an older thread on 2/3 finger half crimp and I'm getting a better idea of it all. My open hand and full crimp both improved (but not as much as my half crimp did). Each method has its advantages, but it’s important to know when and how to use them safely. Initially focus on training the half-crimp and open-crimp grip—one set of each. I have a couple of aspirational projects that require a significant bump in crimp strength, and I'm tentatively considering incorporating some full crimps into my routine. Initially focus on training the half-crimp and open-crimp grip—one set each. Oct 15, 2021 · The half crimp position and full crimp position are nearly identical with one key difference. To counter this, you don’t have to look far on YouTube to see an elite climber full-crimping (aka: boning) a waifer-thin edge on a hard boulder project. Is this large strength disparity between half & full crimp common among most climbers? I did some searching on the sub, and if anything it seems most people are stronger in open or half crimp than full crimp. May 30, 2007 · For me, half-crimp back 3 (the only way I can hold small things back 3 - my fingers wont fit on an edge in any other way) is the most tweaky of all grips, except perhaps index/pinky monos. Would be nice to match my current full crimp strength aka 5 sec hand on toms latice or 11 sec on BM currently at 10kilos asistance for half and 20 for open. I had to take a deep breath and just go for my V0 project. com/finger-tool🩹 $19/MO SCIENCE-BACKED INJURY RECOVERY PROGRAMS: https://www. The full crimp can generate even more force, but also places significantly more stress on the finger tendons and joints, increasing the risk of injury. Chisel grip is great when you're hanging more as it's more efficient, but won't carry over to full crimp much. With a full crimp the redirection angle is 90*ish as well. Whenever I try hangboarding half crimp my pinky finger eventually gives up and turns it into open hand. Full Crimp Grip. 0 ± 9. Not enough friction on mine to open hand. Climbers are more concerned with grip technique than adjusting body weight properly. Open crimp: involves flexion of the proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joint to 90 degrees with extension of the distal interphalangeal (DIP) joint. This fail-safe is when your half-crimp is compromised, and you fall into an open-hand grip. The open hand position sets your wrist at a more relaxed downwards pulling angle, so when you really need to lock The full crimp position causes more stress on the pulleys than the open hand position An eccentric force (e. When I first started rock climbing, everything seemed so intimidating. It’s a grip that works best on narrow, small fingertip handholds that don’t require a super aggressive technique like the full-crimp grip. Full crimp grip and 3 finger drag were not permitted. Depelop my open handed/half crimp strength. Jan 19, 2021 · That would be a full crimp and will be discussed in the next section. Force strict half crimp defined only by index finger. Leave your ego at home. It’s best for most flat and incut edges, especially if the edges are larger, and can even be deployed on slopers and sloping edges. Stay on 20mm. The hand placement is the same as a full crimp. Dec 14, 2016 · For the small edge open-hand, my pinky is clinging straight while the middle's PIP is about 140 degrees and the DIP at about 165 degrees. We practice half crimp to let our thumbs work independently on pinches, slopers and thumb catches AND as a less injury than full crimping all the time. Jul 13, 2021 · It’s recommended to use the half-crimp whenever possible, as it also helps to build hand and forearm strength on a variety of holds. Mar 30, 2024 · Grip Types: Focus on half-crimp and full-crimp grips. Does this sound like a sensible approach - bring in some half crimping, but mainly 4 finger, with back/front 3 if it feels ok (I have to half crimp the middle and ring finger on back 3 anyway due to short pinkies). Sep 11, 2023 · Beim Bouldern ist der Back-Three Half Crimp vor allem dann eine Möglichkeit, wenn du deinen Griff leicht anwinkeln willst. in half-crimp and the right hand in half-crimp tothereference. The half crimp grip is best used for climbing along surfaces with small holds and narrow edges. Same with full crimp, deadhang some full crimps for max hangs, if you can't do it with bodyweight, take some weight off. To perform a half-crimp, a climber’s index, middle, and ring fingers are bent at a 90-degree angle while the pinky is straight (simply because it is Apr 13, 2025 · There are three different crimp grips, the open hand grip, half crimp and full crimp grip. Jan 9, 2023 · Which is ironic considering our entire channel is literally devoted to… the exact opposite. It is a grip position that many climbers become accustomed to for it is the grip position that they train most frequently, however, it could be argued that a four-finger open-had position could often be used in the place of this half crimp. Typically this means using a hangboard 1-2x/week with a slow and steady progression. In addition, if you are certain the only way to hold something is with a super powerful full crimp, consider making adjustments to your feet and body position to make climbing holds feel better instead of always resulting to full crimping. You can do this by reducing the size of the edges you Comparison of half crimp type, large (towards open hand) or small (towards full crimp) Three hold types are typically discussed in the literature: the open hand (slope), the half crimp (fingers at 90 degrees at the second joint), or full crimp (with thumb lock off). Full Crimp Grip vs Half Crimp Grip Sep 27, 2024 · Yes, many climbers have gotten injured while full crimping. It said that open hand would help half crimp but not full crimp. Half-Crimp: The half-crimp is the grip with the most applications while climbing. For more on crimping and hand positions, click here. foot slip, sudden tiring of the muscles, dynamic move) causes more stress than a concentric force Injury epidemiology Approximate distribution - Upper extremity 70% (finger highest prevalence), lower Aug 15, 2017 · To half crimp, increase contact with the hold by bending 90 degrees at the middle knuckle. Mar 27, 2019 · Half Crimp. In an open crimp the PIP is between 180 (flat) and 90 degrees, a half crimp is 90 degrees (with say +- 10 degrees of "wiggle room"), and a full crimp is PIP < 90 degrees. I can half crimp it for a few seconds. In a half crimp, the length of your fingers on the hold form a full bend in relation with the tips of your fingers resting on the edge of the hold but the thumb is placed to the side of the grip and isn’t used to apply pressure on the top. Half crimp will improve your full crimp strength. The full crimp is more suited for square-cut ledges with a recess for better finger traction. Der Fünfte im Bunde – mit dem Daumen vom Half Crimp zum Closed Crimp und Full Crimp. Full crimp. Full crimp: Good for small edges. For both open hand and half crimp, the A2 pulley does not redirect the tendon, so has zero force. Drop index = fail, drop weight more. Then I started doing half crimp hangboarding. Nov 9, 2022 · Back 3 half crimp: Good for those with weaker pinky fingers. Advanced climbers can do a second set for each half- and open-crimp grips, or do additional sets that target two-finger pockets (open-hand grip) and pinch grip. Translates best. When you full crimp you add an extra 20% power to the crimp by adding the thumb, increasing the stress on the tendons even more. It's especially dangerous if you do an unexpected motion, like when your feet cut unexpectedly and suddenly your tendons, while already under great stress, have to take on your full weight. Prediction: Rapid number growth after battling the ego-- significant improvement on smaller edges and half and full crimping in life. My fingers ‘felt’ it in the same exact areas, but the volume and intensities of the climb was enough that it didn’t start a cascade of aggravation. Tip: Use the full crimp sparingly. The 8mm feels very hard. If you can't deadhang in a half crimp without having your hand open up then take weight off with a pulley so you can stay in the position and train it. Both involve gripping with your fingertips and locking your finger joints. Right now I'm training my half crimp and full crimp by low intensity Feb 24, 2023 · • 9 reps moderate weight at 4-RPE • 8 reps moderately heavy weight at 6-RPE • 6 reps with a heavy weight at 7-RPE • 2 reps with a heavier weight at 9-RPE • 1 rep with an increased heavier weight at 10-RPE (assuming form is OK) Step 3: Calculate Your Training Weight. *Disclaimer: I only train half crimp max hangs; open was my original strength for the first 3 years, followed by full crimp-- half crimp has always been my weakest position. I spent the last 40 days forcing myself to get better at the half and open crimp to improve my te However he did say that he trains full crimp which would train the things the true half crimp position trains. so V4-5 full crimping as opposed to something like V8-10+ full crimping. In both the half crimp grip and full crimp grip, your index finger, middle finger, ring finger, and pinky grip the rock surface, and your fingers lock at the second joint. Jan 4, 2024 · Instead of crimping every hold, try to mix in other grip types, like the three-finger drag or half crimp. g. I regularly pull on smaller, sharper, incut crimps on rock, fully-closed crimp and love it (of course, feet-on). ☝️ FREE FINGER INJURY SELF-ASSESSMENT: https://www. started max weight hangs, my open crimp on 20mm is body weight + 50% for close to 8 sec, but half crimp i can only hang with +20% ish. xdagp qxry svbopdi qoyg gdjoj tdgtd qbjeo xnfpnbs pkha ffa