Can you explain the physiology behind the benefits of training with added weight versus just using smaller holds?
Hey Dave, That’s a great question; here’s the logic behind it. As your grip gets stronger you can move to smaller and smaller holds, but eventually you get to a point that the edges are so small that they become painful and can rip the skin; similarly one-finger pockets can get you injured. So by adding weight to increase intensity (resistance), you can keep the “working holds” at a reasonable size, say one-half to a full first finger pad. It keeps the skin/pain factor low and eliminates the risk of unexpectedly popping off a tiny hold and getting hurt. Many climbers I’ve worked with train with anywhere from 10 to 60 lbs for hangboard, pull-ups, and HIT workouts. Be careful and add the weight slowly over a matter of months. When climbing with added weight, I suggest you use a weight belt of 10 to 20 pounds (no more). When you can do inner boulder problems on half-pad finger holds with 20lbs, you’ll feel sick strong on real rock without the weight! Of course, like any training method yo
