When Should You Start Hangboarding For Boulders

Hangboarding gets a lot of hype as a way to build grip strength and grip technique, and it earns some of it. But there’s a pile of conflicting advice about when to start hangboarding, and that’s exactly what trips up new boulderers who just want to know if they’re ready.

So when should you start hangboarding for boulders? The most common recommendation is to wait until you’ve been bouldering for at least a year, climbing at least 2 days per week during that year. That said, you can start hangboarding earlier in your training if you’ve got the discipline and the understanding of hangboard training to do it safely.

Hangboard training will help you build grip strength, but honestly most climbers would get more out of technique work than a few extra pounds of finger strength.

What is hangboard training for?

Most hangboard routines have you hold a specific position for around 10 seconds and then rest for a minute. These routines build grip strength and help boulderers learn to use different edge sizes and hold types efficiently.

On top of that, a lot of boulderers use a hangboard to build full body strength by using the hang time to practice ab work or even pull-ups. Before you add full body work to your hangboard routine, get your grip technique and your basic hang dialed in first so you don’t strain a tendon trying harder positions and movements. If you’re not sure your finger positions are solid yet, spend time learning how to crimp safely before you load up on the board.

Do boulderers benefit from hangboard training?

Hangboard training does help with grip strength, which is often a limiting factor for new climbers. But the gains from hangboarding are usually disappointing compared to what you get from technique and mental training.

For example, most beginner and intermediate boulderers over-grip because of a lack of mental training. That makes them feel like they need more grip strength to keep climbing. But if they gripped softer on the holds, using the minimum amount they actually need, they’d find that most of the climbs in front of them already suit their grip strength. Yes, even that crimpy climb in the corner of the gym.

Body movement and footwork also change how much forearm and finger strength you need, because depending on your body position you might not need nearly as much hand and arm strength as you think. If your feet are sloppy, a stronger grip is just a band-aid. A set of footwork drills will usually do more for your climbing than the hangboard will.

For this reason, most pro climbers and bouldering coaches tell new and intermediate climbers to build technique first, then mental strength, and then physical strength like grip on a hangboard last.

In most cases, unless you’re prepping for the Olympics, the strength you gain from focusing on technique will be plenty for any climb you want to send.

When to start hangboarding, and why waiting pays off

Most climbers recommend you wait until you’re at least a year into climbing, with real experience under your belt, before you start hangboard training. But why? Hangboarding demands a lot of tendon strength, and unlike muscles, you can’t just build tendons up by lifting heavier weights. Tendon strength comes from using them over and over across a long stretch of time, not from slapping more weight on your belt.

Beginner climbers usually haven’t learned their true limits when it comes to the small tendons in the hand, so they often end up injuring their fingers while hangboarding. Pair a finger injury with the weeks or months you can’t climb because of it, and you lose a lot more than any gains you would have gotten from the board. That’s the real reason knowing when to start hangboarding matters so much.

Alternative exercises to hangboard training

If you want to build grip strength without the risk, or the cost of buying a hangboard, there are plenty of alternatives. I’ve got a full list of exercises and how to do them here.

1. Plate Hold: Hold a 15 to 45 pound weighted plate in each hand, depending on your strength, until your grip fails. Want it harder? Pinch two plates together in each hand. Trust me, pinching two plates is a lot harder than it looks.
2. Dead Hang: If you’ve ever done CrossFit, you already know this one. Hang from a pull-up bar while pulling your shoulders back and pushing your chest up for 1 minute. To make it tougher, throw a towel over the bar and hold the bar with one hand while the other holds the towel for balance.
3. Boa Constrictor Ring Grip: Using a ring grip trainer, squeeze the ring closed. Hold it shut for at least 10 seconds, then slowly release the tension for as long as you can.

See the 12 grip training exercises guide here.

Want a short, no-fuss way to keep improving between sessions? The free Send Edition newsletter sends you one climbing drill a week that takes about 15 minutes, so you can build technique and healthy habits without overloading your fingers.

When is hangboarding safer than climbing?

Because so many people have gotten hurt climbing, you don’t usually see much written about when hangboarding is actually the safer option. But crimp climbing can be just as dangerous as hangboarding, if not more.

On a crimpy climb, for example, you can lose your footing and drop your full weight onto your fingers in an instant. When you’re hangboarding, you’re in a controlled setting where you can track the time, weight, and force you’re putting on your finger tendons, so you can keep the risk of injury low.

On top of that, if you’re working a super crimpy problem, you could keep throwing yourself at that starting hold over and over, or you could take the grip work to the hangboard and usually get the gains faster than grinding out the same attempt again and again.

How often should you train on a hangboard?

Hangboard training takes a lot of effort and tendon strength, so it’s smart to keep it to once or twice per week, depending on how often you climb.

On the days you do hangboard, warm your fingers up well and then hangboard before your climbing session. If you do it after climbing, you’re more likely to make mistakes and overuse your tendons. Pay attention to how your grip feels while you climb too, so you don’t overwork those tendons. If you feel pain in your hands, stop climbing. For more on balancing training with recovery, here’s how to climb more often without getting injured.

After a few weeks of hangboard training, think about shifting focus to something else like footwork or training for power.

Can you hangboard every day?

Hangboarding every day really isn’t ideal. Your tendons need recovery time, even more than your muscles do. Hangboarding daily raises your risk of injury and can actually shrink the gains you’d have gotten if you let your hands recover.

For that reason, keep it to a maximum of 2 to 3 days per week, and even less if you’re already climbing 2 to 3 days per week.

Should I hangboard before or after climbing?

Hangboarding works best after a warm-up and before climbing. Doing it in that order keeps your injury risk down so you don’t overuse your finger tendons. A solid 5 to 10 minute warm-up for climbing is the right way to prep before you touch the board.

A lot of climbers choose to hangboard on days they aren’t climbing so they don’t compromise their climbing with the fatigue of hangboarding. Just remember your hands need recovery time, and if you’re climbing on the days you aren’t hangboarding, you aren’t giving them that recovery.

How long should a hangboard session be?

After a thorough warm-up, a hangboard session usually runs around 5 minutes, including the long rest periods.

If you’re ready to start hangboard training, you’ll probably do better with a tested routine than something you make up on the spot. A structured app like Grip & Grind or a routine from a climbing training manual can keep your sessions consistent and safe. Use a proven hangboard routine instead of inventing your own.

Frequently asked questions

When should you start hangboarding for bouldering?

The common recommendation is to wait until you’ve been bouldering for about a year, climbing at least 2 days per week during that time. You can start earlier if you truly understand hangboard training and have the discipline to do it safely, but building technique first usually pays off more than early grip work.

Can you hangboard every day?

No. Your tendons need more recovery than your muscles, so hangboarding daily raises your injury risk and can even reduce your gains. Keep it to a maximum of 2 to 3 days per week, and less if you’re already climbing 2 to 3 days a week.

Should you hangboard before or after climbing?

Hangboard after a full warm-up and before your climbing session. Doing it before you climb keeps your fingers fresh and lowers your risk of overusing your tendons, which is more likely if you hangboard while already fatigued from a session.

Is hangboarding dangerous for beginners?

It can be. Beginners often haven’t learned the limits of the small tendons in their hands, so they’re more likely to injure their fingers on the board. A finger injury can cost you weeks or months of climbing, which is far more than you’d gain from hangboarding early, so caution and patience matter.

How long should a hangboard session be?

After a thorough warm-up, a hangboard session usually lasts around 5 minutes, including the long rest periods between hangs.

Sara Climbing Coach, Climbing Trainer, Writer

Sara is the founder of Send Edition, author of '77 Drills to Help You Climb Better,' the creator of 'Elevate Your Climbing: Training Planner and Tracker,' and climbing coach.

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