Four Weeks of Finger Grip Training for Elite Performance
Because climbing requires explosive strength and rapid force, the researcher's objective was to determine the impact of a short-term, targeted finger grip training program on maximal force and rate of force development (RFD) in elite climbers. They hypothesized that a focused, high-intensity finger training regimen would significantly improve both metrics.
Methodology:
Participants and Selection:
Sample size: 14 French male elite climbers, all competitive on national or international levels and ranked among the top 20 in France for the 2015-2016 season.
Inclusion Criteria:
Skill level exceeding an 8b rating in the Fontainebleau system (equivalent to YDS 5.13d).
Minimum of five years of training experience.
No history of hand or upper-limb injuries within the past year.
Sample Strengths: Homogeneous skill level among participants and elite standing ensures results are highly relevant to advanced climbers.
Sample Limitations: Small sample size and single-gender selection limit generalizability.
Experimental Design:
Group Assignment: Participants were randomly divided into an experimental group and a control group, each with seven climbers.
Training Protocol:
Control Group: Continued with regular climbing sessions without additional finger-specific training.
Experimental Group: Engaged in a specific training regimen developed with the French national team’s coaches, including:
Three weekly sessions over four weeks.
Training Content: Isometric holds (4–6 seconds per hold) using slope and half-crimp grips, performed for two series of six exercises per session, with a three-minute rest between exercises.
Grip Conditions: Hangs performed on individually challenging holds where climbers could maintain a grip for only a few seconds.
Training Structure: The experimental group received 45-minute sessions that complemented, rather than replaced (in addition to), their regular training.
Testing Protocol:
Pre- and Post-Testing:
Conducted in a controlled environment, maintaining standard circadian timing and ambient conditions (20°C ± 0.5°C) to reduce extraneous influences.
Measurements:
Maximal Force: Measured with a dynamometer across three grip positions—slope crimp, half crimp, and full crimp.
Rate of Force Development (RFD):
RFD200ms: Calculated as the force generated in the initial 200 ms.
RFD95%: Measured as the force-time slope up to 95% of maximal force, capturing later-phase strength gains.
Reliability Measures: High intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC > 0.8) and low coefficients of variation (CV < 10%) confirmed methodological reliability.
Key Findings:
Maximal Force:
There was no significant increase in absolute maximal force across grip conditions.
Notable Exception: The experimental group's right-hand slope crimp had an 8% increase in normalized maximal force (force per unit body weight), suggesting a targeted strength gain tied to the specific training grips.
Rate of Force Development (RFD):
Significant gains were observed in RFD200ms across all grip types for the experimental group:
Slope crimp: +32%
Half crimp: +27.5%
Full crimp: +28%
No significant changes were found in RFD95%, implying that the four-week protocol predominantly enhanced neural efficiency—likely through improved motor unit recruitment and firing rate—rather than muscular structural changes.
Control Group: Displayed no significant improvements in RFD, reinforcing that gains were likely due to the specific training protocol rather than typical climbing activities.
Safety and Injury Considerations:
The study’s focus on slope and half-crimp grips for training was intended to reduce injury risk, particularly strain on the A2 and A4 pulleys associated with the full crimp. The observed performance gains in the full crimp position for RFD suggest that similar neural adaptations may be achieved without direct full crimp training, potentially reducing injury risks.
Detailed Training Protocol
The study’s training protocol targeted rapid force development in climbers, focusing on high-intensity isometric hangs in specific grip positions. The regimen was conducted under carefully controlled parameters to ensure consistency and accurately measure the impact of this short, intensive protocol.
Training Details:
Frequency: The experimental group performed training 3 x / week for 4 weeks.
Duration of Holds: Each rep required participants to maintain grip for 4–6 seconds.
Grip Positions:
During training, slope crimp and half crimp were used, both involving the flexor digitorum profundus (FDP) and flexor digitorum superficialis (FDS).
The full crimp grip was excluded from training sessions to reduce the risk of injury, given the high strain it places on the A2 and A4 pulleys.
Edge Sizes:
Specific edge sizes varied, with participants selecting holds individually suited to their maximum isometric grip strength. These holds ranged between 25 mm and 6 mm in depth, chosen to allow a maximum hold duration of 6 seconds.
Exercise Structure:
Two series of six exercises per session, with each exercise lasting 4–6 seconds.
Rest Periods: Climbers rested for three minutes between exercises to ensure maximal recovery and avoid fatigue impacting performance.
Force Development Measurements
Rate of Force Development at 200ms (RFD200ms)
To assess improvements in explosive strength, the study measured RFD in the initial 200 ms of force generation, known as RFD200ms, across three grip positions: slope crimp, half crimp, and full crimp.
Average and Peak RFD200ms for Each Grip Condition:
The results below are specific to the experimental group’s gains after the four-week training program.
Slope Crimp:
Pre-Test RFD200ms Average:
Left Hand: 942.00 ± 314.68 N/s (211.76 ± 70.71 lb/s)
942 *.2 (200ms) = 188 N/s (or) 42 lb/s
Right Hand: 978.29 ± 488.06 N/s (219.86 ± 109.68 lb/s)
978 * . 2 (200ms) = 195 N/s (or) 43.8 lb/s
Post-Test RFD200ms Average:
Left Hand: 1407.50 ± 259.23 N/s (316.48 ± 58.29 lb/s)
(200ms) = 281 N/s (or) 63 lb/s
Right Hand: 1412.86 ± 513.52 N/s (317.65 ± 115.46 lb/s)
(200ms) = 282.4 N/s (or) 63.3 lb/s
Change:
Left Hand: 33.1% increase
Right Hand: 30.9% increase
Half Crimp:
Pre-Test RFD200ms Average:
Left Hand: 978.86 ± 363.97 N/s (219.89 ± 81.83 lb/s)
Right Hand: 995.50 ± 446.02 N/s (223.71 ± 100.28 lb/s)
Post-Test RFD200ms Average:
Left Hand: 1304.71 ± 491.46 N/s (293.16 ± 110.46 lb/s)
(200ms) = 260 N/s (or) 58.6 lb/s
Right Hand: 1418.79 ± 510.75 N/s (318.90 ± 114.77 lb/s)
(200ms) = 283 N/s (or) 63.6 lb/s
Change:
Left Hand: 25.0% increase
Right Hand: 29.9% increase
Full Crimp (included in testing but not in training):
Pre-Test RFD200ms Average:
Left Hand: 983.86 ± 405.88 N/s (221.15 ± 91.27 lb/s)
Right Hand: 1011.79 ± 513.74 N/s (227.28 ± 115.54 lb/s)
Post-Test RFD200ms Average:
Left Hand: 1386.79 ± 428.86 N/s (311.65 ± 96.43 lb/s)
(200ms) = 277 N/s (or) 62.2 lb/s
Right Hand: 1366.86 ± 407.07 N/s (307.21 ± 91.52 lb/s)
(200ms) = 273 N/s (or) 61.4 lb/s
Change:
Left Hand: 30.1% increase
Right Hand: 26.0% increase
Analysis of Force Increases:
These results indicate a substantial increase in the RFD200ms across all grip types for the experimental group, with gains ranging from approximately 25% to 33% post-training. Notably, the full crimp, which was not directly trained, still exhibited a high increase in RFD200ms. This suggests the neuromuscular adaptations achieved through slope and half-crimp training likely transferred to other grip positions. The increase in early-phase RFD suggests significant improvements in motor unit recruitment and firing rate—critical factors in explosive grip strength.
Implications of the Training Design and Results
The results validate the potential for neural adaptations to enhance explosive grip strength across various hand positions, even those not directly targeted in training. The study provides evidence that:
High-intensity isometric hangs on small edges can improve the rate of force development, which is crucial for climbing without requiring full crimp positions.
Short-duration, high-intensity protocols can yield measurable performance gains within a month, highlighting their practical value for in-season or preparatory training phases.
With its significant RFD200ms gains and minimal injury risk, this training protocol is a promising model for climbers aiming to boost explosive strength safely and efficiently.
Critical Analysis:
Strengths:
Clear Relevance: Targeted finger training addresses a key performance metric (RFD) for competitive bouldering and lead climbing.
Neural Adaptation Focus: The short-term gains primarily in RFD200ms support the idea that neuromuscular factors, rather than muscle-tendon adaptations, drive early improvements, aligning with previous findings on neural training adaptations.
Practical Applications: Results provide valuable insights into safe training protocols for climbers, especially for developing explosive grip strength without overloading finger structures.
Limitations:
Sample Size and Demographics: Small, homogenous sample with male-only participants limits external validity and generalizability to broader climbing populations.
Short Duration: The four-week training period allowed for early neuromuscular adaptations but might not reveal long-term structural changes or retention of performance gains.
Lack of Longitudinal Data: Post-study monitoring was not conducted to determine how long RFD200ms and normalized maximal force improvements persist after training cessation.
Potential for Confounding Variables: Although the training protocol was specific, integrating regular climbing activities could introduce uncontrolled training variations among participants.
Future Considerations:
The study raises several questions for future research:
Long-Term Training Effects: Examining how extended training durations influence structural adaptations, like muscle-tendon coupling or hypertrophy.
Gender and Age Variation: Exploring differences in response among female or younger climbers would offer a more comprehensive view of RFD development across demographics.
Retention and Maintenance: Investigate the retention of RFD and strength gains post-training, and identify minimal effective maintenance protocols to sustain improvements.
Conclusion:
This study provides evidence that four weeks of specific finger grip training can enhance elite climbers' rapid force generation capacity without significant structural strain on the finger pulleys. The gains in RFD200ms—achieved primarily through neural adaptations—underscore the role of targeted grip exercises in competitive climbing performance, particularly for explosive bouldering and lead climbing moves. However, further research with more extensive, diverse samples and longer durations is needed to optimize training protocols and validate these findings across different climbing populations.
Citation:
Levernier, G., & Laffaye, G. (2017). Four Weeks of Finger Grip Training Increases the Rate of Force Development and the Maximal Force in Elite and Top World-Ranking Climbers. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research.