Glossary
Hangboard
A training board with edges and pockets of varying depth, used to build finger and grip strength.
A hangboard, also called a fingerboard, is a mounted board with a set of edges, pockets, and slopers cut at different depths so a climber can hang from specific grip positions to train finger strength. Boards range from simple wooden edges to modular systems with adjustable depth for tracking progress over time.
Because hangboarding isolates the fingers under close to full body weight, it is one of the more injury prone forms of climbing training if approached carelessly. Structured protocols that build up hang time, grip depth, and load gradually, along with real rest days between sessions, matter more than simply hanging as long as possible.
New climbers are generally advised to build a base of regular climbing first and introduce hangboarding gradually rather than starting with intense finger training, since tendons and pulleys adapt more slowly than muscles. Warming up thoroughly and stopping at the first sign of finger pain, rather than pushing through it, reduces the risk of a pulley injury.