Max hangs (added weight)

Who it's for

The standard finger strength protocol, for climbers with at least a year or two of consistent climbing and no current finger problems. If you're still improving quickly from climbing alone, this adds risk without adding much.

Skip it if you're newer than that, or if a finger, wrist or elbow is sore right now. For an existing injury, get a physio to look at it first. Never hang from cold: easy climbing, then four to six lighter hangs, before the first working hang.

Common mistakes

• Hanging to failure. Ten seconds at a load you could hold for about thirteen. Failing hangs only add injury risk.
• Adding weight every session. Two kilos, only after all five hangs felt controlled in two sessions in a row.
• Sliding out of half crimp. Same position for all five hangs, or the load isn't comparable.
• Doing them at the end of a climbing session. Fresh, after a full warm-up, or not at all.
• Cutting the rest. Three minutes between hangs feels long. Take all of it so each hang gets your full strength.
• Dropping the shoulders. Hang with your shoulders engaged, pulled slightly down from your ears, for every hang.

How to progress

Weight, in small steps, on the same twenty millimetre edge. Twice a week at most with at least forty-eight hours between, and stop the session at any sharp finger or elbow pain rather than finishing the sets.

How to make it easier

If bodyweight on a 20 mm edge is already hard for ten seconds, leave the added weight off. If it's still too much, take weight off with a pulley and a counterweight, or keep a toe on a chair. Keep the edge and the half crimp the same so you can track the load from session to session.

Where it fits in your week

Max hangs belong in a Strength or Power period, and in a Performance period ahead of a trip or project. Put them first in the session, straight after the warm-up, and climb afterwards if you want to. Leave at least 48 hours before the next session of max hangs, and keep other hard finger work away from the day after.

Questions

What are max hangs?

Max hangs are short hangboard hangs close to your limit, usually with added weight, to build finger strength. This version is Eva López's MaxHangs method: 5 hangs of 10 seconds on a 20 mm edge in a half crimp, with 3 minutes' rest, at a load you could hold for about 13 seconds.

How often should you do max hangs?

Twice a week at most, with at least 48 hours between sessions. Once a week is plenty for many climbers, especially alongside a lot of hard bouldering. If your fingers still feel sore when the next session comes round, wait another day, and stop any session at sharp pain in a finger or elbow.

How much weight should you use for max hangs?

Enough that 10 seconds is hard, but you could hold on for about 3 seconds more, which is roughly the load you could hold for 13 seconds. Find it after a full warm-up, building up over four to six lighter hangs. When all five working hangs feel controlled in two sessions in a row, add 2 kg and start again.

Are max hangs safe for beginners?

They're for climbers with at least a year or two of regular climbing and no current finger problems. Before that, climbing itself makes your fingers stronger quickly, and the extra load mostly adds risk. Newer climbers do better with feet-on hangs or long, moderate hangs, and max hangs can wait.