Chris Webb Parson’s 30-Minute Finger Strength Program

Chris Webb Parsons recently posted a video of his finger strength hangboard program which has generated some interest on the web. Tommy Caldwell even said he’s going to give it a go while he can’t be out on the rock. I thought it would be good to summarize Chris’s program and share with Gstring users as one way to use and benefit from Gstrings. Gstrings offer a number of unique features which can further extend and customize Chris’s program.

Start by watching Chris’s video to become familiar with his basic method. It's a program designed to increase finger and hand strength. Please note the usual cautions and caveats:

• Don’t start the program if you have having finger, wrist, elbow or shoulder problems.
• Stop the program if issues start to develop in any of these areas.
• The program WILL increase finger and hand strength which can lead to developing bad habits by relying on new strength instead of good technique.
• It can be an excellent way to improve your climbing ability IF integrated with good climbing technique and habits.

His program basically is designed to train flat edge/crimp positions. However, it can be used for any grip position. Other possibilities with Gstrings are any of the pinch or sloper positions. This is an excellent way to train whatever grip position you are weak at. 

< If training a crimp position, Chris recommends using a half-closed crimp. The crimper on Gstrings allow you to easily adjust the difficulty by rotating the grip.

> I personally found that I needed to start with something a bit easier and used the flat edge between the first and second joint position. Then eventually reducing it to the first joint and then transitioning to the crimper. 

For this training you'll only use one Gstring grip because you're focusing on one hand at a time. You’ll need to replace the other Gstring grip with an old piece of climbing rope, webbing, or a sling. A fat old piece of fuzzed climbing rope worked ideal for me.

Choose a grip position that you desire to train and then adjust the difficulty so that you can only hang on for 2 seconds before dropping off due to your grip slipping or hand opening up. The beauty of Gstrings is that once you decide on a grip position, it’s easy to customize the difficulty by adjusting the angle of the grips. If training the flat edge or crimp position you can also modify the difficulty by the degree of contact your fingers have on the grip or how many fingers you use. 

Use the piece of rope to augment the hand being trained by pulling just enough to stay on the grip for 10 full seconds. If you fall off before the 10 seconds finish get right back on and finish out the 10 seconds. At the end of 10 seconds loosen your grip on the rope so the Gstring hand fails by opening or sliding off. In subsequent hangs modify the assistance provided by the rope hand so that you stay on the full 10 seconds. As soon as you finish one hand, switch and start the other hand immediately. After finishing both hands rest 3 minutes then repeat the cycle for a total of 3 times.

Three arm positions are trained each session: arm almost straight but not locked; arm bent less than 90 degrees; and, arm bent more than 90 degrees. The following chart sums up the cycle:

Session schedule  (~30 minutes)

straight arm (not locked)
left	right	3 min. rest	repeat cycle 3X
arm bent <90
left	right	3 min. rest	repeat cycle 3X
arm bent >90
left	right	3 min. rest	repeat cycle 3X

Recommended: 2-3 sessions per week with at least 1-2 days between sessions

This is designed to be a 12-week program consisting of two 6-week cycles. As you progress and gain strength you will be able to increase the angle of the grip or reduce the finger contact area so that you remain constant at 2 seconds for the unassisted hang. 

12 week program schedule

week	hang time 1st 6-weeks	hang time 2nd  6-weeks
1	10 seconds	5 seconds
2	10 seconds	5 seconds
3	5 seconds	10 seconds
4	10 seconds	5 seconds
5	max. time without assistance	max. time without assistance
6	rest	rest

Once you understand the principle and cycles, it’s quite easy to get into the groove and follow the program. It’s great because it’s only takes ~30 minutes per session. By being consistent and keeping a log of finger and grip position and contact area, it's easy to track your progress. 

Let me know if you try this and how it goes, the end results, and any modifications or suggestions or modifications you have after using this method. At the end of the 12-week cycle either take a break, train a different grip position, or increase the difficult of the current position (finger contact area; angle of hold; change to finer grip surface; or add weight).

Chris’s method isolates training to the finger and hands. If you’d like to have a more holistic approach that also involves the core and abs, see some of the exercises listed on the SICgrips website.