Kehity

Beginner hangboard workout

Your first hangboard sessions should feel almost too easy. Finger tendons and pulleys adapt far more slowly than muscles, and most hangboard injuries come from doing too much too soon.

Get ready
10
Hang 1/6

10 s hangs with 50 s rest, up to 6 — your first months on a board

Big edge (25 mm+), open hand, feet on a chair to take weight off if needed. It should feel easy. Tendons adapt slower than muscles.

Sets
6

Who it's for

Climbers with at least a year of regular climbing who can climb around 6B / V4 or 6a+ routes. Newer climbers get stronger fingers fastest by simply climbing more.

How to do it

  1. Warm up for 10–15 minutes: easy climbing or jugs, arm circles, light finger flexing.
  2. Use a big edge (25 mm or more) with an open-hand or relaxed half-crimp grip.
  3. Keep your feet on a chair or the floor to take weight off until 10 seconds feels easy.
  4. Hang for 10 seconds, rest 50 seconds. Repeat 6 times.
  5. Stop early if anything in your fingers feels sharp or pinchy.

How to progress

Do this twice a week on non-consecutive days. When all six hangs feel easy, take a little weight off your feet. When you can hang the full 10 seconds with no assistance, move to max hangs — not before.

Questions

How soon will I see results?

Most climbers notice a difference after 6–8 weeks of consistent sessions. Tendons need that long to adapt.

Can I hangboard every day?

No. Fingers need 48 hours between hard sessions. Twice a week alongside your climbing is plenty.

Should I hangboard before or after climbing?

Before, after a warm-up, so your fingers are fresh. Hangboarding tired fingers is how injuries happen.

Is finger strength really your limiter?

Kehity compares your max hang with the grades you send, the styles you avoid and how often you try climbs at your limit.

Find my limiter — free