H.I.T. Workout Details

The HIT workout trains six basic grip positions for maximum contact strength. The results of the HIT Workout are unmatched by any other training exercise. The grips trained are crimp, pinch, open hand, and the three “teams” of two-finger grips. There will be enough near transfer from these fundamental positions to make your fingers stronger in any configuration on the rock.

Perform one or two sets for each grip position–those new to the HIT workout should begin with one set–beginning with the most difficult grip position for you. Most people work through the grips in this order: pinch, two-finger “third team” (pinky and ring finger), two-finger “second team” (index and middle finger), two-finger “first team” (middle and ring finger), full crimp, half crimp, and open hand. The entire HIT Workout is done with “open feet”, meaning that you can place your feet on any holds on the wall.

Sitting below the first HIT Strip, begin by gripping the right hand pinch hold, then pull-up and grab the next higher left hand pinch hold. Continue climbing with the next higher right hand pinch hold and the next higher left hand pinch hold until both hands are on the top two pinch holds.

Begin descending immediately alternating left and right pinch holds back down until you are holding the bottom two pinch holds–but keep going! Continue moving up-and-down the wall using alternating pinch holds until the grip fails. Upon stepping off the wall, use a stop watch to time a rest of exactly three minutes before beginning the next set. Meanwhile, record the total number of “reps” (hand movements) into your training notebook.

If you did more than 20 reps, you must add weight when training the pinch grip in the future. It’s important to remember that doing more than 20 reps (10 hand movements per hand) trains anaerobic endurance, while training maximum grip strength requires adding weight to produce failure in 10 or fewer reps per hand. Add five pounds around your waist if you failed at between 20 and 25 total reps. Otherwise, add 10 pounds around your waist for the next set on the pinch grips. To add weight, buy a couple 10-pound weight belts at your local sports store or, alternatively, use a large fanny pack and added two-pound divers weights (available at most scuba stores). Eventually, you will need to upgrade to a 40-pound weight vest!

After your three-minute rest, proceed immediately with a second set of pinch grip. Climb up-and-down on the pinch holds in the same fashion as the first set. Upon failure, time another three-minute rest; then move on to the next grip position–probably the two-finger pocket “third team.”

Begin the next set by using the two-finger “third team” to grab the two pocket holds on the bottom HIT Strip. As with the pinch grip, climb the pocket holds up and down using exclusively this two-finger pocket teams on alternating HIT Strips (or on identically sized and spaced two-finger pockets). Continue to failure, then rest for exactly three-minutes before performing the second set with this grip. Record the total number of hand movements as well as the amount of weight added, if any.

After completing the second set of this two-finger team, move onto the next grip position. Continue executing the HIT Workout through the remaining grip positions, while taking just three minutes of rest between each set. It’s vital that you limit the rest to exactly three minutes, and record the number of hand movements and the weight used (if any) for each grip and set. This information will guide your next HIT Workout, and I guarantee the records will quantify definitive gains in your grip strength in the sessions that follow!

This completes your HIT workout, though, you may wish to do a few sets of weighted pull-ups or some lock-off exercises to complete your strength training of the upper body. Do no further finger training, however. As a cool-down, do 10 minutes of light bouldering. You will likely need two or three days of quality rest (and sound nutrition) in order to supercompensate to a newfound level of maximum finger strength!

EH training the “first team” two-finger pocket with 20-pound weight belts.