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2-3-1 Finger Strength A

 Bouldering (/training-plans/?
fwp_training_plan_subcategory=bouldering),
Finger Strength (/training-plans/?
 fwp_training_plan_subcategory=finger-strength),
Strength (/training-plans/?
fwp_training_plan_subcategory=strength)
Finger Strength
(https://www.climbstrong.com/education-
center/tag/finger-strength/), off-season
strength
 (https://www.climbstrong.com/education-
center/tag/off-season-strength/), volume
cycling
(https://www.climbstrong.com/education-
center/tag/volume-cycling/)

by Steve Bechtel

If you’ve been training for any amount of time, you are probably familiar with “staleness” in training – when you go flat despite trying harder,
putting more weight on the bar, or upping the grades in your limit sessions. Most athletes will show a pretty standard pattern of going flat after
around 8-12 similar sessions, especially when those sessions are of similar duration, intensity, and type.

Setting up recovery weeks, easy days, or even nonlinear periodization programs are all aimed at creating variability in training. We try to
overload the body just enough and then we try to get it to come back stronger. The problem is that most of us fall into the “medium trap” –
going a little too hard on the easy days so that we’re too tired to go hard on the hard ones. 

This plan attempts to recognize the fact that most of us are going to have a hard time waving the intensity of climbing sessions but are
probably capable of adjusting the amount of time we spend doing the sport. Even easy climbing, I argue, is hard on you, so why not just adjust
the amount of hard you do? 

You might reject this idea. I will counter with this: If your current training plan is working, by all means, don’t change it. Also, please write a
book about it and then let me know and I’ll buy it! However, if you are stuck scratching your head at the end of a training cycle, maybe, just
maybe you should try something else.
 

The 2-3-1 plan is a weekly volume cycle of hangboard training. On the first day of the week, you will do two rounds or series of exercises on the
hangboard. This should take around 40 minutes. The second session of the week is the same circuit of exercises, but done 3 times through.
This will be your hardest session of the week, and ideally done on Wednesday. (Please don’t email me to ask if Thursday is OK. Thursday is
fine.) The final session of the week, Friday’s session is simply one round of the circuit.

All of the circuits are done at the circa same loads. Circa means approximately. Approximately is perfect for gaining strength, and
micromeasuring load (and stressfully reacting to it) really gets you nowhere. Get in the gym, hang, get out. Don’t freak out if you feel worse one
day than another…it’s called being human. 

Progression
Add load as needed. Don’t worry about micro-adjusting. My friend Tom O’Halloran weighs himself carefully before each hangboard session
then adjusts the external load to allow for bodyweight changes and then trains in his underwear only…at home, fortunately. The reason most of
us don’t have to do this is because as long as we are in the zone of 70-95% of max, we are still going to be giving the muscles the “get
stronger” message, and they’ll respond. 

Psychologically, the variability in strength can mess with you, but as long as you are seeing a general upward trend over the course of several
weeks, no worries.

Sets and Reps

This is an intermittent timed hang protocol. It’s based on the 7:13 timing scheme that Jonathan Siegriest and I worked out in 2017/2018, and
aims at a greater strength focus than the popular 7:3 negative rest interval style. For each exercise, you will do 6 sets of 7 seconds’ work with
13 seconds between. This will take 2 minutes. After each exercise, you will rest an additional 2 minutes before moving on to the next position.
Depending on the level you choose below, you’ll either do 4, 6, or 7 exercises per circuit. Regardless of the level, though, you’ll stick with the
same 2-3-1 program. 

FInally, stick with the same level for the entire 4-week cycle, unless it is beyond your capability. You can regress the training if needed, but DO
NOT progress to a higher level mid-cycle. This is a recipe for overtraining or injury and is not acceptable.

Levels
Level 1
This level features two-arm hangs on the most common holds. This is recommended for less-experienced climbers/trainees, but it is also
appropriate as a general plan for even the strongest climbers. We have used this effectively as an in-season program for elites trying to
maintain strength as well as first time hangboarders. 

The positions are:

1. 2-arm hang, large edge, half crimp, straight arm

2. 2-arm hang, 3 finger pocket, straight arm
3. 2-arm hang, medium edge, half crimp, 45 degree elbow bend
4. 2-arm hang, sloping hold, straight arm

Level 2
Level 2 will see you do a combination of 1 and 2-arm hangs. This is by far the most common level for training on this plan. 

The positions are:

1. 2-arm hang, large edge, half crimp, straight arm

2. 1-arm hang alternating arms, large edge, half crimp, straight arm with “engaged shoulder.” (3 hangs per side)
3. 2-arm hang, 3 finger pocket, straight arm
4. 2-arm hang, medium edge, half crimp, 45 degree elbow bend
5. 2-arm hang, sloping hold, straight arm
6. 1-arm hang alternating arms, large edge, half crimp, 45 degree elbow bend (3 hangs per side)
 

Level 3
This is the most difficult series, and takes slightly longer than the others. Best for advanced boulderers and climbers.

The positions are:

1. 2-arm hang, large edge, half crimp, straight arm

2. 1-arm hang alternating arms, large edge, half crimp, straight arm with “engaged shoulder.” (3 hangs per side)
3. 2-arm hang, 3 finger pocket, straight arm
4. 2-arm hang, small edge, half crimp, 45 degree elbow bend
5. 2-arm hang, pocket, first pair, straight arm
6. 1-arm hang alternating arms, large edge, half crimp, 90 degree elbow bend (3 hangs per side)
7. 2-arm hang, pocket, last pair, straight arm

MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT SUN

2 rounds of 6×7:13 with 2:00 3 rounds of 6×7:13 with 2:00 1 round of 6×7:13
Week
between exercises. 5 minutes between exercises. 5 minutes with 2:00 between
1
between rounds. between rounds. exercises. 

2 rounds of 6×7:13 with 2:00 3 rounds of 6×7:13 with 2:00 1 round of 6×7:13
Week
between exercises. 5 minutes between exercises. 5 minutes with 2:00 between
2
between rounds. between rounds. exercises. 

2 rounds of 6×7:13 with 2:00 3 rounds of 6×7:13 with 2:00 1 round of 6×7:13
Week
between exercises. 5 minutes between exercises. 5 minutes with 2:00 between
3
between rounds. between rounds. exercises. 

2 rounds of 6×7:13 with 2:00 3 rounds of 6×7:13 with 2:00 1 round of 6×7:13
Week
between exercises. 5 minutes between exercises. 5 minutes with 2:00 between
4
between rounds. between rounds. exercises. 

Notes
Don’t try to fit other work in between hangs. Just hang, think about the next set, and rest.
Likewise, don’t try to fit tasks in the 2 minute breaks between exercises. Rest. Don’t get sucked into your phone.
You may stretch or do gentle movement in the 5 minute breaks between rounds. 
Don’t get crazy about adding load and managing micro progress. I feel that if you don’t think you can add 10 pounds to a hang, you might
as well stick with the current load until you “own” it.

Posted in:

Tags: Finger Strength (https://www.climbstrong.com/education-center/tag/finger-strength/), off-season strength

(https://www.climbstrong.com/education-center/tag/off-season-strength/), volume cycling (https://www.climbstrong.com/education-
center/tag/volume-cycling/)

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