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TESTPIECE Climbing

@testpiececlimbing

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How To Go From Good To Great
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@testpiececlimbing had a really cool segment in their podcast discussing drug testing and if it would change their perspective if 9a climbers were on the sauce.

I want to be blunt by saying the current level of drug testing in rock climbing is an absolute joke so I can't imagine companies being more rigorous than the ifsc which is admittedly incredibly laxed. Compounds you use in the off season would be very difficult to test for, and if climbers were using them to Peak for climbs, I doubt that the sponsor would want to piss/blood test immediately after a send like we see in comp climbing or the olympics.

What shocking to me is the only time folks are up in arms over drug testing is when it's about trans folks. It's incredibly dumb that we single them out, but it's also ridiculous that you subject children to the same type of drug testing and watching kids pee in front of their parents. #drugtesting #climbing

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Most people think of isometrics as a single kind of muscle action, but research shows that not all isometric contractions are created equal.

There are two distinct types:

Overcoming isometrics involve attempting to produce force against an immovable object (e.g. pushing into a fixed surface).

Yielding isometrics involve resisting an external force to maintain a static position (e.g. holding a weight without movement).

While both forms generate no visible joint movement, they trigger very different neuromuscular responses:

Overcoming tasks lead to greater motor unit synchronization and are associated with higher neural drive.

Yielding tasks require longer endurance, generate more variable motor unit behavior, and often induce fatigue more quickly.

Studies in both athletic and clinical populations suggest these modes should be treated as distinct strategies, not just variations of the same concept.

#climbingtraining #climbingrehab #climbingresearch #climbingcoaching #climbingeducation

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Listen up! Fiberglass is dead ☠️

Check out this VTF convo between @dy_illo and Joshua from @testpiececlimbing about our manufacturing partnership with @decoyholds

#climbingholds #thermoformed #madeintheusa #recycledplastic #manufacturing

Ep: 185 Dan Yagmin if ya wanna peep the whole episode.

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climb hard, rest harder

showing love to @wheel.rock and @testpiececlimbing my goats in the scene

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Glueing foot in shoe VS climbing in socks…

What works better for sweaty feet?

🎥 @testpiececlimbing

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Ben Moon reveals the biggest change to the Moonboard since the intruduction of the LED system almost a decade ago. The 2026 edition of the Moonboard is a whole lot more than anything that has come from Moon before. Ben describes it as a wave feature spraywall over twice the size of the current Moonboard lineup.

Exciting to see how this changes the game in the years to come.

Full chat with Ben coming to the StoneLine Podcast just after Christmas.

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New Podcast Episodes!

Comment “testpiece”, “c4hp”, or “science” to be directed to the episodes. Or, if you want them all, comment each a separate comment.

Thank you @natashabarnes and @testpiececlimbing 🤘

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Pink = FDP mostly flexes DIP & PIP jt.’s
Blue = FDS Mostly flexes MCP jt.

#ClimbingWarmUp
#FingerStrength
#ClimbPrep
#FingerFlex
#ClimbingFingers
#PreClimbWarmUp
#FingerWorkouts
#RockClimbReady
#WarmUpRoutine
#GripStrength
#ClimbingFitness
#FingerConditioning
#ClimbStronger
#FingerMobility
#BoulderingWarmUp
#ClimbingGrip
#FingerExercise
#ClimbWarmUp
#FingerHealth
#RockReady

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BFR Hangboard Research.

Finger strength & endurance are critical for climbing performance — but high-intensity training (HIT) carries a higher injury risk, especially for the fingers, elbows, and shoulders.

A recent crossover study (Javorský et al., 2023) tested 13 intermediate climbers over 13 weeks, comparing:

1️⃣ HIT: 60% MVC hangboard training (no BFR)
2️⃣ LIT + BFR: 30% MVC with 60% arterial occlusion

Each athlete did two 5-week blocks (with a 1-week break in between), 2 sessions/week, same training volume.

Testing included:

1. Max voluntary contraction (MVC)
2. 4-min all-out test (W, CF, W′)
3. Forearm oxidative capacity via NIRS

Key findings:

🔹 Both HIT and LIT + BFR maintained finger strength and endurance — no significant losses over 5 weeks.

🔹 Only HIT showed a small improvement in total force impulse (W), but differences between methods were not significant.

🔹 LIT + BFR produced similar preservation with lower mechanical load, making it a potential injury rehab tool.

Why this matters:

For climbers recovering from injury, LIT + BFR offers a way to keep performance from dropping without stressing healing tissues. Although less enjoyable, it could be a game-changer for rehab and off-season maintenance.

Caution: Small sample size, intermediate climbers only, and no progressive load adjustment. More research needed for elite athletes & long-term effects.

Citation:
Javorský, T., Saeterbakken, A. H., Andersen, V., & Baláš, J. (2023). Comparing low volume of blood flow restricted to high-intensity resistance training of the finger flexors to maintain climbing-specific strength and endurance: a crossover study.

#ClimbingScience #BFRtraining #Hangboard #FingerStrength #ClimbingPerformance #ClimbingTraining #SportsScience #InjuryRehab #RockClimbing #TrainingTips #BloodFlowRestriction #StrengthTraining #EnduranceTraining #ClimbingResearch #SportClimbing #RehabTraining #GripStrength #ClimbingLife #StrengthAndConditioning #ClimberLife

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Most climbers don’t realize this, but the FDS muscle is underutilized in the majority of our grip training.

Research shows that the flexor digitorum profundus (FDP) contributes more than the FDS in nearly every common grip posture—from open-hand, pockets, and even the half crimp.

That’s because the FDP crosses all three finger joints, while the FDS stops at the middle phalanx.

In this study, researchers applied equal force to both tendons and tracked which joint flexed more. The FDP had greater tendon excursion in both isolated PIP joint movement and free joint flexion—meaning it does most of the work, especially when the DIP joint is involved.

The problem is that most finger training protocols don’t significantly engage the FDS.

That means we’re repeatedly biasing the FDP, which can increase strain on the tendon, distal pulleys, and the PIP joint.

My suggestion is to train (not climb) with more intentional MCP joint flexion. Adding deliberate MCP flexion during finger training—especially in the half-crimp—recruits the FDS muscle more.

This distributes the load better across the finger flexors and will improve overall muscular recruitment.

If you’re managing FDS-related pain—like medial elbow strain or tenderness in the forearm flexor belly—position matters. Flexing the MCP with DIP extension helps isolate the FDS for targeted loading.

Check out the research page on the website for the full article.

Assessing Finger Joint Biomechanics by Applying Equal Force to Flexor Tendons In Vitro Using a Novel Simultaneous Approach

#rockclimbingtraining #fingertraining #crimpgrip #flexorstrength #climbingscience #sportsrehab #climbingrehab #climbingperformance #climbinginjury #tendonrehab #isometrictraining #fdp #fds #climbingresearch #hangboardtraining #climbingstrong #injuryprevention #pulleyinjury #climbinggrip #forearmtraining #crimptraining

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Was kind of curious how well my indoor hold identification code would work on an outdoor problem. @tompaulrandall on @testpiececlimbing podcast spoke about the value of replica training. If we have a model of a problem, can we get hold information to replicate holds? I could do this in the past with some post processing but now I want to be able to process large number of climbs quickly. Seems to have worked well on the lower half of tsunami. Hopefully the next step in what @aidan.roberts98 and @will_bosi did with the burden of dreams hold made by @coreclimbing

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Podcast Lover #trainingforclimbing #climbingtraining #boardclimbing #climberslife

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