Mountain Project Logo

Hangboarding with added weight

Original Post
Mark E Dixon · · Possunt, nec posse videntur · Joined Nov 2007 · Points: 974

In the past I have almost exclusively used small edges and repeaters, so have almost always needed to remove weight with a pulley system,

For this winter's cycle I'm planning to switch things up and do max hangs and expect I'll need to add weight. When I have used a climbing harness for this, it gets uncomfortable above 20-30 pounds of added weight. Do I need to just suck it up, or is it worth buying one of those belts that weight lifters use? And if worth buying, does it need to be leather, or is heavy fabric OK?

TIA

rgold · · Poughkeepsie, NY · Joined Feb 2008 · Points: 526

Suck it up, I don't think the body-builders' weight belts make much difference. I've tried both over the years with up to 90 lbs hanging off me. The belts are wider and firmer than a harness waist belt so might be marginally more comfortable.

Moreover, if some of your exercises use added weight and some require subtracted weight, then the harness is going to be far more convenient.

Mark E Dixon · · Possunt, nec posse videntur · Joined Nov 2007 · Points: 974
rgold wrote:Suck it up, I don't think the body-builders' weight belts make much difference. I've tried both over the years with up to 90 lbs hanging off me. The belts are wider and firmer than a harness waist belt so might be marginally more comfortable. Moreover, if some of your exercises use added weight and some require subtracted weight, then the harness is going to be far more convenient.
90 pounds!

I can't believe how strong some of you guys are.

I was just looking at Kris Hampton's site and apparently he adds weight to hang off a 6mm edge. I don't think I could get my feet off the ground using that.

Your last point is a good one, I will need to remove weight for some of the grips.
rgold · · Poughkeepsie, NY · Joined Feb 2008 · Points: 526

No, I'm not anywhere near as strong as you're thinking. I never used 90 lbs for any kind of finger hang, but did use that much for two-arm pullups.

Mark E Dixon · · Possunt, nec posse videntur · Joined Nov 2007 · Points: 974

Yes, but your strength is as the strength of ten,
Because your heart is pure.

Zac St Jules · · New Hampshire · Joined Dec 2013 · Points: 1,188
Mark E Dixon wrote:Yes, but your strength is as the strength of ten, Because your heart is pure.
The man you speak of, in fact has a heart of GOLD
Bill Kirby · · Keene New York · Joined Jul 2012 · Points: 480

How bout a diver's weight belt?

Rob Gordon · · Hollywood, CA · Joined Feb 2009 · Points: 115

Can someone remove this weight belt around my waist? It appears to be stuck.

Zac St Jules · · New Hampshire · Joined Dec 2013 · Points: 1,188
Bill Kirby wrote: How bout a diver's weight belt?
Thats what I was thinking.
Mark E Dixon · · Possunt, nec posse videntur · Joined Nov 2007 · Points: 974
Bill Kirby wrote: How bout a diver's weight belt?
Not really familiar with those.
How complicated would it be to change from say 50 pounds to 5 pounds?
Rest periods are in the range of 2-3 minutes and that 's when you have to chalk up, switch the weight and catch your breath.
Swapping one dumbell or weight plate for another is pretty easy and quick.
reboot · · . · Joined Jul 2006 · Points: 125

The weight lifter's belt at BRC was pretty comfy doing dips w/ the largest kettlebell (32kg?) My retired-from-climbing Petzel Corax is not bad w/ 50 lbs, but that's typically as high as I go w/ weighted hang. I think the dual waist buckle really helped: my Petzl Adjama was way less comfortable (the problem is the front side, not the back side). So I imagine even a fabric weight lifter's belt will be a huge improvement.

Still, at ~145lb body weight, once I get to 2 arm hang +50 lbs, it's more or less the same as one arm hang -50 lbs, so I tend to do the latter for progression, although I typically use even larger holds for 1 arm so I don't need to remove much weight, if any.

Bill Kirby · · Keene New York · Joined Jul 2012 · Points: 480
amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00355GK…

Check this out. the weights lace through the belt.
Bapgar 1 · · Out of the Loop · Joined Oct 2007 · Points: 90

I've used a few different methods and pieces of equipment for adding weight to exercises.
IMO a climbing harness is as comfortable (and usually easier to rig) than anything else I've tried.

Will S · · Joshua Tree · Joined Nov 2006 · Points: 1,061

I use the waist belt off my wall harness, a Yates Shield, that has a wide back, dual buckles to center the belay loop, and leg loops are left off. For years I used a retired Petzl "normal" harness (far from ideal) and the fat belt and centered loop of the wall harness is way better.

But I've also used the weight lifting "dipping belts" with the chain for weighted pullups or dips in school and commercial gyms, and they are WAY better than any harness.

Quick and easy to change/rig plates, and the chain allows you to get the distance the plates hang down just right to cut down the swinging. The discomfort from a regular harness is usually where it runs over the front of the hips at the crease with your thigh. Dual buckle jobs will have the edge of the buckles digging into your leg a bit when the weights get heavy. The dipping belts are designed to deal with this, having the position of the chain attactments and cut of the belt right so nothing is digging in. They also have wide/comfy backs. If you have access to any commercial regular gym like a Golds, 24hr fitness, college rec center weightroom, etc they usually have chain belts. Try one out.

I couldn't justify the $100 a good (leather) one would cost, particularly since I never do weighted dips or pullups anymore, and with a wall harness laying around that I rarely use otherwise. I went to +120 on singles yesterday using the wall waistbelt, no big deal other than how unweildy it is with that wide of a stack of plates (was using 5 x 25s, instead of 45s and 35).

Brendan N · · Salt Lake City, Utah · Joined Oct 2006 · Points: 405

I didn't notice a difference between a climbing harness and a chain belt but I was feeling more pain in other parts of my body than my hips.
Be careful not to let the chain of the chain belt shred your shirt as you weight it.

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Training Forum
Post a Reply to "Hangboarding with added weight"

Log In to Reply

Join the Community

Create your FREE account today!
Already have an account? Login to close this notice.

Get Started.