fingers

[Jarred_Jackman]

What good ways are there to warm up the fingers before cragging. If I just head out and start climbing on the 10s my fingers between the two sets of knuckles gets super sore. Any ideas on how to avoid this.

[Bill_Simpkins]

Go for a quick run to get the blood flowing. Try taping them too.

[freeclimb9]

I use silly putty stuff (comes in a fist shaped container).

 

[chucK]

You might have tendonitis.

[slothrop]

All good suggestions. Start on easier or at least less crimpy routes, belay your partner first before starting to climb, go for a quick run or make the approach longer for a more thorough warmup, stretch between climbs...

 

The only way to cure tendonitis, though, is ice and rest (i.e., no climbing).

[Figger_Eight]

I keep a Black Diamond blue donut grip thingy in my car and use it on my way to the gym.

 

Don't ask what Trask grips in his car on the way to the gym, though.

[darkstar]

I think the only gym that Trask goes to is the jungle gym, Lord knows it ain't the climbing gym.

[Courtenay]

I'm with Slothrop -- before getting on your projects (whether at the climbing gym or the crags) play around at the bottom (light bouldering on lower angle stuff) or try a few easier warmup routes to see how your body feels; this allows the hands, shoulders, core, legs to warm up, get used to the rock, and also gives you a chance to detect whether you've got the good stuff for harder climbing of whether you need to back off a bit.

[slothrop]

Ironically enough, I was warming up on some easy boulder problem at the gym this past week and felt the three middle fingers on my right hand go "crunch". It was as if the bones and tendons rolled over each other (I was holding a three-finger pocket). I quit climbing and biked home in disgust. It's feeling better after some icing and three days of rest. Sheesh.