Master the pegboard with these grip strengthening exercises
What's the story
Pegboard climbing is a tough but super fun way to work your upper body and grip strength to the max.
If you're just starting out or want to get even better, one thing's for sure: a strong grip is your secret weapon.
Here are five best exercises to get your grip game on point and crush it on the pegboard.
Dead hangs
Develop a stronger grip with dead hangs
Dead hangs are a simple but powerful exercise to improve grip strength.
Simply hang from a pull-up bar with your arms straight and your shoulders engaged.
Begin with 30 second hangs, and slowly increase the duration as your grip strengthens.
This exercise not only strengthens your hand muscles but also helps to condition your forearms and shoulders, further assisting in maintaining a firm grip on the pegboard.
Farmer's walk
Boost endurance with farmer's walks
Farmer's walks: This exercise is excellent for developing grip endurance and involves the entire body.
Simply hold a heavy dumbbell or kettlebell in each hand and walk for a predetermined distance or time.
Start with lighter weights and shorter distances, gradually increasing both as you become more comfortable.
The continuous grip tension in this exercise mimics the demands of pegboard climbing.
Plate pinch
Increase finger strength with plate pinches
Plate pinches isolate the muscles in your fingers, essential for a secure grip on the pegs.
To do this exercise, hold two weight plates together by pinching them with one hand. Keep your grip for as long as you can before switching hands.
Start with lighter plates and add weight as your fingers get stronger.
With regular practice, you'll feel more confident gripping individual pegs.
Wrist curl
Enhance forearm muscles with wrist curls
Wrist curls target those forearm muscles, which are super important for grip strength.
Grab a dumbbell in each hand, sit down, and rest your forearms on your thighs or a bench with your palms facing up.
Keeping the rest of your arm still, use only your wrists to curl the weights towards you, then lower them back down with control.
Three sets of 10-15 reps should do the trick.
Towel pull-up
Improve grip stability with towel pull-ups
These exercises mimic the demands of pegboard climbing by introducing instability and requiring a strong grip, similar to transitioning between different holds on a pegboard.
Simply loop two towels over a pull-up bar, grasp one towel in each hand, and perform pull-ups as you normally would.
This exercise not only improves grip strength but also recruits additional muscle groups across the upper body due to the increased challenge.