Hangboards make finger flexors famous. Thumbs stay freeloaders until a compression problem or a tip-dependent crimp ends the session. Then everyone discovers "pinch training" exists and buys one random block. One width. One position. Three bored weeks later, the block becomes a doorstop.
Thumb demand on rock is not one shape.
The All Thumbs Multi Grip is aimed at the opposite outcome: several useful thumb positions on one tool so you can program variety without building a museum of single-use pinches. It will not replace climbing on real pinches. It will give the thumb a measurable job in the gym corner.
Why multi-grip matters for thumbs
Thumb demand on rock is not one shape. Narrow opposition, wider block pinches, and awkward "only the thumb is saving this" holds all show up. Grip sport already split some of this into named lifts (inch, block, key). Climbers need the same idea with less dogma: different positions, short sessions, progressive load.
A multi-grip block lets you:
- Rotate positions across a week instead of overloading one angle.
- Match the position to the weakness (narrow vs wide, pad vs more finger involvement).
- Keep setup friction low: one pin, one tool, done.
How to think about the positions
Without turning this into a geometry textbook, sort work into three jobs:
| Job | What you're training | Climbing transfer (honest) |
|---|---|---|
| Narrow opposition | Thumb vs fingers with little wrap | Small pinches, tip-dependent holds |
| Wider block pinch | Broader crush between thumb and fingers | Compression, big pinches |
| Awkward / offset | Stabilizing odd thumb angles | "Ugly" holds that don't match a perfect block |
If you already own an Inch Pinch, Brick Pinch, or Hub Pinch, All Thumbs is not mandatory. It is the consolidator: one SKU when you want coverage more than specialization. Specialists still win if you know exactly which pinch fails you on the wall.
A simple weekly template
- Warmlight opposition
- Main2–3 positions
- Holds5–10s
- Freq1–2× / week
Frequency: 1–2× per week after finger flexor work, or on a lighter forearm day. Thumbs are small tissues. They do not need a third max day.
Per session:
- Warm the thumb and wrist: light squeezes, gentle opposition, no cold maxing.
- Pick one primary position for the day (not all of them at max).
- 4–5 sets of 5–10 second lifts, 2–3 minutes rest.
- Optional: 2 easy sets in a second position for variety, lighter load.
Progress load when holds are clean and the block is not drifting into the palm as a cheat. If the thumb base complains sharply, stop, especially early in a thumb-training career.
Programming examples
- Pinch-limit project block: two thumb sessions weekly for 4–6 weeks, primary position matched to the hold type on the project, fingers still get one normal edge day.
- General weakness: alternate narrow and wide positions session to session for six weeks, then reassess on the wall.
- Maintenance: one short thumb session weekly while edge strength is the main focus.
What it will not do
- Replace time on real pinches and compression moves.
- Fix poor wrist and body positions on the wall. Block lifts are a strength input.
- Make up for ignoring fingers entirely. Thumb work is a supplement for most climbers, not the whole sport.
Bonus use: high-radius open hand
All Thumbs is not only a thumb tool. Flip it around and the rounded profile works as a high-radius crimp for a challenging open-hand block lift — fingers on the curve, no sharp edge to hang on, load light enough that the hold stays honest. That secondary grip still demands open hand, with more comfort than a knife-edge. Use it sparingly after the thumb work, not as your main volume edge.
Where it sits in the kit
Edge block for fingers. All Thumbs (or a specialist pinch) for thumb. Wrist tool if the chain above the fingers is the weak link. That trio covers more outdoor failure modes than a single fancy hangboard with twelve unused pockets.
Train the thumb on purpose. Keep the sessions short. Pick a position, load it, log it. Multi-grip only helps if you actually use more than one grip, and not all in the same heroic night.