Hangboard Protocols Compared: Which One Matches Your Goal

Most climbers pick a hangboard protocol because someone on YouTube or Reddit said it worked. That's not a training plan. That's someone else's training plan. There are a lot of ways to hang from your fingers and they all train something different. Some build peak strength. Some build tendon resilience. Some you can do every day, others will wreck you if you try. What follows is a breakdown of 7 protocols, what each one actually does, and who it's for.

Pick the protocol for the job. Not the one with the coolest name.

Max Hangs

Max hangs session

1. Hold7–10s · heavy
2. Sets3–5
3. Rest3–5 min
4. Freq2× / week

Heavy load, short duration. You add weight to your body and hang from a fixed edge for 7-10 seconds, rest 3-5 minutes, repeat for 3-5 sets. The goal is recruitment, training your nervous system to fire more motor units at once. This is the protocol most climbers think of when they think of hangboarding.

It works best for intermediate climbers with a couple years of climbing behind them who want measurable strength gains. Hermans et al. (2022), published in Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, found that 10 weeks of hangboard training produced 17-28% improvements in finger force output compared to climbing alone. You can track progress clearly: last month you hung with +20kg, this month it's +25kg. That simplicity is part of the appeal.

The catch is that recruitment has a ceiling. Once you've hit it, adding more weight doesn't produce more strength. It just adds more stress to your connective tissue. A lot of climbers get stuck here and keep loading heavier thinking the protocol stopped working when really they've just gotten everything out of it they're going to get.

No-hang devices work well for max hangs. The effort is the same, maximum force for a short duration, you're just squeezing a block or device instead of hanging from an edge. Takes the shoulders out of the equation, which is useful if you're dealing with shoulder issues or don't have a mounted board.

Repeaters

Repeaters session

1. Work7s on / 3s off × 6
2. Sets3–5
3. Rest3–5 min between sets
4. Freq2× / week

Moderate load, repeated intervals. The classic structure is 7 seconds on, 3 seconds off, repeated for 6 reps per set, with 3-5 sets total. The load is lower than max hangs but the accumulated time under tension is way higher. Where a max hang set puts maybe 10 seconds of work on your fingers, a repeater set puts over 40.

That volume is what drives hypertrophy. Your forearm muscles actually get thicker, which over time builds a bigger base for strength gains down the road. Repeaters are a solid entry point if you're newer to hangboarding because the loads are manageable and the risk of tweaking something is lower than going heavy. They're also a good option if you're coming back from time off and need to rebuild capacity before jumping into heavier protocols.

The tradeoff is that repeaters are metabolically brutal. Your forearms will be screaming by the end of a set. Some climbers find that the pump interferes with the quality of later sets, which is why variations exist, shorter clusters, longer rest, different work-to-rest ratios. The 7/3 format is the most common but not the only way to run them.

No-hang devices handle repeaters well. The interval structure transfers directly to squeezing a portable block or device, which makes repeaters a practical travel protocol too. Same timing, same effort, no wall required.

Density Hangs

Density hangs session

1. Hold20–40s near fail
2. Sets3–5
3. Rest2–3 min
4. LoadBW · edge sets difficulty

Tyler Nelson's protocol out of Camp4 Human Performance. You hang from an edge at moderate intensity for 20-40 seconds, close to failure, for 3-5 sets. The load is lighter than max hangs but the duration is much longer. The name refers to what it trains: density of the muscle and muscle-tendon junction.

This is the protocol that quietly fixed a lot of people's finger tweaks. The long-duration isometric creates a specific adaptation in the connective tissue where the muscle meets the tendon. That junction gets stiffer and more resilient, which is exactly what you want if you're a climber loading your fingers hard multiple times a week. Nelson has talked about this extensively on the TrainingBeta podcast and through his published protocols.

Intensity is autoregulated by edge size, which makes density hangs accessible at any level. A beginner might do them on a jug or 35mm pocket. An advanced climber might be on a 10-15mm edge. Either way you're hanging until near failure, so your body sets the difficulty. If you progress beyond your smallest edge, drop fingers instead of adding weight.

No-hang devices are a good match here. A moderate, sustained squeeze for 20-40 seconds on a tension block is the same stimulus without hanging body weight. Useful for climbers rehabbing finger issues who want the tendon benefits without full loading.

Recruitment Pulls

Recruitment pulls session

1. Work3–5s max intent
2. Arms1-arm · 3–5 / side
3. Rest2–3 min
4. Freq2× / week

Also from Tyler Nelson. Short, all-out pulls lasting 3-5 seconds, one arm at a time, standing underneath the hangboard. You get your fingers in position, preload slightly, then pull down as hard and as fast as you can. No hanging involved.

The goal is peak force production. Where max hangs train recruitment through sustained effort under heavy load, recruitment pulls train it through speed and intensity of contraction. You're teaching your nervous system to fire everything it has as quickly as possible. That matters for climbing because latching a hold at the end of a deadpoint is a rapid eccentric contraction, not a slow grind.

Nelson typically programs these in cycles with density hangs. A cycle of recruitment pulls followed by a cycle of density hangs, then velocity pulls for more advanced climbers. The pairing makes sense: recruitment pulls build the ability to generate force, density hangs build the tissue resilience to handle it.

These are for intermediate to advanced climbers. If you're newer to hangboarding, Nelson recommends running through density hangs first to build up your muscle-tendon junction before loading it with rapid max efforts.

No-hang devices are a natural fit since the motion is already a pull or squeeze, not a hang. One arm, max effort, 3-5 seconds on a block or device. Same stimulus, portable, and no shoulder loading.

IntHangs, Eva López

IntHangs session

1. Hang~10s near-max
2. Restphase-dependent
3. CycleLópez periodization
4. Freq≤2× / week

Intermittent dead hangs at near-max intensity with strict work-rest ratios. The standard structure is 10-second hangs with a brief pause between reps, repeated across multiple sets. López built an entire periodization system around these, progressing through phases that manipulate load, edge depth, hang duration, and rest intervals across training cycles.

What separates IntHangs from standard max hangs is the structure. Max hangs are straightforward: add weight, hang, rest, repeat. IntHangs are programmed. López accounts for where you are in your season, how to progress within a cycle, and when to back off. For climbers who want a systematic approach and are willing to log their numbers over multiple cycles, this is a protocol that rewards the discipline.

The intensity is high. You're working at or near your maximum, so these are not for beginners or climbers still building a base. López developed these protocols over years of coaching and personal experimentation, and her blog remains one of the most detailed practitioner resources on hangboard periodization. No published RCT exists for IntHangs specifically, but the underlying principles of near-max isometrics for strength development are well supported in the broader sports science literature.

The timed structure transfers to no-hang devices if you follow the same work-rest ratios. The key is matching the intensity, which takes some calibration on a squeeze device since the effort feels different than hanging.

Minimal Edge Protocol

Minimal edge session

1. Hold7–10s · bodyweight
2. Sets3–5
3. Progresssmaller edge when clean
4. Freq2× / week

Instead of adding weight to a fixed edge, you train on progressively smaller edges at body weight. A climber might start a cycle on a 20mm edge and work down to 14mm or 12mm over several weeks. The load on your fingers increases not because you're heavier but because less surface area is supporting you.

This is the counter-approach to weighted max hangs and it appeals to a few different types of climbers. If you don't want to mess with weight belts and loading pins, minimal edge keeps things simple. If you have shoulder issues that make added weight painful, body weight on a smaller edge gets the same finger stimulus without the extra joint stress. Some climbers also argue it's more specific to outdoor climbing, you're rarely hanging with extra weight outside but you're constantly dealing with tiny edges.

The progression is intuitive. When you can complete your sets comfortably on a given edge, you move to the next size down. Most hangboards with labeled edges in 2-5mm increments work for this. There are also screw-on progression macros and micro edges that let you build a custom ladder of depths on your home wall or a blank board.

No-hang devices are less relevant here since edge depth is the training variable. You need an actual edge under your fingers to get the benefit. Worth being honest about that limitation rather than forcing a device into a protocol where it doesn't fit.

Abrahangs

Abrahangs session

1. Load~40% · feet down
2. Session~10 minutes
3. Freqdaily / near-daily
4. Gap≥6h from climbing

Emil Abrahamsson's sub-max daily protocol. You hang with your feet on the ground, loading your fingers at roughly 40% of your max, for sets of long-duration hangs across a short 10-minute session. You can do it daily or near-daily as long as there's at least a 6-hour window between sessions or climbing.

This protocol blew up after Abrahamsson posted it on YouTube, where it hit over a million views. Then it got real validation. Baar et al. (2024), published in Sports Medicine - Open, found that Abrahangs were as effective as max hangs for improving grip strength. Climbers who did both saw additive gains on top of that. For a protocol that takes 10 minutes and barely makes you sweat, those results got a lot of people's attention.

The appeal is accessibility. The loads are low enough that injury risk is minimal. You don't need added weight, a pulley system, or even a mounted board. Any edge you can reach works. The frequency does the work instead of the intensity, which is a completely different philosophy than most hangboard protocols. Good for beginners, climbers rehabbing injuries, or anyone who wants to train fingers daily without accumulating fatigue that interferes with climbing sessions.

No-hang devices are a natural pairing. Low-intensity daily squeezing on a portable block for 10 minutes is about as simple as finger training gets. Makes Abrahangs a strong travel protocol too, throw a device in your bag and you don't miss a session.

Quick Reference

Most experienced climbers don't stick with one protocol forever. They cycle through them or run different ones depending on what phase of training they're in. A cycle of density hangs to build tissue resilience, then max hangs or recruitment pulls to push peak strength, then Abrahangs to maintain during a climbing trip. There's no single right answer. Pick what matches where you are now, run it for a full cycle, and pay attention to what changes.

How to Do Each Protocol

Max Hangs

Pick a hold or edge you can hang from with added weight for 7-10 seconds. Half crimp is the most common grip position. Add weight via a belt or loading pin until the last 2-3 seconds of each hang feel hard to hold. Do 3-5 sets with 3-5 minutes rest between. Two sessions per week is enough. Track your weight and edge size every session so you can see progress over cycles.

Repeaters

Pick an edge you can hang from at body weight or with light added weight. Hang 7 seconds, rest 3 seconds, repeat 6 times. That's one set. Rest 3-5 minutes between sets, do 3-5 sets total. The pump will build fast. If you're failing before the last rep of a set, reduce the load or move to a bigger edge. Two sessions per week, not on the same day as hard climbing.

Density Hangs

Pick an edge where you can hang for 20-40 seconds before near failure. Body weight only. Hang until you feel like you have maybe 5% left, then drop. Rest 2-3 minutes, repeat for 3-5 sets. Half crimp or open hand, your choice. If you max out your smallest edge, drop to fewer fingers instead of adding weight. Two sessions per week. Can be done on the same day as climbing if separated by 4-6 hours.

Recruitment Pulls

Stand underneath your hangboard. Get your fingers set on an edge in half crimp, preload slightly, then pull down as hard and as fast as you can with one arm for 3-5 seconds. You're not hanging, your feet stay on the ground. Do 3-5 pulls per arm with 2-3 minutes rest between each. Focus on generating force as quickly as possible, not sustaining it. Two sessions per week. Nelson recommends completing a cycle of density hangs before starting recruitment pulls if you're new to his system.

IntHangs (Eva López)

Pick an edge and load where you can hang for about 10 seconds at near-max effort. Hang for 10 seconds, rest briefly (anywhere from 5 seconds to 3 minutes depending on the phase of the program), repeat. López structures these in multi-week cycles that manipulate load, edge depth, and rest intervals as you progress. Start conservative and build. Her blog has the full periodization details. Two sessions per week max. Not for beginners, you should already have a base of hangboard experience before running these.

Minimal Edge

Start on an edge you can hang from comfortably at body weight for 7-10 seconds. Half crimp. Do 3-5 sets with 3-5 minutes rest. When you can complete all sets cleanly, move to the next smaller edge. Progress in 2-5mm drops. Screw-on progression edges and micro holds let you fine-tune the steps if your hangboard doesn't have enough depth options. Body weight only. Two sessions per week. If an edge feels sketchy on your skin or joints, stay at the current depth longer before dropping.

Abrahangs

Find any edge you can reach. Feet stay on the ground. Load your fingers until you feel a light strain on your forearms, roughly 40% of your max. Hold for a long duration, rest briefly, repeat across a 10-minute session. That's it. Do it daily or near-daily with at least 6 hours between sessions or climbing. No added weight, no pulley, no special setup. The frequency is the stimulus. Stay consistent for at least 8-12 weeks before judging results.