March 12, 2025 2 min to read

Believe Edge

#Hangboard #3D Print #CNC

About

Believe is a modular, no-hang hangboard built for focused, maximal finger training. It is designed for climbers who want a compact, portable tool that prioritizes specificity and intent. At its core: a solid, machined aluminum holder with interchangeable edge inserts.

The body machined from a solid block aluminum and sandblasted to a clean, matte finish. Not out of necessity, but because it looks good, feels good, and adds a sense of quality to the training experience. It is a deliberate choice: a tool that is as considered in form as it is in function.

Unlike traditional wall-mounted hangboards, the Believe Edge is a lifting block style hangboard. It is designed to be loaded with weight or used in isometric setups in order to isolates finger engagement without involving the rest of the body. Climbing training does not necessarily require the replication of climbing movements. By separating training from actual climbing, individuals can engage in focused, scalable, and highly specific conditioning. While hangboard training is already a well-established method for developing finger strength, research by Dr. Tyler Nelson of Camp4 Human Performance highlights the specific efficacy of isometric protocols, offering a refined approach to building climbing-specific strength.

Shown with a 20 mm flat edge benchmark edge.

The Believe Edge is minimal by design. There are no unnecessary features or extra holds. But, when a different edge is needed, the modular design allows for quick swaps: a single holder supports multiple edge profiles.

The premier hold is is a stepped design. Instead of a flat edge, the stepped geometry promotes more balanced finger recruitment by altering joint angles across the hand. This arrangement reduces overreliance on stronger fingers and encourages more uniform loading throughout the flexor system. By placing the fingers in a more biomechanically advantageous position, the setup enables exposure to higher forces, enhancing training effectiveness. The underlying principle is to maximize finger engagement which is a concept also emphasized in designs like the MetacarpEdge and Lattice MXEdge.

Background

The goal, relatively speaking. Well rounded.

Most of the training ideas for this project come from the work of Dr. Tyler Nelson. I briefly summarize here.

The goal here is to stop finger strength from being the bottleneck. I want climbing results to be limited by movement, decision making, and endurance instead. For now, my benchmark is a combined left and right strength-to-weight ratio of at least 2.5x body weight, or \(\frac{Left+Right}{BW}\geq 2.5\).