When to start moonboarding for beginners
The MoonBoard is an excellent training tool used by some of the best climbers in the world. MoonBoards have found their way into many commercial climbing gyms, so more and more climbers of all levels are becoming aware of these excellent training tools.
When to start moonboarding: Is MoonBoard right for you? Will this help you surpass your current level? In this article we will look at when a climber should start the MoonBoard.
What is MoonBoard and what is its purpose?
The MoonBoard is a standardized training board that can be found in many commercial climbing gyms and is used by many athletes. By being standardized, the MoonBoard allows climbers around the world to face the same climbing challenges. Climbers can expose their problems on the rocks and experience the problems of others. It all happens in the MoonBoard app.
There is a real community behind MoonBoard. Not only in the gym, where climbers often challenge each other, but also online. Through the app, climbers can view their services and sets. Others can rate the issues, add their own comments, add a demo video, and even download or update it if they feel the original component may not have been subjected to their personal review.
Furthermore, the app has a leaderboard which also ensures healthy competition.
Although MoonBoard is standardized, there are two different versions. There are currently 3 different versions of the MoonBoard: 2016, 2017 and 2019. The original plate is mounted at a 40 degree angle, while the latter two can be mounted at 25 and 40 degrees. The 25 degree angle makes troubleshooting easier and is therefore more suitable for beginners.
Those who rely on the MoonBoard usually do a specific workout where they use only the MoonBoard (just like some climbers rely on a beam).
Are you ready to start learning on MoonBoard?
If you are interested in the MoonBoard, I don’t think you will be put off by small gaps or protruding walls. I’m also assuming you’ve been climbing for a while.
After all, who wants to use a learning tool when they’re just starting out? I can understand beginners’ desire to chase grades, but using training equipment (MoonBoard/hangboard/campus board) too early can only be described as injury chasing.
As a big game hunter who started looking for serious climbing training after only 8 months of climbing, trust me, it’s not a good idea to start early.
Surprisingly, running after an injury actually causes injury. Who would have thought? And I don’t recommend going two months without climbing due to a trochlear injury if you really enjoy continuing to climb. In fact I don’t recommend it at all.
Regardless of the advice I gave myself as a youth, moonboarding can be dangerous if done too early. I’m not saying you can’t touch the MoonBoard at all, but you should avoid doing any serious training on the MoonBoard until you have at least a year of climbing under your belt.
And if you’re serious about training with the MoonBoard (and you respect my authority in some way) to improve your climbing, let’s ask ourselves a few questions first.
Questions to ask yourself if you’re ready for MoonBoard
Are you old enough to start MoonBoard?
While there is some information about age requirements for MoonBoard, the official site states that MoonBoard is not intended for children. Additionally, training areas on climbing walls (where the MoonBoard is located) are generally restricted to those under 18.
The goal is to ensure that young climbers do not injure themselves unnecessarily by using training devices before the growth plates in their fingers have completely closed. I’d say the same commenting rules should apply to MoonBoard. For your safety, do not use MoonBoard under 18 years of age.
How long have you been climbing?
Using a training board like the MoonBoard is only effective if you really need it. And unless you haven’t been climbing for at least a year, I doubt you’ll really notice the benefits of using the MoonBoard. Additionally, starting climbing training (skateboarding, moonboarding, rock climbing) too early can lead to injuries.
For example, for hangboarding, Dr. Eva Lopez [1] (who wrote her doctoral thesis on finger strength) recommends two years of rock climbing experience and at least one year of continuous climbing. In fact, the structures of the hands and forearms (tendons, ligaments, etc.) can take years to adapt to climbing.
I wish I had known this information when I started climbing because I probably could have avoided some of the injuries in my early years. Instead, I didn’t do research or listen to my climbing buddies, who tended to give me advice like, “You can climb the moon/plank after 6 months of escalation.”
While muscles adapt to climbing very quickly, Dr. Lopez noted, other structures do not and take much longer.
Be careful out there. I don’t recommend watching your friends climb while your fingers are recovering from an injury.
Are you at least in V4?
MoonBoard’s issues are noticeably limited compared to gym reviews. So as long as you don’t exceed the minimum stone score on your gym’s MoonBoard, it’s unlikely to cause any problems.
For reference, the original 2016 MoonBoard starts with the rock versions rated V4/6B. The 2017 and 2019 models have issues with V2-V3 stepped rocks in the lower 25 degree version of these boards.
So in theory you can start the MoonBoard with an efficiency level of V3-V4 on a 25 degree MoonBoard and V4-V5 on a 40 degree MoonBoard. But again, these problems will be much more difficult for you than the problems classified in your gym. And standing on steep walls with small handrails may require more effort than you’re used to.
The MoonBoard can be particularly intimidating for climbers who are used to finding themselves in commercial gyms very quickly.
So if you want to avoid disappointment or having our egos crushed by testers, it’s best to hold off on using MoonBoard until it’s ready.
Are you comfortable with dynamic scaling?
Unless very tall, many MoonBoard activities will have a long reach, requiring dynamic movement (dead center) to reach the next dead center. Since the MoonBoard’s handles are so small, you may be wondering if your fingers are used to this type of motion.
If you are not familiar with dynamic coverage, especially small folds, you may want to familiarize yourself with this before using the MoonBoard.
Are you ready to sacrifice a day of climbing?
He loves climbing. Otherwise you wouldn’t be reading this article. But do you love climbing enough to sacrifice one of your favorite climbing days for a day of MoonBoard training? Ultimately, you should not use the MoonBoard before or after a rock climbing session. This is a surefire way to injure yourself from overuse.
The use of the MoonBoard should be adapted to your training day. On this day you will warm up by hiking some easy trails (minimum 20 minutes) and spend the rest of your training on the MoonBoard. This will not only allow you to get the most out of your training by achieving peak performance, but will also limit the risk of injury.
MoonBoard – FAQs
Should I use the MoonBoard before or after the climb?
The MoonBoard should be a priority on your training days. However, you can do a light moonwalk before the climb, but never after. The MoonBoard’s holds are likely much worse than current climbing levels, so using the board after a long climbing session may result in overuse.
How often should I use MoonBoard?
How often you use the MoonBoard depends on your training program and climbing experience. Because MoonBoarding lessons complement rock climbing, a new MoonBoarding user should not use the board more than once a week. However, if a climber uses the MoonBoard only for training, he can use it up to 3 times a week with ample rest between sessions.
