Reddit mentions: The best bouldering & wall equipment

I need help finding the best solution for the bottom of my giant jenga carrying case.

I am wanting to make a carrying case like [this](
http://eastplum.blogspot.com/2014/04/giant-jenga-with-easy-storage-box.html), but I was hoping to get advice on what would be best to use to thread the threaded rods into the bottom.

A couple Ideas:

use t nuts, shown here.

Or some kind of threaded inserts, shown here

I didn't know if there would be a better solution to make the underside of the bottom board flat, yet allow a threaded rod to thread through that part. Another solution I have seen is simply putting a hex nut on the underside, but that makes it stick out on the bottom. Any help is greatly appreciated!

I have a time lapse video I'm editing, as well as two dyeing tutorials that I'll be posting to my YouTube when I have time, but this is the gist:

Tunic: Hemp/cotton jersey from Dharma; dyed with ECRU fiber reactive dye (although if I remake it, I will choose a more grey color - I spent WEEKS agonizing over what color her costume was). I used cotton gauze for the sleeves (I originally got this for the arm wraps, but changed my mind. Luckily, I had dyed both together so they were the same color) and went over the whole thing with sandpaper and dry brushed brown paint (the lighting in this picture kind of washes that out)

Pants: Raw Silk from Dharma; dyed with SAND DUNE acid dye (I ordered a different kind of silk to try as this one feels too nubby, but looks decent in pictures and is pretty comfortable otherwise)

Legwraps: Leftover Raw Silk - I hit the edges with fray glue which gave them a rugged appearance, but also made them insanely uncomfortable. After seeing the movie now, it doesn't even look like she used them!

Boots: From Pozu. Expensive, but worth it to me to not have to make shoes, and they're comfortable

Arm Wraps: Medical gauze; soaked for several hours in coffee/grinds; dry brushed with brown paint and the edges were seared with a soldering iron

Tabard Wrap: Viscose Silk/Rayon Blend from Dharma; dyed with SAND DUNE acid dye - twisted it into knots and left to air dry to create the wrinkles - I will probably iron out the bottoms a little so they aren't so tightly wrinkled later

Belts: Raw leather blanks from Tandy; dyed with OLD LEATHER shoe dye from this place (MY FAVORITE WEBSITE EVER BTW), touched up the edges with BLACK shoe dye, then went over the whole thing with the preparer to give it a worn look. Stretched and bent it several times to cause creases. Used the buckles from my Signal Satchel bag (not featured). Used twine for the details on the side. They were two separate pieces, so I used contact cement on the edges, then a piece of faux leather as backing to keep them together where they meet

Gloves: Pretzl gloves; removed the Pretzl wrap and dyed them with LEATHER, OLD LEATHER, and dry brushed BLACK shoe dye. Used preparer generously to create weather looked

Bracer: Two pieces of faux leather with black craft foam sandwiched inside (gave it a very nice seamed look). Contact cemented the leather sides to the craft foam and trimmed the edges. Cut the slots in and it was basically done. Painted the backside with LEATHER shoe dye to give the accent color

Oooh, good question. I spent some time on the RPF tracking things down, so here's a breakdown. For the record, eventually I will be trading all of this for the ANOVOS set because it looks so good. I placed an order, but knowing ANOVOS, it might take a year.

Vest: Purchased from the Disney Store. They have a kids' Jyn Erso vest. https://smile.amazon.com/Star-Wars-Sergeant-Erso-Costume/dp/B01N1Q7U8B/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1492644234&sr=8-1&keywords=jyn+erso+kids I ripped off all the detailing: the three pieces of black webbing, the fake puffy badge, and the fake clip. Attached rubber tubing to the inside flap and where the vertical black webbing was. Cemented that tubing with a screen accurate clip from the M60 backpack, and a buckle at the bottom. Then dyed some of that backpack's webbing to get the nice brown color for the horizontal squares on the chestpiece. 3D printed a new badge and adhered that to where the old one was. Took the cap off a lightsaber pen I'd won a few years ago at Dave & Busters as the Comm link. (And there's a Jyn toy in my other pocket, but that's just for fun.)

Shirt: Just used the Disney store one. I fit perfectly into a size 9/10. I'm 5'0 and 100 lbs.

Blaster, Death Star plans, and tonfa: 3D printed and ordered from a shop off Etsy

Gloves: Ordered the screen-accurate Black Diamond Stone gloves in an XS and modded them to fit smaller. https://smile.amazon.com/Black-Diamond-Climbing-Gloves-Natural/dp/B00AHEQ0TO/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1492644457&sr=8-3&keywords=black+diamond+gloves+climbing Ripped off the flaps and velcro, dyed them multiple times with brown leather dye and weathered them with nailpolish remover and deglazer. Sewed circles into them to be screen accurate, and added new leather I bought off eBay that I cut and sewed to the gloves. Added snaps to keep them shut.

Pants: Not screen accurate, ordered them a LONG time ago as a commision but the pants should have a wide waist tab, seams, and knee detail. Excited to upgrade in my ANOVOS set.

Belt: Ordered off Etsy

Boots: The screen accurate boots are Veronica Frye boots. They are EXPENSIVE. I managed to tool around and find them for $40 on Poshmark in a different color. Stripped them of that color and dyed brown, with weathering. Created leather flaps, dyed and weathered, and attached to the newly dyed boots. Added 3D printed clips (just ordered the Jessica Lange ski boots for screen accurate clips to sew in).

Hair: Messy bangs and layers. I pretended to have this by clipping my hair back. Should be tied into a low bun in the back.

Hope this helps :) Lots of before and afters are on my Instagram, but the RPF is also wonderful if you actually know how to put something together rather than just modding! And I would recommend ANOVOS - I literally ordered it as well!

First off, thank you for this amazing contest. I love that everyone will "win" by working toward their goals.

I practice at a martial arts school that requires a 15:30 two mile run to test for a black belt. I still have about two years until this day comes, but I would like to be prepared and ready ahead of time.

On January 15, I started off with a mile time of about 10:30. As of March 24, my mile time is about 8:52. My goal is to improve my mile time by at least 20 seconds in a month (down to 8:32). I have reached a plateau, and I really need to push myself to accomplish my goal. The final goal for this year is to reach a mile time of 7 minutes. The only plausible way to track my progress is simply to record the time it requires me to run a mile. I could try to measure the time it takes me for each lap, but my watch is sadly not made out for that (and holding a phone while jogging messes with my balance).

The Steps:

• Reduce Body Fat and Weight: I have been constantly skipping workouts and not controlling my diet properly. I have seen little to no changes in my body weight and percent body fat since I started in January. As of March 24, I weighed in at about 127 lbs with my percent body fat at 20% (both measured by electronic scale). I will attempt to lose one pound a week (down to about 123 lbs) and to reach a percent body fat of around 18%. Progress will be measured through scale readings and pictures.
  
  
• Jogging: Monday and Friday will be regular jogging days. Mondays will be days in which I see what progress I have made by running a mile as fast as I can, and jogging for the rest of the time I have until my martial arts class (usually ends up being 2 to 3 extra miles). Fridays will just be a long distance running day. No rests unless necessary, covering the most distance I can within an hour.
  
• Interval Training: I was given great advice on /r/running concerning working toward my goal through interval training. In the past, I haven't given it my all, so from this point forward, I truly will have to push myself to my limits instead of making of excuses as to why I need to stop. The track at my school gym requires 6.7 laps to complete a mile. Looking at my ultimate goal of a 7 minute mile, I will need to run each lap in about 1:02. Therefore, from the advice I received, I will attempt to run a lap within 1:02, walk/jog half a lap, attempt to run another lap within 1:02, walk/jog, etc. until I fail to run a lap within 1:02. Once this point is reached, I will run half a lap in 0:31, walk/jog quarter of a lap, and continue until I fail. I will attempt to run up to 2 miles with this pattern (or until I fail to run half a lap in 0:31), at which point I will just jog at an easy pace for the rest of the workout. Interval training will be done once a week on Wednesday.
  
  
• Insanity: I have previously had great results with Insanity. And the workouts that I have been skipping almost all of this year are Insanity workouts. Therefore, I have to step up my game. The Insanity workouts really help build leg muscles needed for speed, and Shaun T's yelling truly motivates me to push myself to healthy limits. Insanity workouts will be done Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday (if there are no pressing plans for the weekend).
  
  
• More Muscle: Martial arts and rock climbing will assist in increasing my muscle (and reducing my percent body fat). I have two martial arts classes every Monday and Wednesday. I have usually skipped one of them each week in the past, so I plan on sticking to the schedule and consistently going to both. And I have constantly skipped rock climbing due to the soreness it causes in my upper body over the weekend. However, with no belt tests coming up, I have no excuse to skip. Rock climbing will allow me to work the muscles in my upper body that I rarely work out.
  
  Cheerleaders:
  
  
• /u/mcpomaden, /u/Slizards, /u/chronos42; if you have been summoned, don't worry. I don't need too much cheerleading... Hopefully.
  
  As I get more into climbing, I could use some climbing shoes and a chalk bag.
  
  I do not use Amazon music, but the Pirates of the Caribbean soundtrack is the best for when I need some inspiration.
  
  I will be back to edit this further.

rock climbing holds use a 3/8-16 allen head bolt to attach. You'll need to get some t-nuts, but most climbing hold companies provide the bolt with the hold...otherwise they're just 3/8-16 allen head bolts for the most part. I would recommend 4 pronged t-nuts over 3 prong. They're easy to find on ebay or else these on amazon will work just fine. There's a ton of climbing hold companies out there as well, but I'd recommend going to a local climbing gym first and see if they're selling any old holds first. Then, I'd go with Element Climbing Holds, E-grips, or three ball for cheaper holds.

I would say that 2.5 feet is too short and will be quickly out grown. I would make it whatever height a 4 foot tall piece of plywood would make it given the angle you have in the design.

Logistics of the gym...how will they get to the monkey bar rungs? Will they have to squeeze between the vertical rungs to get onto them? Maybe take out the top vertical rung so there's a place for them to transfer onto the top monkey bars?

For portability, could it be folded up? Maybe use a thick wood dowel on each side to the legs can folded inward for movement and storage and then you'd just have to have something on the outside that would stop the legs from opening up further than you want.

If you want to splurge and get the best I hear that Organic pads are the way to go.

If you want to save money like I did, you can usually find the Metolius Bailout Crash pad for pretty cheap. I think mine was like 1115 and it is pretty good.

Also isn't this the mad rock pad you are looking for?

http://www.amazon.com/Mad-Rock-Pad-Black/dp/B001C3RD6I?SubscriptionId=AKIAI5RQCZHOENZ4DIIA&tag=outdoocom-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B001C3RD6I

You should consider an Ecoball. Its like a stocking sort of thing filled with chalk and you just kind of roll it around in your hands to get some chalk. It is a lot less messy than loose chalk. There is a little bit of dust but if you put it on your towel and put it away in its little bag when you're finished it shouldn't be a problem. It also does not put so much chalk on your hands that it gets stuck in the knurling on the barbell, so there is not much for the gym people to complain about. Here is one that is on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Metolius-Non-Marking-Chalk-Substitute-colors/dp/B000212TGA. I think they have them at REI, too, in the rock climbing section.

Also, when I first started lifting and wasn't sure if chalk would make a huge difference, I tried out some baby powder first. Works pretty well on sweaty palms, smells nice and is not chalk. Just get a small travel-size bottle.

Good luck from another female lifter!

https://www.amazon.com/Sukoa-Chalk-Quick-Clip-Zippered-Pockets/dp/B01G6P5E6C/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?adgrpid=54158968497&dchild=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAn8nuBRCzARIsAJcdIfOGqS91mCbslmpEHD-HYqNeQ_JhfyT8PRmiXjIZalj8CD1KitXSP60aAtTGEALw_wcB&hvadid=274743882865&hvdev=m&hvlocphy=1026385&hvnetw=g&hvpos=1t1&hvqmt=e&hvrand=10012365124399319882&hvtargid=kwd-299228150053&hydadcr=17548_9853695&keywords=rock+climbing+chalk+bag&qid=1574127057&s=sporting-goods&sr=1-3

What about a chalk bag for the rings? It has an elastic band drawing it closed, but it's easy enough when rock climbing to just reach behind you and slip a hand in. Should prevent bounce out and be easy to reach into. Spent ones can get in a pocket easy enough.

I second this. I'd use chalk and try various grips before I went for straps. In August I couldn't pull 425 off the ground without my grip breaking (mixed grip, liquid chalk). Two days ago I was able to pull 505 without my grip even feeling tested (mixed grip, real chalk). The liquid chalk is ok, but I'd buy [this] (https://www.amazon.com/321-STRONG-Refillable-Chalk-Capacity/dp/B0175OQJMG/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1549049114&sr=8-5&keywords=lifting+chalk) as it's much cheaper, and I think it works better. The best thing I did to build grip strength was kroc rows (usually 1 or 2 sets of high rep, very heavy db rows) after I finished deadlifting.

A lot of people that i know will hang on the edge of a sturdy doorframe, but that cant be good for your doors. For generating power, you generally find edges that you can hang on for about 4 or 5 seconds and try to work that to about 15, and then restart on a smaller edge. I use a metolius contact training board which can be found here http://www.amazon.com/Metolius-Contact-Training-Board-Black/dp/B00A821SL0/ref=sr_1_7?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1394862146&sr=1-7&keywords=hangboard
and the main reason i like it is because the holds are big but the little ones get really small, so as you progress, you can still use the hangboard. Another main point is, at v5, you dont really need to hangboard too much, but work on your technique and just put a lot of hours onto a steep bouldering wall. My friend Mirko Caballero climbs about v13, and his dad has told me he didnt start supplementing his climbing with hangboarding until last year, and he still crushed majorly hard. Good luck man!

My hands never stop sweating, to the point where I leave any route I climb, primarily at a gym, wet.

So I've generally just avoided getting much into climbing, but my wife has picked it up and really likes it, so I need options. I'm currently looking at some gloves. I think half gloves, like

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A4ZD6Q6

would help, because a lot of the sweat comes from my palms, but I'm also looking at full finger options like

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0168NNYDM

but I don't even know what crag glove means, so no idea if it's what I need or not. Anyone used gloves for all around climbing? Any other options or things to search for?

Amateur rock climber here.

Here are some products I can recommend to non climbers to improve overall hand and arm strength. My dad uses some of these to fight joint pains and he finds them useful. Also useful for carpel tunnel.

Gyro ball

Metolius gripsaver

There's many others but Those two are the best general purpose ones that I can recommend.

This would be in addition to all the doctor checkin recommendations of course.

Do your hands also tremble when shaving?

There are other alternatives like ecoball, which I think is a kind of resin or something, so no dust. I use a regular chalk ball which is cleaner than loose chalk, and the same one has lasted me about 3 years.

And as was said above, chalk adds a ridiculous amount to your grip. My grip gives out after a few reps at about 150kg but when I last tested my 1rm at 215kg with chalk I had no problems. Ideally you should go as long as you can without it though just to help build your hand strength, and hold your final rep at the top for as long as possible.

I have an immersion blender on my wishlist because there is a really good recipe for butternut squash sweet potato slowcooker macaroni chili (Edit: I mixed up the recipes). that requires a blender and I don't have a blender.

Edit again: Ok. I'm all over the place. I think it was some kind of butternut squash pasta. The chili doesn't need a blender.




Alternatively, on my "fitness stuff" list I have something called a chalk ball. I go bouldering 3 times a week and if you don't know, chalk is used when climbing to help with friction or something like that... but anyways, it'll make it easier for me to bring chalk to the gym with me without the risk of spilling chalk everywhere.

Definitely manufactured.. but not sure what they are either. But climbing wall holds like so:
https://www.amazon.com/Rocky-Mountain-Climbing-Gear-UX-JQ80-HV6T/dp/B004JQZEAW

Might be really good to build a test board like this too. Hmm... might have a side project to do along with my 1st crawler build.

A wood Metolius climbing hangboard. It's not really a pullup bar, but it can be used as one, and it looks nice.

https://www.amazon.com/Metolius-Grips-Compact-Training-Board/dp/B001PPOCJE

I had a Gorilla gym pullup bar, which was a good bar, but I wanted a bar that looked nice enough that I could leave it up all the time, which is I why I switched over to the hangboard.

I've never tried them, but Eco Ball mess free chalk is supposed to be pretty effective.

Why is chalk not an option? I'm also 5' with a hand length of just under 6 inches from tip of middle finger to wrist, pulling around 165lbs with a double overhand grip, and I chalk the fuck up between every set. Take a look at this non-marking chalk substitute: http://www.amazon.com/Metolius-Non-Marking-Chalk-Substitute-colors/dp/B000212TGA/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

Definitely start doing grip exercises, though. When you lift, make sure that your knuckles are white. Your hands may tear, but just let them heal and carry on.

Also, try not to use mixed grip unless you absolutely can't get the bar up without it. There is an awesome, mentor-like woman at my gym who forces me not to use mixed grip unless I'm going a ridiculous weight or a really high number of reps. I really, really value her for that.

Not done so myself but, honestly, wouldn't. Crash pads have different construction and materials to a folding mattress which will make them much more effective for landing on than what you linked. Even if you thought about using it folded up, I'd be very wary in the lateral movement it might create.

For $142 you could get a useful crash pad.

my impression of the metolius mega sets is that generally the work best on less steep walls - vertical or slab, due to the generally smaller hold size. So you may want to avoid an overhung wall, and additionally until she is a little older.

Here's a video of a baby climbing a vertical wall. this seems like what you might be going for. Here is a young one on a slab wall. In both cases I think they have a few more "jug" holds than what you have in the metolius set. Consider supplementing with something easier to grab like a set of mini jugs or these.

Hello, I'm relatively new to the sport, being in it for only about 6 months. I am looking to get a hang board to train at home as I have no time to go to the gym during the school year. As such, what options do y'all suggest? I am currently looking at the metolius contact as well as the 3D simulator. Feel free to post any suggestions, as well as which board you prefer, preferably with a reason as to why.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00I04IDFC/ref=s9_dcacsd_dcoop_bw_cr_x__a_w

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002N54TFM/ref=s9_acsd_hps_bw_cr_x__a_w

Edit: if you have suggestions for other boards, feel free to post them as well

The Metolius Eco Chalk Ball is pretty handy. My gym doesn't have chalk, and while not necessarily forbidden it is frowned on. This is a non-messy chalk that doesn't get all over the place and keeps my fairly sweaty hands dry and grippy; I wouldn't rate it quite as high as a good block of regular gym chalk but it gets the job done. If you're interested in using chalk I'd recommend it to try.

Well anything you grip will work your forearms in one way or another, but how well a rope pull works our forearms, I couldn't tell you.

If you have space where you live, you could also buy a hangboard, which is a popular among serious climbers for training their grip as well.

My boss uses a rock climbing chalk bag, specifically this one:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01G6P5E6C/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_BK30Cb8807DSR

It has 2 large zippered pouches and alot of space for stuff like tie line, a knife, adapters, gaff tape, Sharpies, etc. You can even use a carabiner and hang XLR and DMX cables on it. As an added bonus, its black, so perfect for us theater folk :) And all for only $10.

ecoball - chalk substitute. Doesn't get as messy as chalk and heard it's better than liquid chalk (I personally never used liquid chalk before). In fact, its pretty clean imo (I keep mine in a ziplock bag). Picked it up because the gym I use to go to didn't allow chalk. Cheap and each ball lasts me a really long time.

Depending on budget, maybe a hang board, if he's got the space for it. I have this one (60-80$) and it's pretty good for a non-pro, and looks nice.

Oh yeah, for sure. 321 STRONG Refillable Chalk Ball with 65 Gram (2.3 oz) Capacity, Comes Full - for Rock Climbing, Gym Workouts, Billiards, and More https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0175OQJMG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_OVcJBbRE3YMMD

try getting a climbing hangboard, and looking up exercises for that. Guarantee you'll notice forearm and hand strength increases within a month

I also have one of these for home training. trying to do pull-ups with only your fingertips will give you a great forearm pump. Plus climbing is fun so it's a great way to workout.

Yep. But my advice would be to try chalk. Get an eco ball if they don't let you use chalk since it's non-marking. Made a HUGE difference for me. In regards to straps, I wouldn't recommend them basically ever. They mess with your grip. Use a mixed grip only on your heaviest set which is probably when you're slipping. But chalk is still my first suggestion. Your grip strength will improve the more you practice.

Cheap-o chalk is better than no chalk. I only know because I used to rock climb a lot, which is very grip specific. Non brand chalk blocks are usually pretty cheap, and they'll go a long way. E.g. Rogue sells chalk for $12 for 8 blocks, which is hard to beat especially considering that it's one of their "3 ships free" deal. (But as an addendum, Black Diamond White Gold chalk isn't that much more expensive per pound.)

I’ve had great luck with this:

Metolius Eco Ball Non-Marking Chalk https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000212TGA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_V8lvDb3A779DQ

I am looking at getting these. I dont like gloves, but I think these would help with some lifts.

This also looked like an intresting alternative.

I use this stuff. It's clear chalk. Sucks for climbing, works great for lifting.

The only place I leave handprints is on my pants, not quite sure how that works out :)

If you're benching your own bodyweight 3 times for 5 sets, that really isn't terrible. According to this 5/3/1 strength standard that would be in the 'intermediate' range.

For the deadlift I'd recommend alternate grips, like this, and if that doesn't cut it I've been using these with some success. (most gyms don't allow chalk, but the ball doesn't leave any marks on the bar, so it should be ok).

Option 1... if those are truly the only options.

---

Option 2 is waaay overpriced. Amazon sells it for $22, or better yet drill in the eye bolt yourself for even less. Wood is extremely smooth too, so not great for training.

Option 3, not great for pinch, but at least it's not bare wood. Atomik brand holds are cheaper, grippier, and you can get bigger sizes.

Might i suggest Option 4: make everything yourself for less than the cost of those elephant balls.

> Also, what can I do for wrist training like supination, pronation, ulnar and radial deviation

Sledge levering. Hammers come in all sizes. Or you could make a similar lever device.

I had a similar question a month ago, read this article, then bought these "powerball" wood things and hung them off my hangboard setup. I can change my finger position (on top vs on sides) to adjust how hard I have to pinch to hang, and since they're hanging I can hold them in the vertical orientation Lopez recommends. I'm happy with them.

Please tell me those are not the actual holds your gym uses. I've climbed on the pictured "level 3" holds and they are pretty terrible for anything outside of a kids play set.

https://www.amazon.com/Rocky-Mountain-Climbing-Gear-QH-G3IN-ZLO6/dp/B0054RVYZ4/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1549292196&sr=8-10&keywords=kids+climbing+holds

https://www.amazon.com/Climbing-Hardware-Children-Playground-assorted/dp/B01M8FZSAI/ref=sr_1_11_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=1549292196&sr=8-11-spons&keywords=kids+climbing+holds&psc=1

I hope you are using the Bison Competition Chalk, which is good stuff. The base bison chalk my gym lends out is terrible.
Recommend THIS
----Avoid THIS

Chalk

Tape

ClimbOn

Chalk Brush

Merry Christmas!

About chalk, get this : http://www.amazon.com/Metolius-Ball-Non-Marking-Chalk-Substitute/dp/B000212TGA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1323424041&sr=8-1

It's basically invisible chalk and does not leave a mess. I've been using it and it's amazing.

I am looking into buying a free standing pullup bar as well. I have not done too much research, but have been looking into:

• Weider Power Tower
  
  
• Stamina 1690 Power Tower
  
  
• Elite XL
  
  My major concern is that I plan on doing more than just pullups on these. To start, I plan on using a [homemade version of these climbing power balls] (http://www.amazon.com/Rock-Climbing-Training-Power-Balls/dp/B00JJU4ME2/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1405523170&sr=8-2&keywords=climbing+power+balls) (plan to hang from pullup bar and make them from softballs) and eventually transitioning into rings. My fear is that the power towers will not sustain the power balls or the rings very well as the COG would be lowered significantly.
  
  OP, I looked at the TAPs system, and it seems pretty comparable to the Elite XL model, except that it is taller. I am not sure if that is good or bad, depending on if you plan on indoor/outdoor use. Also, it is WAY more expensive and the shipping is $90 on top of that.
  
  
  

https://www.amazon.com/Bison-Designs-Competition-Chalk/dp/B008XQUG5M

Best chalk on the market IMHO, coming from a rock climber.

Yeah, I know. I'm just making fun of his idea that "well, just stuck it in my mill..." idea.

The guy doesn't consider a lot of factors. Firstly, the time to design something like that. An experienced user could do it in say thirty minutes to one hour. It's not all that complicated.

But then, what if you don't have your own mill? Then you have to take it somewhere (driving, or transit, but it all boils down to your time), then there's a minimum fee. I just looked into getting some objects laser cut out of 1/16" stainless and the guy on the phone said "well we have a minimum fee of $140, so you may as well make 100 of them". And so on and so forth.

Oh, look at this. A hangboard for $55 with free two day shipping. That's waaaay more hassle than making your own.

Maybe I'm just bitter, I want my own mill, someone shoot me.

Amazon.

This stuff makes your hands practically magnetic to the bar. Can't blame your grip anymore on tough lifts. Love it.

Best $11.95 I've ever spent

Select the 300g bag. Free shipping with Amazon Prime.

You might find the Eco Ball to be useful. It's probably found in stores that have climbing gear.

Personally I have something similar to the flexEx on my desk at work - this. I do not feel like it helps with my grip strength but working with it is good for injury prevention and rehabbing finger injures.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000212TGA/ref=cm_cr_arp_mb_bdcrb_top?ie=UTF8

Something like this is preferred for not leaving a route "traced". Or lifting heavy without spilling chalk all over or making the bars turn white.

Then get the bags of chalk substitute. Something like this or liquid chalk.

Good advice. Eco ball works as well. Bring a towel to wipe the bar off with even if you use liquid chalk. Chalk and chalk substitutes absorb moisture, which is how they provide more friction/grip but this is the same mechanism that rusts equipment. Wipe equipment dry even if you are just using sprays or alcohol to wipe down equipment.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000212TGA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_Q7vADbD1E6RNQ

fyi If you need more I got 100 for $14 on amazon http://www.amazon.com/100-T-nuts-for-Climbing-Holds/dp/B003KIU2E8

I use a larger Chalk Bucket (helps with carrying extra items in the gym) and use Black Diamond uncut White Gold.

I promise you will never look back

Wait, what? I found some prime-eligible chalk on Amazon.

Found it! http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000212TGA

$5.25 and prime-eligible.

So I got these Climbing Balls as a gift over Christmas but I've been trying to figure out what kind of strap/webbing to use to hang them with. Anyone have recommendations?

My gym also doesn't allow chalk, but I just sneak using this. Haven't gotten grief for it yet, but if I did, it's not chalk and it doesn't leave a mark.

http://www.amazon.com/Metolius-Non-Marking-Chalk-Substitute-colors/dp/B000212TGA

I like to use Climbing chalk bags to hold my pocket sand so it is always at the ready in case of an attack.

I sneak a climbing chalk sock in a towel. Just found this on amazon too.

Thanks for the info buddy, I guess Ill give FF a shot.

I hate those hexagon shape plates makes the bar roll more than the round ones. I only use chalk on my heavy (275+) sets, it not even chalk its a chalk alternative so im sure that wont be a problem.

Get an eco ball. http://www.amazon.com/Metolius-Non-Marking-Chalk-Substitute-colors/dp/B000212TGA works like chalk and leaves no residue at all.

They make some chalk balls with clear powder if you're worried about making a mess. I use one and it works very well.

I have the exact same issue and chalk helped me out a ton. I actually got one of those no mess type chalk bags since my gym doesnt allow regular chalk and it works like a charm.

I just ordered this for myself. I'm betting it'll work out for you too.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01G6P5E6C/ref=mp_s_a_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1527067937&sr=8-6&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=chalk+bag+for+rock+climbing&dpPl=1&dpID=51NsIAm4ufL&ref=plSrch

I use a chalk bag/ball, and it's in ziplock bag when I'm not using it, so it doesn't spill and go all over the place.

http://www.amazon.com/Metolius-Non-Marking-Chalk-Substitute-colors/dp/B000212TGA

Here are some pictures of the hangboard! https://imgur.com/a/RiqWZ

It's a Metolius Wood Grips Compact.

I bought this one http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001A5TD70/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1410538673&sr=8-1&pi=SY200_QL40.

http://www.amazon.com/Metolius-Non-Marking-Chalk-Substitute-colors/dp/B000212TGA

One of these: http://www.amazon.com/Metolius-Simulator-Training-Board-Black/dp/B002N54TFM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1425314608&sr=8-1&keywords=rock+climbing+training+board

If you can spare the cash, I would suggest one of these training boards:

Metolius
or
The Bomb

They are both in my local gym and give you massive options.

I use:
https://organicclimbing.com/products/lunch-bag-chalk-bucket

Filled with:

https://www.amazon.com/Bison-Designs-Competition-Chalk/dp/B008XQUG5M

and:

https://www.amazon.com/Bison-Designs-oz-Standard-Chalkball/dp/B008TYH64C

With a little pinch of:

http://www.jtreelife.com/collections/chalk/products/flower-power-herbal-chalk

Use this in place of your chalk.

I use the eco-ball for climbing and for lifting because it doesn't mark anything up and my gym only permits non-marking chalk.
http://www.amazon.com/Metolius-Ball-Non-Marking-Chalk-Substitute/dp/B000212TGA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1335192281&sr=8-1

I just rub my hands a bit before my last set of deadlifts and when I climb.

Not exactly colored chalk, but non-marking just the same:
http://www.amazon.com/Metolius-Non-Marking-Chalk-Substitute-colors/dp/B000212TGA/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1425924738&sr=8-1-spell&keywords=metoulious+eco+ball

I've been wondering this myself lately. I only started hangboarding a few weeks ago as part of RCTM beginner plan, and my hangboard (Metolious Simulator) doesn't have pinches on it. Bought a set of 3" wood balls to train pinches from Amazon (link) but have been having a really hard time doing 6 x 10s even with a lot of weight off with pulley system. I've been debating between a set of pinches from Atomik's system screw on holds or making pinch blocks like these.

> I've never actually gotten to the point where I simply couldn't lift it.

There's your problem. Your body is mechanically strong for the deadlift movement. You'll surprise yourself. For me, a failed deadlift never even gets off the floor so there's no harm in trying.

I'm 6'0" 170 pounds and pulled 295 for 2 last week and 285 for 5 the week before. Just keep upping the weight.

I mean if you have incredibly long (for your height) legs or short (for your height) arms that'll hurt your numbers, but I think at 265 you're well below the point where you'd notice it. A 'perfectly' proportioned person will have their pubic bone be at half their height and their wingspan approximately equal to their height.

Last edit: Alternate grip will help a ton. Do it on your highest weight set. Also, chalk. I use this stuff which I put on in the lockerroom and no one notices out on the gym floor. Doesn't leave a residue on the bar or the floor.

I just got one of these for Christmas, which reduce finger-related injuries if you use it. Other climbers that I've talked to at my gym tape their joints, which makes it more difficult for joints to get pulled.

Eco Ball Chalk is the tits: http://amzn.com/B000212TGA

Or Harbinger straps: http://amzn.com/B001SG5LNG

90% of the people at my gym use those straps. Then again, they won't necessarily help strengthen the grip.

or if chalk is too messy, here is an alternative!

1. My gym doesn't allow chalk and I use an eco-ball. It's not completely mess free, but I've never gotten in any trouble for it. Here is something from SL about dead lift grip strength increase. Frankly, you really just need to build grip strength; 185 is very low to fail grip.
   
   
2. Possibly, but as a beginner you should really just focus on strength and let worry about moving to an intermediate routine later.
   
   
3. "Feeling it" isn't necessarily a good measure of whether something is working or not. It's possible your chest is overdeveloped relative to the other muscles used in the lift. I would never cut bench unless you physically could not complete the lift.

I think it's important to remember that pole dancing is a sport that is different for everyone. There isn't really a strong "standard" at this point. So don't bother comparing yourself to others. Listen to your body, watch yourself and try to improve in ways that work for you. One thing that helped me improve was recording myself doing a trick, immediately watching the recording, and then trying whatever improvements I decided based on the recording. Maybe give that a try!

It's possible you could benefit from a better grip aid. If sweaty hands is your problem, I recommend a chalk. This is the one I use and it's great! The I-tac grip aids are great if you need more grip, but don't sweat. If you sweat with it on, it will actually make you slip more than if you hadn't used it at all.

Also keep in mind that everyone has to start somewhere. I had NO IDEA what I was doing when I started and starting was really the hardest part. Especially when you first start letting go of fear. It took me awhile to invert properly, because I was afraid. Getting over that fear is difficult but once you do it, you'll be open to a world of awesomeness!

A few things I can see from your squat (also, I'm close to a beginner myself so take this all with a grain of salt): I'm not sure from this angle if you're doing a low bar squat or a high bar squat: looks a little high to me. And your wrist position is letting the bar roll around on your back. Your wrists should stay in line with your forearms: like your throwing a punch, not doing a pushup. I found this video helpful at addressing both issues. This is my favorite general squat video. And chalk is important for getting a good grip on heavy weights; I never train without it.

Also hard to tell if you're doing this from this angle but it helped me with any knee issues I was having. When you squat down, you want to start by shoving your butt backwards. That's what should initiate the movement, not bringing your knees forward. You then want to continue the movement by bending your knees forward and outwards, keeping them in line with the 30 degree angle of your feet (I can't see if your feet are wide enough or pointed far enough apart from this angle). BUT don't let your knees go beyond the tips of your toes! Some people train this by putting a block of wood or something in front of their toe to they can train not knocking it over on the way down. You make up for this by shoving your butt out farther so you can get down nice and low, which also helps engage proper hip drive recruitment of the posterior chain muscles. The knees in front of the toes thing is known to cause knee issues.

Important: focus your gaze on a point on the floor just five feet in front of you while squatting. I've started actually putting an object there for me to laser in on. Keep your chest puffed up and your chin low, like you're holding a tennis ball there with your chin.

Your bar path isn't quite vertical; I can see it moving forward as you go down in the video. Some of the things I've suggested should help there. In general, the mental cue to keep the bar over your mid foot is helpful for me.

I think you're going down far enough; It's hard to tell because of your gym shorts. Maybe just a little bit farther would be good. I find it's way easier to get back up when I go down far, even though that's scary! That combined with shoving your butt back will activate hip drive.

Your deadlift form looks pretty good! I can see just a little bit of back rounding on your last couple reps, which is best to avoid. But that can happen as we get fatigued. Try lying down on the floor and doing some back extensions just to feel the muscles your should be flexing hard during the lift to keep your back extended.

Also focus in general a bit more! I can see you glancing at people around the room and the gears in your head turning during your set. It's best to try and get in the zone, blocking everything else out. I worry over and work on form during my warm up sets, but try to just let my body do its thing during the work sets. If there's a form issue, I'll correct it on my next workout instead of trying to change anything between work reps. All I'm thinking during the work sets is, "NO HISTRIONICS - ASS BACK, MID FOOT, ASS UP! ASS BACK, MID FOOT, ASS UP..."

I'm not sure about squatting barefoot. I know some people deadlift that way, but I haven't heard squatting barefoot recommended. These are great and you can get them for <$60 if you don't care about the color. Made all the difference for me - keeps your ankles and knees stable while letting your push nice and hard.

Embrace the DOMS - love the DOMS. There's a difference between pain and injury. I was getting crazy DOMS for a while, but did my squats anyway. The DOMS were gone by the end of the workout (and then came back twice as hard the next day!). But eventually that stopped and I don't get DOMS much anymore.

Overuse and possible medical issues are no joke. I've never had an injury worse than the time I spent two full days walking around Washington DC in dress shoes. Most doctors don't understand training, but get their advice about your knees anyway. I'd blame your knee issues on your job before blaming them on squatting.

If you haven't already, definitely read Starting Strength no matter what program you're moving towards.