Never miss a set — Why you should use a hangboard timer for your workouts
I don’t know about you, but capable as I am at counting reps, I am absolutely hopeless at counting sets. I still am, but I’ve never missed a single set since I started using a hangboard timer for my workouts. Read on to find out how you can gain the same peace of mind.
What is a hangboard timer?
A hangboard timer is a type of App used primarily by climbers to train on a hangboard. A hangboard is an apparatus with various types of hold. Climbers hang on it for various amounts of time to increase finger strength and endurance.
What differentiates a hangboard timer from a conventional timer is that with a hangboard timer you can set a particular interval of time to repeat any number of times. For instance: a climber is training her strength endurance and is holding on to the hangboard for 10 seconds, rests for 10 seconds and repeats this 10 times. With a conventional timer you would have to manually set a 10 second timer each time. Measuring the rest periods would be difficult, plus there would be an inaccuracy in that you would need to start the timer before you started the hold. In addition you would need to do something to remember which set you were on.
On the other hand, with a hangboard timer all you need to do is set a 10 second hold with 10 second rest for 10 repetitions — with a “rest” period at the beginning to give you time to set up for the exercise — and you’re good to go! Crucially, hangboard timers indicate the last three seconds of a work or rest period with beeps so you don’t need eyes on it. It would go: (10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4,) beep, beep, beep, BEEP, (10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4,) beep, beep, beep, BEEP, and so on.
“But I’m not a climber!”
So? The important thing is that you have a flawless companion to count your sets/rest periods. You can use it for almost any exercise or workout that involves sets or time intervals. I use it most when it comes to stretching/mobility routines as well as for hypertrophy workouts.
How I use a hangboard timer for my workouts — two examples.
Example 1 — a hypertrophy workout.
You perform 5 sets of 8–12 reps of the lat pulldown. You measure that the sets should take you approximately 60 seconds each (you can always change the work period through trial and error as required) with 90 seconds rest between sets. You’re good to go.
Example 2 — a stretching routine.
I use my hangboard app for mobility work the most because I can’t be asked counting seconds when I stretch. Go through your favourite mobility routine and simply create a workout where the work periods are the stretch and the rest periods are the time you need to move between positions.
Conclussion
It goes without saying that this method doesn’t work in all situations — long strength workouts would be an example — but when it comes to workouts with relatively short and numerous work and rest periods, this method has been a game-changer for me. The freedom from the mental energy normally expended on counting reps and sets has allowed me to pay more attention to the podcast I’m listening to. Or to even just pay more attention on the mechanics of the exercise I’m performing. Give it a go and let me know how it goes!
