I also implemented my 2 day alternate split of either main assessment exercise and its isolation with the hangs as well as being able to achieve a 2 minute hand has been long overdue. The data provided are with current hanging performance with current isolation exercises that I don’t plan on replacing soon. However I started doing hangs months ago when my first day was bodyweight only for 60 seconds. My goals is to do 45lbs and give the 2min hangs a shot. There were other isolation exercises that I have tried and were sub par in retrospect.
Raw Data (average bodyweight 179lbs)
4/11/26 Puppet Thumb Plate Curls 25lbs x 12 / 7 reps
4/11/26 Finger Holds (bicep curl machine) 100lbs x 42s / 45s
4/4/26 Weighted Hangs 21.25lbs x 1 minute (200.25)
3/30/26 Puppet Thumb Plate Curls 25lbs x 10 reps (left) / 6 reps (right)
3/30/26 Puppet Thumb Plate Curls 95lbs x 60 seconds
3/25/26 Weighted Hangs 20lbs x 1 minute (199)
3/19/26 Finger Holds 80lbs x 57 seconds (guess for 60 seconds would be 76lbs)
3/14/26 Weighted Hangs 18.75lbs x 1 minute (197.75lbs)
3/2/26 Weighted Hangs 17.5lbs x 1 minute (196.5lbs)
Some speculative math and tentative formula
Using the 60 second weights from both: hangs from 3/25 and finger hold from 3/19, 199 / 76 would be 2.61.
Finger Holds * 2.61 = (bodyweight + added weight)
If this formula can work for different times, then if for example I would want to estimate the weight I would have to last in the finger hold in order to be able to hang bodyweight only for 2 minutes, I would divide my bodyweight by 2.61. This case it would 179 / 2.61 = 68.58 for 2 minutes. 70lbs for 2 minutes to be on the conservative side. However, I’m not super confident in this formula when considering the example of 100lbs finger holds, because by that logic, I would be expected to be able to hang with 80-8lbs for 42-45 seconds which is a maybe and wouldn’t try due to past golfer’s elbow injury.
Before moving on from this finger isolation exercise, I have to mention that I use the preacher curl machine handle and make sure that only my distal and middle phalanges only touch the handle and not the proximal side. In other words, it’s more of a crimp exercise like in rock climbing and only the farther 2/3 of each finger is handling the weight and the closer 1/3 finger may touch it but not being loaded.
Insight from new Thumb Isolation Exercise
I went from bilateral to unilateral variation of either isometric or concentric variation of thumb curls in the preacher curl machine handle to trying to use plates as my current exercise. Once I tried this variation, I was sold and knew that this is the thumb isolation that I have been looking for this whole time. How this goes is that I would place my fingers on a thick cylinder that stores weighted plates as an anchor, then place the targeted plate on my thumb with its joint being slightly flexed to hold the plate and start curling. From a side view, it looks like a puppet hence the name puppet plate thumb curls. Anyway, the start is the thumb facing down and each rap finishes when it touches the fingers, basically closing it and its harder at the top. I like to isometric holds right after the regular concentric set finishes. What I have found out is the I’m stronger in my left side than my right side, which explains what I’m stronger in my left side when doing the Captain Crushers, a popular crushing grip exercise.
Summary
My finger strength are similar, but left thumb is clearly stronger than right thumb which explains why my I’m stronger on the left side using the Ironmind Captains of Crushers Gripper Exercise. There is some value in getting stronger in some sort of finger hold exercise to help get stronger in the support grip.