Campus boards are great for strength training but can seriously damage your fingers if used inappropriately.

The following BMC guidance on using campus boards has also been approved by the UIAA Medical Commission.
 

For those under 18

Feet-off dynamic campus boarding can permanently damage your fingers!

We advise that climbers aged under 18 do not campus feet-off or dynamically.

• While you are growing, you are at serious risk of injuring the growth plates in your fingers as they will not be fused yet.
• Injuries to your growth plates will mean no climbing for a long time.
• Growth plate injury can lead to serious permanent damage.
• Younger climbers benefit more from improving their flexibility, co-ordination and technique.

There is no need to campus feet-off or dynamically!

For those over 18

Campus boarding can still seriously damage your fingers!

• Don’t use a campus board with your feet off, or dynamically, unless you are an experienced climber and fully understand what you are doing
• Warm up properly, especially the fingers
• Use the campus board at the beginning of your training session – tiredness increases your risk of injury
• Don’t do double dynos unless you are very experienced in campus board use
• Warm down afterwards

For further information read the detailed paper on which this guidance is based.

Read an interview with Volker Schoffl about this guidance on PlanetMountain

Youth Outdoor Climbing Courses

Whether you want to make the leap from indoor climbing into Sport or Trad climbing outdoors, we run many courses across the country and throughout the year that are specially for 11-17 year olds.

BOOK: Youth Trad Climbing Course

BOOK: Youth Sport Climbing Course

Subsidised Youth Course Places

There are a large number of free places on courses for families who may struggle to afford it. Any families who live in rented accommodation and who receive income support or universal credit may contact the instructor of a course or Alex West for a place.

U27 Membership 

From just £1.77 a month it's never been easier to join and support our work: 

JOIN TODAY: BMC Under 27 Membership

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