The late Wolfgang Güllich installed the first "campus" board at a gym called The Campus Center (hence the name) in Nürnberg in 1988. His intent was to train specifically for his project, Action Directe, a route which required extreme finger power. Using the board, he increased his one-fingered dynamics to previously unknown levels, culminating in his success on Action Directe in 1991, setting a new standard for hard free-climbing.
Wooden campus board rungs are unsurpassed for feel and consistency and these are hand sanded to comfortable smooth shapes. Each size rung also has an incut side and a flat side. Pre-drilled and includes mounting hardware. Also included is a detailed guide to construction and training. But you need to provide your own board and fix it to something solid.
Those wanting to improve their on-sight climbing should use a campus board sparingly and concentrate on doing more climbing mileage, while those interested in succeeding on hard redpoints or boulder problems should use it as a primary training method.
The board should be used in conjunction with other forms of training, for spells of 4 to 8 weeks, not continuously throughout the year. Gradually increase usage, from once a week to as much as 2 or 3 times a week, and then taper back down, as you re-emphasize other forms of training. As top climbers know, power takes a long time to gain, but once you have it, you retain it for much longer than endurance. The ultimate aim of super keen enthusiasts is to do a 1-5-9 (but there are very few people in the world who have achieved this).
Warning All Campus Board Users: Training on a hang board carries risk of injury to fingers, arms, shoulders and the joints connecting them. Take every precaution to avoid damage to yourself; warm-up, stretch, don't over train and listen to your body. Remember, even under the best of circumstances, injuries can occur. In addition, however you mount your board, be sure that it cannot move in any direction. There should be no possible way for the board to fall off while training.
See the Metolius website for more information on Campus Rungs.
| Metolius Campus Rungs |
| size | length | thickness |
| Small | 40.6 cm (16") | 19mm (0.75") |
| Medium | 40.6 cm (16") | 25mm (1") |
| Large | 40.6 cm (16") | 32mm (1.25") |
Each packet contains 5 rungs and the required fixings.
NB Wood varies a lot in colour and grain. Your rungs will be unique - don't expect them to look exactly like the photo!