Pinches

Pinches are edges or slopers that allow for a climber to grip the hold from both sides meaning their thumb can apply pressure in opposition to the rest of their fingers. Pinches usually look like simple rectangles on the wall, but sometimes a clever climber may find a way to use their thumb on a hold that is not an obvious pinch. Pinches allow climbers to apply more friction to a hold and are generally considered to be a bit easier than edges. This is not always the case, though. Because a pinch is also a type of grip, it requires a different type of strength from crimping or open handing. This means that a climber may be stronger on edges simply because they are better at crimping even if the pinch is considered to be a better hold. Pinches come in varying widths. Thin pinches are often incut on both sides (positive) while wide pinches generally slope off at the end (negative). If you are collecting holds for your first at-home wall, make sure to grab some pinches of varying widths to practice each type of hand position.