In the world of professional climbing, the past decade has witnessed an evolution that rivals the rapid growth of the sport itself. What was once a niche pursuit for dirtbags and alpine adventurers has exploded into a mainstream spectacle, complete with Olympic podiums, multi-million-dollar sponsorships, and training methodologies that look more like Formula 1 engineering than weekend warrior hobbies.
Today, we are going to look at two of the most iconic athletes pushing the sport to its absolute limit—Janja Garnbret and Adam Ondra—and then explore a piece of training equipment that is quietly revolutionizing how these athletes (and amateurs alike) build their strength: the Two Stones Hangboard.
The Queen of Competition: Janja Garnbret
If there is one name synonymous with absolute dominance in competition climbing, it is Janja Garnbret. Hailing from Slovenia, a country with a deep-rooted climbing culture, Janja has redefined what is possible in the disciplines of Lead and Boulder.
Janja’s resume reads like a work of fiction. She is the first (and so far, only) climber to win Olympic Gold in the combined format, securing her legacy at the Tokyo 2020 Games. But her prowess extends far beyond a single event. She holds the record for the most IFSC World Cup victories in history, and she often wins not just by a few points, but by making problems that stump the entire male and female field look trivial.
What sets Janja apart isn’t just her physical strength—though her finger strength-to-weight ratio is otherworldly—it is her movement library. Watching Janja climb is like watching water find its path down a mountain. She possesses an innate ability to read beta (the sequence of moves) instantly. She doesn’t just overcome the setter’s obstacles; she dismantles them with a combination of precision, flexibility, and a "never-fall" mentality that has become legendary.
She has pushed the sport to a point where setters now have to create problems specifically designed to stop her, often resulting in routes that are so difficult they push the boundaries of human physiology. Outside of competition, she is a vocal advocate for the sport, using her platform to promote ethics, hard work, and the sheer joy of movement.
The Pioneer of Difficulty: Adam Ondra
While Janja reigns supreme in the competition circuit, Czech climber Adam Ondra holds the title of the world’s greatest rock climber. If there is a hardest route on the planet, Adam has likely done it first.
Ondra burst onto the scene as a prodigy, but he has cemented his legacy as the standard-bearer for the sport’s upper echelon. In 2017, he made history by completing the first ascent of Silence in Flatanger, Norway. Graded 9c (5.15d), it remains the hardest sport climb in the world to this day. The route is a 45-meter overhanging cave featuring a brutal dyno between two-to-three finger pockets—a move that took him years to unlock.
What makes Ondra fascinating is his approach. Unlike the stoic, silent climbers of the past, Adam is famous for his loud, theatrical grunting and screaming on the wall. But behind the vocal cords is a meticulous intellect. He is a student of movement, often spending hours analyzing video footage of his attempts to shave off micro-seconds of inefficiency.
His ability to transition between wildly different disciplines is unmatched. He has won World Cups in Lead, dominated the Boulder World Cup circuit, and still finds time to send massive multi-pitch trad routes in Yosemite. Adam Ondra represents the fusion of old-school adventure ethics with new-school training intensity.
The Tool Behind the Strength: Two Stones Hangboard
When you watch Janja latch a tiny crimper at a full sprint or Adam hang off a two-finger pocket while screaming his way up a 50-degree overhang, one question comes to mind: How do their fingers survive that?
The answer lies in dedicated, structured training, and at the forefront of that training is a relatively new but highly revered tool: the Two Stones climbing hangboard.
The market has been saturated with hangboards for decades—blocks of wood or resin with various edge depths. However, Two Stones has disrupted the industry by focusing on one principle: anatomical specificity.
What Makes Two Stones Different?
Traditional hangboards often require you to twist your wrists into unnatural positions to engage certain grips. Two Stones, founded by climbers for climbers, designed their boards using ergonomic modeling. Instead of forcing your hand to fit the board, the board fits your hand.
Their flagship products focus on "offset" and "bi-angular" edges. In climbing, we rarely pull on a perfectly flat, straight edge. Usually, the holds are sloping, incut, or asymmetrical. Two Stones replicates this reality. By using a hang board that mimics the actual texture and angle of real rock (specifically the gritstone and limestone found in premier climbing destinations), athletes develop functional strength rather than just gym strength.
Key Features:
- Ergonomics: The boards feature a unique "ergo edge" that allows for a more natural wrist alignment, significantly reducing the risk of pulley injuries—the bane of every climber’s existence.
- Texture: Unlike the polished wood of many competitors, Two Stones utilizes a specific textured surface that conditions the skin and mimics real rock friction without being abrasive enough to cause flappers.
- Versatility: They offer setups that allow for no-hangs (using a weight pin) as well as standard dead-hangs, making them perfect for everyone from elite pros like Ondra to weekend warriors training in their garage.
Why Every Climber is Talking About It
In the training community, "Two Stones" has become shorthand for smart training. Janja Garnbret, known for her rigorous, injury-averse training methodology, emphasizes the importance of quality over quantity in finger training. Tools like the Two Stones hang board allow athletes to isolate specific weaknesses—such as the dreaded "middle two" pocket or the three-finger drag—without compromising shoulder stability.
For amateur climbers, the rise of Two Stones represents a shift toward longevity. Climbing injuries, particularly to A2 pulleys in the fingers, are the number one reason people stop progressing. By training on a board that respects the anatomy of the hand, climbers can build the tendon strength required to attempt the grades that Janja and Adam make look easy.
Conclusion
The sport of climbing is currently enjoying a golden era. On one hand, you have ambassadors like Janja Garnbret showcasing the artistry and power of competition climbing to a global audience. On the other, you have pioneers like Adam Ondra pushing the boundaries of what is humanly possible on a rope, proving that our limits are further out than we ever imagined.
Yet, for all their natural talent, both athletes share a common secret: relentless, intelligent training. As the sport evolves, so too does the gear. The Two Stones climbing hang board represents the next step in that evolution—a tool designed not just to make you stronger, but to keep you healthy so you can chase your own Silence, whether that’s a V2 in the local gym or a 9c project in Norway.
So, the next time you watch a pro float up a seemingly impossible line, remember that behind the highlight reel is hours of disciplined, ergonomic training. And if you want to start your own journey toward stronger fingers, looking at the tools the pros trust—like Two Stones—isn’t a bad place to begin.