There are many different types of handholds in rock climbing, but the most commonly used are the vertical grip, crimp, ring grip, open grip, pocket grip and the pinch grip. Handholds are used in rock climbing to help maintain balance and allow you to pull or apply counter pressure when necessary. It is important to have a lot of finger and grip strength so that you can apply enough torque on each hold.

Common Handholds

Vertical Grip Used primarily on micro flakes. This grip is known to be painful.	Crimp Good for edges and shelves. Allows you to apply a lot of torque.	Ring Grip Same as the crimp, but the thumb is used to secure the hold.
Open Grip Perfect for big or rounded holds. This is the least stressful on joints and tendons.	Pocket Grip The middle finger is the strongest for mono-digit holds. Two fingers are always preferred.	Pinch Grip This hold requires a lot of finger strength that is usually delevoped over time.