First Time Bouldering Indoors? Mistakes to Avoid & Tips to Help You

You probably clicked on this article because you are feeling intimidated or anxious about bouldering indoors for the first time. It’s possible that you are looking to learn quickly and/or perform better than a friend you’ve brought. You’ve come to the right place if any of these reasons apply to you. The following are all the things we wish we had known before we started bouldering. What should you do if it’s your first time bouldering indoors? To make sure beginner climbers feel more comfortable in their climbing gyms, we have some tips for them:

• It is important to know the price and the facilities. There is a café, a gym, free parking, and how much does it cost to rent shoes?
• If only we had been warned about burning myself out so easily. Since climbing requires a different type of forearm and finger strength than most other activities, beginners tend to tire quickly in these areas.
• You also need to remember that climbing shoes are supposed to be tight in order to help you feel and grip on the holds better. In climbing shoes, you are usually 1 size below your normal shoe size, if you are a size 10.
• Climbing etiquette is something that you should definitely understand before entering the mats – this is what you should and shouldn’t do to avoid causing disturbance to others.
• Whenever somebody asks for help, we would tell them to “find your feet” – climbers are more about balance and staying on the wall with their feet than their hands… often.
• You shouldn’t leap off the wall after completing a climb. It can injure your back.
• When you can’t solve a problem and need help, ask other people for advice. It’s surprising to see how many climbers are willing to show a problem off to you.
• Don’t be put off by the fact that you may not be very good at slabs, since you might crush it on overhangs.
• Find a friend who has the same level of motivation as you and compete against each other in a friendly way if you want to progress quickly.
• If possible, avoid the busiest times in a climbing gym; otherwise, it can be very frustrating.
• Enter there with the sole intent of having fun.

Here’s an article that elaborates on each of those points. Here you will find links that will let you jump directly to any section of this article. To know about whether bouldering can be done alone or not, check this article.

Prices and facilities for indoor climbing

You’re going to want to know what facilities they have and what everything costs if you’re going indoor climbing for the first time. Do they offer monthly or yearly memberships? If you don’t know anyone who has been to that gym, then you could ask someone you know who has. It’s also necessary to consider whether you’ll have to rent or buy climbing shoes. As a result of the physiological effects caffeine has on the human body, most of you would like to have a fresh espresso before climbing. It’s known as an ergogenic aid, which enhances performance and having a café in the climbing gym is therefore a must for all of you. If you’re a coffee addict , you’ll probably want to find out if your climbing gym has a coffee shop.

As a matter of fact, we don’t know of any climbing gym that does not have a changing room. However, not all climbing gyms have lockers. If lockers are available, they may be few and may be pricey. If you’re one who values your belongings, you should probably find out if the gym you’re going to has lockers and how much they cost to rent.There are also two sections in a regular gym for physical and technical training and these are:

• There is a weight room with two pull-up bars, benches, gym balls, and finger boards which are extremely useful for overall climbing strength.
• The campus board training area has a training board at 30 degrees to help with technique.

What basic climbing equipment, such as chalk and climbing shoes, is available at the climbing gym? In any case, you’ll need to hire climbing shoes or buy some beforehand, and you’ll need to purchase chalk somewhere else as well.

If you plan to drive to the gym, be sure to enquire about free off-street parking.

A Different Kind of Forearm and Finger Strength Is Needed for Climbing

Most of us don’t actually take climbing seriously when we hear that it’s hard on the fingers and forearms. So we tried climbing with some climbers. After attempting a few climbs, they barely rested between them. They felt lactic acid in their forearms after around 15 minutes of going back and forth. Due to how tender my muscles were, their forearms and fingers were in pain for the next few days. They regret nothing. However, they admit that at the time they wished someone had really told them how important it is to rest and recuperate your forearms and fingers in between climbs, especially when you are a beginner. So we suggest resting after every climb and massaging your fingers and forearms in the days following to reduce inflammation and promote muscle growth.

Most people overlook the fact that they will need very tight climbing shoes when they first start climbing. It’s important that they aren’t so snug that it feels painful, but they shouldn’t feel absolutely comfortable. When you climb in shoes that are so tight that you are in pain, not only will they negatively affect the structure of your feet, but you won’t be motivated to put your foot on the wall. While you do want the screws tight, you do not want them to hurt you. As your climbing shoes get tighter, it becomes easier to grip on smaller footholds on a climbing wall. You will probably need a size 9 or less in climbing shoes if you are a size 10 in normal shoes. 

The Etiquette of Rock Climbing

A climbing etiquette is a set of rules every climber and boulderer should follow. They include a few (usually unspoken) rules, such as:

• Keep an eye on your surroundings. It’s your fault if someone falls on you! You should move yourself and your gear if there is an area in the gym where someone can fall on you.
• It is important that your climbing route does not intersect anyone else’s climbing route who is on the wall before you.
• Avoid giving advice unless the other person is asking for it. Climbing walls are fun because you’re solving puzzles! That’s one of the many reasons to climb them! Be careful not to ruin someone’s fun unless they ask you for advice.
• Alternate climbing turns with other climbers. Avoid taking up all the space.
• Jump off the wall after someone has just brushed a hold. So that excess chalk doesn’t impede their climb, they brush the hold. By going on the wall, you’ve just added extra chalk to that hold, which means they will have to brush it again!
• Don’t scream or yell in frustration. If you’re going to do it every now and then then that’s fine, but don’t make it an ongoing practice. The behavior gets annoying very quickly.
• Get help from more experienced climbers if you aren’t sure of something and climbers are generally very helpful to beginners, whether they have a technical question about bouldering or a general question about gym rules.

Use the Climbing Foot Holds to “Find Your Feet”

Getting used to the foot holds was challenging. You will definitely benefit from climbing with your feet unless you’re campusing (climbing without using your feet). A good climber will always focus on finding the next foot hold before moving up the wall.

Don’t jump, climb down the holds

Usually it’s an injury to the ankle or knee, but not many people realize that landing on your feet after jumping from the top of a climb is very bad for your spine, even though you’re on a soft mat. In the future, it could lead to back problems because it collapses the vertebrae in your spinal column.

Climb all types of terrain

Climbs can be divided into three types: slabs, vertical climbs, and overhangs. Slabs are rock faces or climbing walls that are angled less than 90 degrees. This is referred to as an incline. In contrast, a vertical climb involves climbing up straight at 90 degrees. A vertical climb is similar to a slab climb in that it involves a lot of footwork. In rock climbing, an overhang is a climbing wall that has an angle greater than 90 degrees. It is also called a decline. As a result, there are different types of slabs and overhangs. Overhangs of 100 degrees differ greatly from overhangs of 120 degrees.

Compete Against a Friend on a Similar Level

The faster you progress the more likely you are to find someone who is competitive, enjoys climbing, is motivated to improve, and will come with you a few times each week.  You’ll improve much faster if you’re around good people.

Avoid crowded climbing gyms

When climbing gyms are busiest, you should avoid them if you want to learn quickly. Nothing is more frustrating than trying to climb on a wall with around four or five other people in line with you. The motivation and momentum will be lost. To progress, you may need to practice finger strength or do something else to help.

Enjoy Rock Climbing

You should also have fun when bouldering or climbing in any way. Otherwise, what’s the point? If you don’t enjoy it, it will seem like a chore. Yes, you should do things you don’t like even if that means pushing yourself to the limit. Don’t think of it as “something you don’t like”. Think of it as something that will allow you to progress faster to complete more difficult climbs in the future.

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