Anyone can grab a rope, some gear and head up a rock wall. But it’s how you climb that distinguishes a true climber.
Climbers use movement technique to optimize their pressure and enjoyment. This involves attention to sensation and memorizing feedback so that a particular pattern of holds feels natural and energy efficient. Contact Alta Climbing Gilbert for more details.
Bouldering is a form of rock climbing that is performed on a small, freestanding wall without safety ropes. Climbers tackle a circuit of fixed routes (often referred to as problems) on the wall, which range in difficulty from deliciously easy to eye-wateringly hard. A climber deems themselves to have successfully completed a problem when they control the final hold at the top of the route with both hands in a stable position.
The lack of ropes means that boulderers often need to solve a problem mentally as well as physically. Consequently, bouldering can build strength and agility as well as encourage creativity, focus and mental resilience.
The fact that boulder problems rarely exceed 15 feet in height, and are typically situated close to the ground, makes this form of climbing safer than other types of rock climbing. However, bouldering requires a significant amount of physical exertion and therefore must be balanced with appropriate rest and recovery to avoid overuse injuries.
Getting started with bouldering is easy, as most indoor climbing centres have bouldering walls and offer coaching and equipment hire to newcomers. However, if you’re interested in making the transition safely to outdoor bouldering it is a good idea to accompany someone with experience, either a friend or a paid coach. They can help you choose a bouldering area with safe landings and demonstrate the best approach to taking on a problem, and show you how to place crash pads correctly in order to minimise risk.
While you can try to work out the best way to solve a boulder problem on your own, many climbers prefer to learn from other people. Working together on a difficult problem fosters a sense of community and often involves one person trying the move first, then lots of chat on the ground as other climbers suggest how they might have done it better.
The popularity of bouldering is booming, with celebrities such as Harry Styles and Lady Gaga getting in on the action. The thrill of the activity, coupled with its unique blend of physical exertion and mental engagement, is what attracts so many to the sport.
Indoor Climbing
Indoor rock climbing is done in specially-built gyms where climbers don’t have to worry about weather conditions. These facilities have engineered textured walls that can be adapted with manufactured grips (or holds) to create a variety of climbing routes. Some walls are brick while others are constructed of multi-layers of manufactured concrete or aluminum. Most gyms have staff and instructors, rental equipment and specific etiquette guidelines for climbers.
Indoor climbing is most commonly practiced by individuals using a rope that is controlled from below by another individual known as a belayer. There are two main ways to use ropes while climbing: top-roping and lead climbing. Top-roping is the most common form of indoor climbing and is used by beginners and those that don’t want to be exposed to a lot of falling danger. Lead climbing is more advanced and requires you to clip in to the rope while you are ascending, allowing your belayer to control your fall from above.
When beginning your climb, make sure you wear a comfortable pair of shoes and that they are properly fitted. When starting out, most people wear a size larger than their regular shoes because the movement of climbing can stretch out your feet in unexpected ways. Climbing shoes are designed to be snug enough so that your foot doesn’t slide around in the shoe, but you don’t want them to be too tight as that can cause injury.
During your climb, make sure you follow the belay instructions from the gym’s staff. They may ask you to belay with a buddy, or they may offer you an intro session where they will belay you while you get the hang of it. It is also a good idea to take a belay class to learn how to safely belay others, as most gyms require you to belay before climbing, regardless of experience level.
Once you’ve mastered the basics of indoor climbing, it’s time to venture outside. Outdoor climbing offers a much more dynamic, natural environment than the standardized routes found at most gyms. Depending on the route and your skill level, you’ll encounter different natural features such as jugs, crimps and overhangs, each of which requires unique problem-solving techniques to ascend successfully.
Outdoor Climbing
Outdoor climbing challenges climbers to ascend towering cliffs, scale multi-pitch routes that extend hundreds of feet above the ground, and experience the awe-inspiring beauty of nature in a more immersive way. The heightened sense of exposure also evokes feelings of vulnerability and apprehension, and requires climbers to effectively manage fear and focus on their physical and mental strengths. Outdoor climbing also offers unique technical challenges, including route finding, protection placement, and assessing rock quality.
The rigors of outdoor climbing require additional equipment and skills than indoor climbing, such as bouldering pads, belay devices, dynamic lead ropes, and quickdraws. Unlike indoor gyms, which typically rent all of this equipment, outdoor climbers must bring their own gear tailored to the type of climbing they plan on doing. This includes shoes, helmets, crash pads, and rope bags. For example, if climbers are planning on doing trad (traditional) climbing, they must carry a rack of cams and nuts, and a belay device.
In addition, outdoor climbing often involves navigating complex terrain and adjusting to changing weather conditions. This may include overcoming challenges such as slippery or loose rocks, snowy or icy conditions, and changing winds that can affect footing. Climbers also need to be able to anticipate and adjust their routes as necessary, requiring strong decision making skills.
Finally, outdoor climbing also demands a higher level of endurance and stamina than indoor climbing. Multi-pitch routes require more sustained energy and effort over longer periods of time, and climbers must be able to maintain physical and mental endurance throughout long outings. Additionally, outdoor climbers must be aware of environmental considerations, such as avoiding trampling vegetation or disturbing wildlife. Most outdoor climbing areas have defined trails that climbers must stay on, and many have a pack-in, pack-out policy to minimize the impact of climbing on the natural environment. Taking on these responsibilities demonstrates an important aspect of climbing ethics and ensures the safety of climbers, their partners, and the environment.
Competition Climbing
Climbing competitions are highly structured events where climbers are timed as they attempt a set of routes. Athletes are attached to automatic belay devices that catch them when they finish a route (or fall), then lower them safely back down to earth. Competitions are usually held at a variety of indoor rock climbing gyms in the United States and worldwide. They can be open to all ages and ability levels or restricted to certain categories, like recreational, intermediate, or advanced.
The rules and scoring vary depending on the type of competition, but in general, competitors are given a score for each completed route as well as additional points for reaching certain checkpoints or zone holds during their climb. The top-three scorers from each category advance to the next round, and so on until the final round of the competition.
At the local level, a competition can be anything from a small social gathering to a professionally sanctioned event with specific rules and prizes based on category. These events can be organized by a local climbing gym, the UIAA (International Union of Alpinist Associations) or independently.
To qualify for the semi-final of a lead climbing competition, climbers must first have 1 successful attempt on each of two different qualification routes. They watch a demonstration of each route before they start climbing it, and then have 6 minutes to complete it. The top 26 climbers progress to the final.
In the final, athletes are again in isolation and cannot preview the route before starting. They are given six minutes to climb the same problem, and they earn 25 points for each boulder that they successfully reach. 0.1 points are deducted for each unsuccessful attempt or missed checkpoint.
As with the semifinal, if there is a tie for tops, zones, or attempts, then the climber who did better in the semi-final is declared the winner. After the final, there may be a tie for overall points as well, which takes all of the total scores from the lead and bouldering portions into account. The winning climber receives a gold medal.