These routes are then classified with a number and a letter such as. "2a", which means there is a route for every level. That way everyone can join and you can start at the level that suits you.

Bouldering or climbing?

Climbing

Bouldering

Due to the increasing popularity of indoor climbing walls, most people get into climbing via bouldering - undoubtedly the most popular form of climbing. Bouldering appeals to anyone who’s interested in climbing challenges, from beginners to professionals.

When climbing indoor bouldering walls, the only equipment that’s required is a pair of climbing shoes and a chalk bag but if you’re climbing outdoors on a rock wall, you’ll also need a portable crash pad designed especially for this purpose. This is a soft padded mat you place at the bottom of the wall to provide a safe, and smooth landing spot should you fall.

Bouldering doesn’t require any ropes, climbing gear, anchoring or climbing partners. To many people with family and work responsibilities, it can be tricky to find a partner who’s free and can train at the same time as them. Bouldering can be adapted to any weekly schedule and done alone. In addition, there’s no need for help using harnesses or anchoring.

How to get started?

When you start climbing, you’ll probably find it quite difficult. It's important not to be discouraged, as, just like any other sport, it requires practice. You may have modest upper body strength and still be a very good climber if you use the right foot placement to carry the bulk of your body weight. Having said that, climbing still provides a great muscle workout and makes for very good strength training. If you want strong forearms, obliques and legs, this is definitely the right sport for you – and a much faster way to harden your body than many other types of exercise.

Starting at a gym or with a guide, equipment is usually required, especially in the case of rope climbing. Some gyms require that you bring some of your own equipment.

What do you need?

One thing that makes climbing a little easier is using the right equipment. Basic tools, such as ropes and harnesses, will most often be available for hire in the climbing hall, but investing in your own climbing shoes and chalk bag is much more convenient - it saves you money in the long-run and means you don’t have to wear shared shoes!

Climbing

Climbing Shoes

Climbing Helmet

Climbing Harness

Unless you boulder, you need a climbing harness. A climbing harness consists of a belt that sits tightly over the hips and two leg loops. Most climbing parts have adjustable or removable leg loops. Harnesses allow you to connect the rope safely and efficiently. All braces have two tie loops designed to tie the rope through, one on the hip belt and one at the leg loops. Proper tightening of the harness is extremely important for safety.

Chalk

Carabiners

Belay Devices

A belay device is used as a friction brake to help control the rope. When used correctly, the belay device raises the friction and helps the belayer to catch a fall, lower a climber, give more rope or pull loose ropes when the climber moves up or down. The two most common types of rope brakes are tubular and assisted belay devices. The first couple of times you climb, you probably won’t need to have your own, but it’s one of the most important tools that you’ll need to get hold of (excuse the pun!) at some point.

Climbing Rope

No equipment is more important on a climb than the rope, but if you've just started, the rope available to you will most-likely be pre-selected. As you improve, the best rope for you will depend on where you climb and what kind of climbs you’re doing. As a beginner, it’s useful to know that there are two kinds of ropes: Dynamic: This is a lead climbing rope that has elasticity built into it. It’s designed to absorb impact generated in a fall - even though the power of a fall can be very high. Static: This is a relatively rigid rope that, in contrast to dynamic ropes, doesn’t have much elasticity. Static ropes are used for rappelling and rescue work. All ropes must pass the UIAA tests that regulate the number of falls a rope can hold, the impact and the dynamic extension.

Technique

The movements involved in climbing and bouldering, respectively, are the same. Precision, strength, stamina and technique are crucial factors for all climbing styles.

Climbing

During rope climbing, the climber is secured by a rope and a belayer (securing person) who ensures a reduction of fall. The goal is always the same – to reach the top. The routes can be up to 40m (single pitch) and 300m (multi-pitch) long. It's up to each climber to find the most effective way up the wall.

Bouldering

Bouldering means climbing 3-6 metre high pieces of rock wall or tall boulders. Unsurprisingly, the higher you go, the greater the risk of being injured by a fall. You’ll usually land on your back or rear – preferably on a mat. The movements are short and intense, but very demanding.

Inside

Climbing on vertical walls requires that you move mostly with open hips – moving your centre of gravity closer to the wall. In order to use this technique, it’s important to be able to stand on the inside part of your forefoot. You achieve optimum friction, range and freedom of movement by using only the inside of the front of your foot, rather than using the arch of your foot. As a beginner, it may feel strenuous to stand on the forefoot, but with regular exercise, the technique will quickly feel natural.

Outer

Often it’s necessary to change direction or move sideways on the wall. Therefore, it‘s a real advantage to be able to stand on the outside of your feet. As with footholds on the inner front of the foot, it’s important to place the outer forefoot on the foothold, not the arch. This foot placement is also important as it forms the basis of a number of techniques, especially in the case of overhanging climbing.

Hooking

There are two basic types of hooks: heel hooks and toe hooks. Both are useful because using your feet properly gives your arms a rest. With a heel hook, the heel is laid on one step, usually above or level with the upper body. Climbing shoes with rigid heels make this much easier. The heel is placed and your body weight is dragged forward by your heel. Toe hooking isn’t used to the same extent, but is a useful technique to master, especially for keeping the body parallel to the wall of overhanging terrain. For a toe hook, the forefoot is placed around a corner or a foothold and you pull with the top of your foot.

Grip

Climbers have a seemingly infinite number of words to describe forms of rock and holds on the wall. Experienced climbers use their hands to stabilise themselves, not just to pull themselves up. The grips are executed with slightly bent arms, with the feet and legs used to help push you up. The following grip techniques are the most common and should be mastered by every climber:

OPEN HAND

"Open Hand" is a grip technique that is used on grips that don’t have an edge or pocket. Using open hand maximises the contact surface with the grip, thus increasing the friction between hand and hold, so you can get better grip. The grip is held with as many fingers as possible. The thumb can be used to support the side of the hold. The forearm is held close to the wall and pulled downwards and into the hold to maintain the friction. The centre of gravity of the body is kept under control. If the centre of gravity is too high, the friction – and consequently the grip – will be reduced.

PINCH

A pinch is a handle without edge, which requires clamping around the surface with the fingers, whereby friction between the hold and fingers occurs. It’s often an advantage when the body's centre of gravity lies below or beyond for a pinch. If you need to pull straight from the pinch, it takes more power to hold the grip. However, contrary to other grips, it may be held if strong enough. Most grip types can be combined with a pinch. e.g. a pocket can be combined with a pinch if you can get your thumb on the hold.