Tips for getting un-intimidated by bouldering
June 23, 2017 12:56 PM Subscribe
I'm joining a bouldering gym, primarily because it is the closest place to my house offering a range of fitness classes. But, since it is a bouldering gym after all, I would like to try bouldering! Looking for any tips that can help me get off to a better start than my first time.
I am a 30something, shortish female of medium fitness (I run/hike moderately often and was doing daily circuit training-type exercise prior to an ankle sprain 6 weeks ago). I had a few top-rope climbing experiences as a kid/teen and really enjoyed them, but my one past attempt at bouldering with a friend felt confusing and frustrating because I didn't really understand the etiquette, or how to actually stay on the wall. I just couldn't get the concept to make sense to my body - I felt like I was trying to defy the laws of physics. This gym offers an "intro to bouldering" one-hour class, which I plan to take, and I know I am probably over-thinking this stuff, but I would greatly appreciate any information/personal stories that MeFites have to share about the things that intimidate me most, namely:
1) Etiquette: bouldering gyms seem to always have a lot of people standing around looking at the wall. How do people know when it is their turn? How do you indicate interest in doing a specific problem to other people who are waiting? Is there an amount of time that is polite to spend doing a problem before you give up? I'm not really used to exercise that has a social component, so the idea of having people watch me climb definitely intimidates me a bit!
2) Strength/fitness: I don't have a lot of upper-body strength, though perhaps more than last time I tried bouldering. How big of an impediment is this? (It felt really significant last time but maybe I was just doing it wrong.) How long will it take me, as a not-super-strong beginner, to be able to do beginner problems? Are there ways to not just immediately fall off the wall? Things to keep in mind for avoiding injury?
3) Frequency/time: What is a good amount of time for a beginner to spend at first? I'd be looking to make gradual progress but I'm not necessarily trying to make it my #1 hobby (unless it turns out I love it!). I'll be doing other fitness classes (mostly yoga/HIIT/"functional fitness"), which hopefully will help make the climbing easier.
I am also very interested in general tips/anecdata from anyone who started out brand new/not super fit/intimidated by bouldering and now loves it. So many people I know really enjoy it, so I'd like to get over my first negative experience and give it a try!
I am a 30something, shortish female of medium fitness (I run/hike moderately often and was doing daily circuit training-type exercise prior to an ankle sprain 6 weeks ago). I had a few top-rope climbing experiences as a kid/teen and really enjoyed them, but my one past attempt at bouldering with a friend felt confusing and frustrating because I didn't really understand the etiquette, or how to actually stay on the wall. I just couldn't get the concept to make sense to my body - I felt like I was trying to defy the laws of physics. This gym offers an "intro to bouldering" one-hour class, which I plan to take, and I know I am probably over-thinking this stuff, but I would greatly appreciate any information/personal stories that MeFites have to share about the things that intimidate me most, namely:
1) Etiquette: bouldering gyms seem to always have a lot of people standing around looking at the wall. How do people know when it is their turn? How do you indicate interest in doing a specific problem to other people who are waiting? Is there an amount of time that is polite to spend doing a problem before you give up? I'm not really used to exercise that has a social component, so the idea of having people watch me climb definitely intimidates me a bit!
2) Strength/fitness: I don't have a lot of upper-body strength, though perhaps more than last time I tried bouldering. How big of an impediment is this? (It felt really significant last time but maybe I was just doing it wrong.) How long will it take me, as a not-super-strong beginner, to be able to do beginner problems? Are there ways to not just immediately fall off the wall? Things to keep in mind for avoiding injury?
3) Frequency/time: What is a good amount of time for a beginner to spend at first? I'd be looking to make gradual progress but I'm not necessarily trying to make it my #1 hobby (unless it turns out I love it!). I'll be doing other fitness classes (mostly yoga/HIIT/"functional fitness"), which hopefully will help make the climbing easier.
I am also very interested in general tips/anecdata from anyone who started out brand new/not super fit/intimidated by bouldering and now loves it. So many people I know really enjoy it, so I'd like to get over my first negative experience and give it a try!
It depends on the culture at the gym, but the ideal is that people support one another at whatever level they're at.
There is a contemplative aspect to bouldering. Like, you can see all the holds, but connecting the moves is more about body position, movement, balance etc. It's part of the beauty of it. This makes it more social, and basically anywhere I've been, you can kind of just go up to a problem, wait for 1 or 2 people to go, and then give it a try. There are numerous instances where I walked up to a problem and watched what looked like a group of friends working on it, only to find out later that most of them had just met one another that day. Welcoming and encouraging others who seem to be there on their own is a good thing too.
I felt like it took a while to get the strength in my hands and forearms. Bouldering problems tend to be more about power. But some are more about balance, and others will have you pulling on little nubs.
That said, watch the other climbers and you'll pick up on which problems are more suited to you.
Before they focus on problems, lots of people will just traverse walls using whatever holds they need. Do that. It can be hard sometimes to avoid climbing up and have your head bumping the ceiling.
Dont be scared of the really overhanging problems. They have big hand holds, and you may find that they're easier for you.
posted by thenormshow at 1:32 PM on June 23, 2017 [3 favorites]
There is a contemplative aspect to bouldering. Like, you can see all the holds, but connecting the moves is more about body position, movement, balance etc. It's part of the beauty of it. This makes it more social, and basically anywhere I've been, you can kind of just go up to a problem, wait for 1 or 2 people to go, and then give it a try. There are numerous instances where I walked up to a problem and watched what looked like a group of friends working on it, only to find out later that most of them had just met one another that day. Welcoming and encouraging others who seem to be there on their own is a good thing too.
I felt like it took a while to get the strength in my hands and forearms. Bouldering problems tend to be more about power. But some are more about balance, and others will have you pulling on little nubs.
That said, watch the other climbers and you'll pick up on which problems are more suited to you.
Before they focus on problems, lots of people will just traverse walls using whatever holds they need. Do that. It can be hard sometimes to avoid climbing up and have your head bumping the ceiling.
Dont be scared of the really overhanging problems. They have big hand holds, and you may find that they're easier for you.
posted by thenormshow at 1:32 PM on June 23, 2017 [3 favorites]
Best answer: 1) There isn't necessarily a strict rule for whose turn it is. Typically, you'd make one attempt, and either finish or fall off. Then another person gives it a shot while you rest. Bouldering is intense enough that you almost always want to take a break between attempts. Some folks like to rest longer than others, so there isn't always a strict rotation. If there's a crowd at one section of wall, and you're not sure if you should go yet, take a step forward and look around to see if anyone else is also stepping forward. If not, go for it! If someone else also stepped forward, offer to let them go first, then go after them :)
2. This depends greatly on what your gym considers "beginner" problems. There is definitely both a strength *and* technique component to bouldering. brute force can make up for lack of technique, and technique can help maximize the strength you have. If you constantly feel like you're trying to do a pull up, you might be trying to brute force your way through a problem :)
3. For most folks, and especially beginners, physical endurance will put a time limit on your bouldering - either your fingers will feel raw from too much scraping on gritty holds, or your muscles (probably forearms) will feel exhausted.
Anecdata: I was definitely intimidated when I first went to a climbing gym. I didn't know where to stand, what was rude, what was safe, etc. So you're not alone :) Taking the intro class you mentioned is a great idea because you'll at least get a sense of what the official rules are at your place, and you can ask the same questions in the class that you asked here - any friendly climber or instructor should be happy to give their opinion on those topics.
posted by mrgoldenbrown at 1:37 PM on June 23, 2017 [2 favorites]
2. This depends greatly on what your gym considers "beginner" problems. There is definitely both a strength *and* technique component to bouldering. brute force can make up for lack of technique, and technique can help maximize the strength you have. If you constantly feel like you're trying to do a pull up, you might be trying to brute force your way through a problem :)
3. For most folks, and especially beginners, physical endurance will put a time limit on your bouldering - either your fingers will feel raw from too much scraping on gritty holds, or your muscles (probably forearms) will feel exhausted.
Anecdata: I was definitely intimidated when I first went to a climbing gym. I didn't know where to stand, what was rude, what was safe, etc. So you're not alone :) Taking the intro class you mentioned is a great idea because you'll at least get a sense of what the official rules are at your place, and you can ask the same questions in the class that you asked here - any friendly climber or instructor should be happy to give their opinion on those topics.
posted by mrgoldenbrown at 1:37 PM on June 23, 2017 [2 favorites]
I went to a local bouldering gym for a couple of years in grad school and really enjoyed it. I didn't get great, but I did get a good sense of my body's location in space and what it could do.
Etiquette: It's okay to ask, usually, and it's definitely okay to ask about the local norms at the intro class. Some of the people standing around are thinking about a problem, resting their hands, coaching the friend on the wall, or curious to see how someone else approaches a route they've found tricky.
Strength: It's an impediment; however you are likely to get better at body mechanics and technique and that will get better faster than the strength. A tip that might help: in general, it's less work to keep your arms straight, and your body opposite of whatever angle it's easiest to grab a hand hold. When you're starting, feel free to add a hold or two that are not technically part of the route, and see if you can do without some of them the next time you go up. (on preview, what thenormshow said). I found that once my technique improved, the strength bit I really couldn't fake with technique was hand strength. Keep an eye on which routes are being used by other people with a similar build to you; they are likely to be more fun.
Frequency: I just did my 1.5 hours a week and found that satisfying, but most of the people who made good progress went 2-3 times per week for that amount of time.
posted by tchemgrrl at 1:42 PM on June 23, 2017
Etiquette: It's okay to ask, usually, and it's definitely okay to ask about the local norms at the intro class. Some of the people standing around are thinking about a problem, resting their hands, coaching the friend on the wall, or curious to see how someone else approaches a route they've found tricky.
Strength: It's an impediment; however you are likely to get better at body mechanics and technique and that will get better faster than the strength. A tip that might help: in general, it's less work to keep your arms straight, and your body opposite of whatever angle it's easiest to grab a hand hold. When you're starting, feel free to add a hold or two that are not technically part of the route, and see if you can do without some of them the next time you go up. (on preview, what thenormshow said). I found that once my technique improved, the strength bit I really couldn't fake with technique was hand strength. Keep an eye on which routes are being used by other people with a similar build to you; they are likely to be more fun.
Frequency: I just did my 1.5 hours a week and found that satisfying, but most of the people who made good progress went 2-3 times per week for that amount of time.
posted by tchemgrrl at 1:42 PM on June 23, 2017
Best answer: I'm a beginning climber!
Regarding etiquette: I agree with all the answers that basically say, "Don't sweat it."
People are waiting to go, but also trying to learn from other climbers, or just taking a breather between attempts.
But it's true that, when there's a lot of people around, who goes when and so on is governed by informal social negotiations, and if you're like me you might find handling a high volume of informal social negotiations stressful.
I go easy on myself by visiting the gym during low-traffic periods.
Frequency / time: I have usually worn myself out after an hour. I start to feel like I can't confidently do moves that were possible earlier. When I was first getting into shape, it would be tough to go on consecutive days, too, because my muscles would be sore.
Your mileage will vary, of course, and I've also noticed that different people have different tempos of how much time they spend literally climbing while at the gym. So e.g. you might spend half the time on the wall, and half actively watching your friend work problems, or more or less, depending. (Actually half active is probably a high guess!)
posted by grobstein at 1:59 PM on June 23, 2017
Regarding etiquette: I agree with all the answers that basically say, "Don't sweat it."
People are waiting to go, but also trying to learn from other climbers, or just taking a breather between attempts.
But it's true that, when there's a lot of people around, who goes when and so on is governed by informal social negotiations, and if you're like me you might find handling a high volume of informal social negotiations stressful.
I go easy on myself by visiting the gym during low-traffic periods.
Frequency / time: I have usually worn myself out after an hour. I start to feel like I can't confidently do moves that were possible earlier. When I was first getting into shape, it would be tough to go on consecutive days, too, because my muscles would be sore.
Your mileage will vary, of course, and I've also noticed that different people have different tempos of how much time they spend literally climbing while at the gym. So e.g. you might spend half the time on the wall, and half actively watching your friend work problems, or more or less, depending. (Actually half active is probably a high guess!)
posted by grobstein at 1:59 PM on June 23, 2017
Best answer: Welcome to climbing in it's purest form. No ropes, no harness, no knots and carabiners, just you and the rock, errr, plastic. Anyway, bouldering is a great sport and a great way to build strength. I'm in my early 40's now, I climbed a ton in my 20's, but when I started having kids, I didn't really have time to climb enough to maintain the fitness required to climb at the level I wanted to. So I'm now coming off of a 10 year hiatus and introducing my kids to the sport. Bouldering is different than other forms of climbing, because you're trying to do the hardest sequence of moves you can, vs. just trying to get to the top. On a normal climbing route you'll have some cruiser climbing then usually a crux set of moves and then some more climbing to the top. With bouldering it's usually all a crux. So, in that way it's beneficial for other forms of climbing because you can work the hard parts without roping up and climbing 60 feet to get to the hard part you really want to do. I'll try to answer all your questions.
1) There is no real order in which to go. Don't climb under people, so look at which problem they are on and make sure they aren't going over top of what you want to start on. When you're ready to go and someone is getting off just commit and walk up there. Bouldering really requires a lot of rest. I'll usually try a problem until I blow out, then you kind of have to step back for a bit and let that lactic acid in your arms kind of drain out. During an hour long bouldering session, I'll usually spend more than half of it standing around. If you're flailing on the beginning moves of a climb for more than a minute or two, take a second and step back and try to figure out mentally what you're doing wrong. Bouldering routes are called "problems" because a lot of time it's not just about strength, it's about figuring out balance and body positioning to get you to the next hold.
2) What a lot of people don't get at first is that climbing is as much about your feet as it is your arms. A lot of the time you should really be hanging straight armed, using your muscular structure rather than your muscles to save your strength in between moves. Foot placement is incredibly important. If you can't reach a hold, usually it's because your feet aren't high enough. Place your feet precisely. Don't look away from your foot until it's exactly where you want it to be. Many beginners also hold their breath a lot which robs you of power. When your hanging straight armed, remind yourself to take deep breaths. On steep problems there is a lot of technique to pick up, like dropping your knee and pulling the side you are reaching with into the wall. You should be able to pull V0 problems pretty quickly. After that moving up the grades all depends on the skills you pick up from classes or other climbers and your natural predilection to climbing. One thing I was told when I started was "You can't fall off if you don't let go." So, sometimes you've got to fight for it. This is also where you see the biggest gains in strength. Don't start with the uber steep stuff first. Start on more vertical problems.
3) Right now, I usually boulder in the gym for an hour on my lunch breaks and like I said half of that is sitting around. I usually warm up with a 5 or 6 easy problems, then I'll work hard stuff for a while with ample rest in between burns, and then I usually close out the session with 4 or 5 more easier ones in fairly rapid succession. When I climb outdoors on the weekends or evenings after work, I'll usually climb for about 3 to 4 hours, but, there is a lot of non climbing time in between, hiking to different zones, laying on the crash pad reading a book, drinking a beer talking to my buddies (hey it's bouldering, you probably aren't going to fall to your death ;). Building fitness in anyway is going to help your climbing. You don't want to bulk up, but, you want to build strength. On days I don't climb, I lift weights and do HIIT cardio stuff or I just ride my mountain bike. Since I've been training for climbing, I've lost about 30 pounds and about 20% of body fat and now I'm climbing almost as hard as I was when I was 29.
Anyway, have fun with it. Learning to climb can be a little intimidating and the gym scene can be kind of weird. Don't be intimidated. Everyone is usually pretty nice, so, just chat with people. Beginners can often be given a lot of unsolicited advice, especially when you're a woman. But take the good and toss the bad and keep at it. Have fun and eventually go with some folks and try climbing outdoors. In my opinion you climb in the gym to train for the outdoors. That's the real stuff.
posted by trbrts at 2:07 PM on June 23, 2017 [4 favorites]
1) There is no real order in which to go. Don't climb under people, so look at which problem they are on and make sure they aren't going over top of what you want to start on. When you're ready to go and someone is getting off just commit and walk up there. Bouldering really requires a lot of rest. I'll usually try a problem until I blow out, then you kind of have to step back for a bit and let that lactic acid in your arms kind of drain out. During an hour long bouldering session, I'll usually spend more than half of it standing around. If you're flailing on the beginning moves of a climb for more than a minute or two, take a second and step back and try to figure out mentally what you're doing wrong. Bouldering routes are called "problems" because a lot of time it's not just about strength, it's about figuring out balance and body positioning to get you to the next hold.
2) What a lot of people don't get at first is that climbing is as much about your feet as it is your arms. A lot of the time you should really be hanging straight armed, using your muscular structure rather than your muscles to save your strength in between moves. Foot placement is incredibly important. If you can't reach a hold, usually it's because your feet aren't high enough. Place your feet precisely. Don't look away from your foot until it's exactly where you want it to be. Many beginners also hold their breath a lot which robs you of power. When your hanging straight armed, remind yourself to take deep breaths. On steep problems there is a lot of technique to pick up, like dropping your knee and pulling the side you are reaching with into the wall. You should be able to pull V0 problems pretty quickly. After that moving up the grades all depends on the skills you pick up from classes or other climbers and your natural predilection to climbing. One thing I was told when I started was "You can't fall off if you don't let go." So, sometimes you've got to fight for it. This is also where you see the biggest gains in strength. Don't start with the uber steep stuff first. Start on more vertical problems.
3) Right now, I usually boulder in the gym for an hour on my lunch breaks and like I said half of that is sitting around. I usually warm up with a 5 or 6 easy problems, then I'll work hard stuff for a while with ample rest in between burns, and then I usually close out the session with 4 or 5 more easier ones in fairly rapid succession. When I climb outdoors on the weekends or evenings after work, I'll usually climb for about 3 to 4 hours, but, there is a lot of non climbing time in between, hiking to different zones, laying on the crash pad reading a book, drinking a beer talking to my buddies (hey it's bouldering, you probably aren't going to fall to your death ;). Building fitness in anyway is going to help your climbing. You don't want to bulk up, but, you want to build strength. On days I don't climb, I lift weights and do HIIT cardio stuff or I just ride my mountain bike. Since I've been training for climbing, I've lost about 30 pounds and about 20% of body fat and now I'm climbing almost as hard as I was when I was 29.
Anyway, have fun with it. Learning to climb can be a little intimidating and the gym scene can be kind of weird. Don't be intimidated. Everyone is usually pretty nice, so, just chat with people. Beginners can often be given a lot of unsolicited advice, especially when you're a woman. But take the good and toss the bad and keep at it. Have fun and eventually go with some folks and try climbing outdoors. In my opinion you climb in the gym to train for the outdoors. That's the real stuff.
posted by trbrts at 2:07 PM on June 23, 2017 [4 favorites]
Best answer: 1) Everyone else has covered this well! The only thing I'd mention is that there are boulder bros who are asses to women in the gym, just like in every other gym in the world. Ignore them. Most dudes in climbing gyms are cool.
2) Strength is important, but technique is equally important! I came back to climbing/bouldering after about 18 months off (tough pregnancy followed by hand surgeries), and I could almost immediately do V2s because I knew the technique involved to solve the problem, even though I was overweight, had extremely poor hand strength, and was overall not very fit. Some tips that I always give beginners:
- Your bones are stronger than your muscles, and your legs are stronger than your arms. What this means is that it's generally better to hang with a straight arm, letting your weight be carried by your skeletal system/muscular system, with your legs bent, than it is to be on the wall with a bent arm, burning your forearm strength while standing up straight on your legs. Your forearms are the muscles most likely to give out first, so you need to conserve them.
- Think about how one climbs a ladder - you don't pull yourself up by the arms, and then move your feet up. You move your feet up, and then move your hands. Same thing goes for climbing. You should almost always be moving your feet more than you're moving your hands (note that this doesn't necessarily mean changing the hold that your foot is placed on, but instead pivoting your foot or changing the angle or something else). A good challenge is to try 2 feet moves for every hand move.
- Try to step on the holds with your toes (big toe taking the most weight), rather than the ball of your foot or your whole foot. As you move up in grades the feet will get smaller until you have to do this anyway, so might as well start with good technique!
- If you're someone who likes to read about it technique, there's no better book than Self-Coached Climber: The Guide to Movement, Training, Performance. It's more meant for roped climbing than bouldering, but the technique is roughly the same.
- Starting out weak & with little upper body strength is good! It'll force you to develop good technique, rather than just muscling your way through the beginning grades and then getting shut down when the problems start demanding technique.
- Learn how to fall well if you're bouldering! I'm sure they'll cover this in the intro class, but practice the technique on your own as well. I love bouldering, but injuries are pretty common, and they're almost always due to a poor fall. Sometimes it's just bad luck and there's nothing you can do to avoid an injury, but knowing how to fall well will help. And remember that a bruised ass is better than a broken ankle or torn ACL - if you're coming down hard, fall on your butt.
3) I recommend one day on, one day off for people starting to climb. You're more likely to injure yourself when you're tired, so don't push yourself too hard as you start off. Don't do ANY finger-specific strengthening exercises (e.g. hang boards) for at least six months, although I'd say a year is better - your muscles get conditioned much faster than your ligaments/tendons do, so you can damage them if you aren't careful. Remember that climbing uses a lot of "pull" muscles, so work on your "push" muscles more on your off days to balance it out.
posted by Jaclyn at 2:26 PM on June 23, 2017 [3 favorites]
2) Strength is important, but technique is equally important! I came back to climbing/bouldering after about 18 months off (tough pregnancy followed by hand surgeries), and I could almost immediately do V2s because I knew the technique involved to solve the problem, even though I was overweight, had extremely poor hand strength, and was overall not very fit. Some tips that I always give beginners:
- Your bones are stronger than your muscles, and your legs are stronger than your arms. What this means is that it's generally better to hang with a straight arm, letting your weight be carried by your skeletal system/muscular system, with your legs bent, than it is to be on the wall with a bent arm, burning your forearm strength while standing up straight on your legs. Your forearms are the muscles most likely to give out first, so you need to conserve them.
- Think about how one climbs a ladder - you don't pull yourself up by the arms, and then move your feet up. You move your feet up, and then move your hands. Same thing goes for climbing. You should almost always be moving your feet more than you're moving your hands (note that this doesn't necessarily mean changing the hold that your foot is placed on, but instead pivoting your foot or changing the angle or something else). A good challenge is to try 2 feet moves for every hand move.
- Try to step on the holds with your toes (big toe taking the most weight), rather than the ball of your foot or your whole foot. As you move up in grades the feet will get smaller until you have to do this anyway, so might as well start with good technique!
- If you're someone who likes to read about it technique, there's no better book than Self-Coached Climber: The Guide to Movement, Training, Performance. It's more meant for roped climbing than bouldering, but the technique is roughly the same.
- Starting out weak & with little upper body strength is good! It'll force you to develop good technique, rather than just muscling your way through the beginning grades and then getting shut down when the problems start demanding technique.
- Learn how to fall well if you're bouldering! I'm sure they'll cover this in the intro class, but practice the technique on your own as well. I love bouldering, but injuries are pretty common, and they're almost always due to a poor fall. Sometimes it's just bad luck and there's nothing you can do to avoid an injury, but knowing how to fall well will help. And remember that a bruised ass is better than a broken ankle or torn ACL - if you're coming down hard, fall on your butt.
3) I recommend one day on, one day off for people starting to climb. You're more likely to injure yourself when you're tired, so don't push yourself too hard as you start off. Don't do ANY finger-specific strengthening exercises (e.g. hang boards) for at least six months, although I'd say a year is better - your muscles get conditioned much faster than your ligaments/tendons do, so you can damage them if you aren't careful. Remember that climbing uses a lot of "pull" muscles, so work on your "push" muscles more on your off days to balance it out.
posted by Jaclyn at 2:26 PM on June 23, 2017 [3 favorites]
Came in to second that you should practice falling, from various heights, until you're comfortable. The one injury I have from bouldering is from falling and landing badly.
posted by batter_my_heart at 3:11 PM on June 23, 2017
posted by batter_my_heart at 3:11 PM on June 23, 2017
Tons of good advice above! You sound almost exactly like me a year ago. I'd climbed on and off for years, but not consistently, so I had terrible technique and was kind of weak until I started bouldering regularly last summer. (Not that I'm super strong and have amazing technique now...)
1) I, too, was most intimated by the social aspect. I generally look around and ask if it's ok to hop on if it looks like there are people waiting. I also hate being watched in general, but it actually doesn't bother me when I'm climbing, because I'm completely focused on solving the problem.
In addition to not climbing under people: be aware of your surroundings and don't walk under people who are climbing.
2) Upper body strength has already been covered pretty well. Try not to overgrip—it'll wear out your hand strength faster. The yoga will help. A strong core makes a huge difference on overhanging problems.
Seconding the recommendation for the Self-Coached Climber. I've also been working my way through the Neil Gresham Masterclass videos [YouTube playlist, 32 videos, most under 5min].
3) I found that once or twice a week for an hour was plenty for the first couple months. You should probably stop before your arms feel like wet noodles. I drive a stickshift and the first time I left the climbing gym, I stalled twice on the 15-minute drive home.
If your gym offers technique classes beyond the intro class, those might be helpful once you have a good sense of what your weaknesses are. Have fun!
posted by kiripin at 4:12 PM on June 23, 2017 [1 favorite]
1) I, too, was most intimated by the social aspect. I generally look around and ask if it's ok to hop on if it looks like there are people waiting. I also hate being watched in general, but it actually doesn't bother me when I'm climbing, because I'm completely focused on solving the problem.
In addition to not climbing under people: be aware of your surroundings and don't walk under people who are climbing.
2) Upper body strength has already been covered pretty well. Try not to overgrip—it'll wear out your hand strength faster. The yoga will help. A strong core makes a huge difference on overhanging problems.
Seconding the recommendation for the Self-Coached Climber. I've also been working my way through the Neil Gresham Masterclass videos [YouTube playlist, 32 videos, most under 5min].
3) I found that once or twice a week for an hour was plenty for the first couple months. You should probably stop before your arms feel like wet noodles. I drive a stickshift and the first time I left the climbing gym, I stalled twice on the 15-minute drive home.
If your gym offers technique classes beyond the intro class, those might be helpful once you have a good sense of what your weaknesses are. Have fun!
posted by kiripin at 4:12 PM on June 23, 2017 [1 favorite]
I started climbing over a decade ago, but didn't switch to bouldering until a couple years later. It did take me some time to feel comfortable, especially because the first gym I was at had a pretty bro-y atmsophere in the bouldering rooms.
Where I learned to love it was a place with a much better atmosphere. And also I went during uncrowded hours in the morning, with a couple of fellow grad students. Bouldering is great for people doing long projects (like research)-- because it is full of short projects! You go, and you climb something. Or you go and you can't quite figure it out, but then the next time it is great. (Unlike research projects which can last years...)
For me it is now part of where I keep my sanity; when I am climbing, I am using all of my brain for that, so I can't be worried about other things.
For you-- figure out the rhythm of the gym, and see if you can go at non-peak hours. Go with friends (you will meet some in the class, so good that you are taking it!); bonus points if at least one is similar body type. Although once you get comfortable it is also fun to see how people with different body types climb routes in other ways. And if the gym feels too bro-y, consider trying another one, or try different hours.
Last piece of advice-- if you have a tendency to be stubborn, be nice to your fingers, especially once you start working on smaller holds. As mentioned above tendons strengthen more slowly than muscle. When you start getting better it is easy to push yourself-- this is generally a good thing, but you don't want to overdo it on the crimping. Ask my pulley tendon how I know. I used to get hurt more when I was younger, but now it is rare-- mostly I know when to back off, and I usually climb only twice a week. When it was three I would get hurt.
Oh and if you are willing to share which gym, someone here might even have particular comments about times of day and standards for that gym.
Oh oh another thing-- route setting especially with bouldering can vary hugely. If your gym isn't setting enough beginner routes, then look for a different one. Also route ratings can be super subjective, and they can vary by gym and by area and even by particular route setter at a gym. In the US bouldering gyms commonly use the V system (starts at V0, up through V15 or so, although most gyms don't set many routes beyond around V8). But what these ratings mean isnt perfectly steady. In Europe it varies by country-- but once you are familiar with the V system, you can get a translation anywhere. Bouldering is a decent sport for frequent travelers-- you only need shoes, and you can go on your own, and it is popular enough now that many places have gyms. Plus it tires you out quickly, which is convenient if you have limited time!
posted by nat at 4:18 PM on June 23, 2017 [1 favorite]
Where I learned to love it was a place with a much better atmosphere. And also I went during uncrowded hours in the morning, with a couple of fellow grad students. Bouldering is great for people doing long projects (like research)-- because it is full of short projects! You go, and you climb something. Or you go and you can't quite figure it out, but then the next time it is great. (Unlike research projects which can last years...)
For me it is now part of where I keep my sanity; when I am climbing, I am using all of my brain for that, so I can't be worried about other things.
For you-- figure out the rhythm of the gym, and see if you can go at non-peak hours. Go with friends (you will meet some in the class, so good that you are taking it!); bonus points if at least one is similar body type. Although once you get comfortable it is also fun to see how people with different body types climb routes in other ways. And if the gym feels too bro-y, consider trying another one, or try different hours.
Last piece of advice-- if you have a tendency to be stubborn, be nice to your fingers, especially once you start working on smaller holds. As mentioned above tendons strengthen more slowly than muscle. When you start getting better it is easy to push yourself-- this is generally a good thing, but you don't want to overdo it on the crimping. Ask my pulley tendon how I know. I used to get hurt more when I was younger, but now it is rare-- mostly I know when to back off, and I usually climb only twice a week. When it was three I would get hurt.
Oh and if you are willing to share which gym, someone here might even have particular comments about times of day and standards for that gym.
Oh oh another thing-- route setting especially with bouldering can vary hugely. If your gym isn't setting enough beginner routes, then look for a different one. Also route ratings can be super subjective, and they can vary by gym and by area and even by particular route setter at a gym. In the US bouldering gyms commonly use the V system (starts at V0, up through V15 or so, although most gyms don't set many routes beyond around V8). But what these ratings mean isnt perfectly steady. In Europe it varies by country-- but once you are familiar with the V system, you can get a translation anywhere. Bouldering is a decent sport for frequent travelers-- you only need shoes, and you can go on your own, and it is popular enough now that many places have gyms. Plus it tires you out quickly, which is convenient if you have limited time!
posted by nat at 4:18 PM on June 23, 2017 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Looks like ya got some pretty good advice here... let me just add one thing: folks in the climbing community are usually pretty cool. Don't be afraid to just ask!
posted by ph00dz at 6:04 PM on June 23, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by ph00dz at 6:04 PM on June 23, 2017 [2 favorites]
To chime in with one more thing - don't be surprised or disappointed if even some V0 problems remain beyond your reach for a while. Bouldering ratings, unlike YDS climbing ratings, start already at a fairly stiff difficulty level.
posted by kickingtheground at 7:26 PM on June 23, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by kickingtheground at 7:26 PM on June 23, 2017 [2 favorites]
I've been climbing for a year, and I'm still pretty intimidated by bouldering, so I feel you! I mostly do top rope climbing because I like the security of being in a harness. That said, I've been starting to boulder more and the first thing I'm working on is learning how to fall properly, and getting used to falling. It's helped a lot!
Upper body strength is important for some very specific moves, but you want to save it until you need it. Climbing is primarily using your forearm muscles to keep you on the wall, but the upward motion is done by stepping your feet up to higher holds and then standing up. You're not doing a series of pull ups! You'll wear yourself out if you try to lift your body with your arms over and over.
Don't climb until it hurts. Climb until your muscles are fatigued. If you're in pain for days after, don't climb as many routes next time, or climb easier ones.
posted by ananci at 12:31 PM on June 24, 2017
Upper body strength is important for some very specific moves, but you want to save it until you need it. Climbing is primarily using your forearm muscles to keep you on the wall, but the upward motion is done by stepping your feet up to higher holds and then standing up. You're not doing a series of pull ups! You'll wear yourself out if you try to lift your body with your arms over and over.
Don't climb until it hurts. Climb until your muscles are fatigued. If you're in pain for days after, don't climb as many routes next time, or climb easier ones.
posted by ananci at 12:31 PM on June 24, 2017
Response by poster: You guys are the best. These are all best answers. I went to the beginner class last night, and the instructor (who was a fellow diminutive lady!) was SO welcoming and helpful, I felt comfortable right away. I guess I had been worried about being conspicuously awkward or in the way, but that was not the case at all; everyone was very focused on their own stuff. Also, the other people working on beginner problems were fellow beginners, so it was reassuring to feel part of a cohort of newbies rather than one lone fish out of water. We did all the VBs and tried a couple V0s, and I liked it so much I signed up for the summer membership.
Anyway, thank you all so much for giving me the confidence to give this a try! It seems like climbers are a pretty welcoming and encouraging bunch. :)
posted by Owl of Athena at 10:00 AM on June 27, 2017
Anyway, thank you all so much for giving me the confidence to give this a try! It seems like climbers are a pretty welcoming and encouraging bunch. :)
posted by Owl of Athena at 10:00 AM on June 27, 2017
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