Bouldering. That crowded area of the gym filled with muscles and huge chalk bags. It's a little intimidating, sure, but it can't be too bad, right?
Bouldering can be intimidating, even if you've been climbing for a while, but especially if you're new to the game. The routes typically require more strength -- and, depending on how you feel about climbing without a safety rope and heights -- more bravery. I've put together some tips that I give friends new to the sport. Hopefully these might help work on that fear of falling, seemingly the most common concern of those who have just started bouldering.
One of the most important skills for bouldering is knowing how to fall correctly. Falling badly can lead to injuries, most of them ankle or leg related, and some hand or wrist related. Four years ago, I managed to tear three ligaments in my ankle by jumping off a route without first checking the ground below me (and I landed with one ankle on a sloped mat). I've watched a first-time climber slip near the top of a bouldering route, push himself off the wall as he fell, and spin in midair, landing very badly on his foot and breaking it.
The thought of injury is largely what makes up the fear of falling. Here's some advice to avoid common injuries while bouldering.
Some extra guidance that seems to help is remembering that you're typically falling with your feet first, which are (insert height here) from your head -- meaning, it seems so much further down when you're staring at the ground from the top of boulder climb. The best thing to do if you're at the top of the wall or unsure if you want to continue a climb is to down climb as much as possible, which is climbing down using any available holds, before making a controlled jump to the padded mat.
These are just a few of many pieces of information you'll find when it comes to falling properly. I highly recommend doing more research (Google "how to fall properly while bouldering"), watch videos, and practice. The more you practice, the more natural it will become when you actually take an unexpected fall. Ultimately, knowing how to fall will help with your confidence on bouldering routes.
Since we're talking about gyms, always read the posted rules. I usually see "don't walk under someone actively climbing" as a rule, but have also witnessed both beginner and experienced climbers completely disregard that in the bouldering area. I've been on a route, past the crux, making the second to last move of which I'd never attempted before -- and I just happened to look down and realized two people were standing directly below me. This point goes back to "be observant of your surroundings". Don't walk under an active climber and try to avoid falling on someone who might be unobservant enough to be walking under you as you're actively climbing.
Lastly, the best way to get over that fear is to just boulder more. Your levels of confidence will rise as your skill increases; you'll feel more comfortable climbing higher, taking smart falls, and landing well for those unexpected falls.
Bouldering can be intimidating, even if you've been climbing for a while, but especially if you're new to the game. The routes typically require more strength -- and, depending on how you feel about climbing without a safety rope and heights -- more bravery. I've put together some tips that I give friends new to the sport. Hopefully these might help work on that fear of falling, seemingly the most common concern of those who have just started bouldering.
One of the most important skills for bouldering is knowing how to fall correctly. Falling badly can lead to injuries, most of them ankle or leg related, and some hand or wrist related. Four years ago, I managed to tear three ligaments in my ankle by jumping off a route without first checking the ground below me (and I landed with one ankle on a sloped mat). I've watched a first-time climber slip near the top of a bouldering route, push himself off the wall as he fell, and spin in midair, landing very badly on his foot and breaking it.
The thought of injury is largely what makes up the fear of falling. Here's some advice to avoid common injuries while bouldering.
- While falling, don't try to catch yourself with your hands.
- If you land on your feet, bend your knees, and roll backward onto the padded mat.
- Using two of the injury examples above, also avoid trying to push yourself off the wall and/or spinning -- specifically because your body just won't have enough time to recover from all of that movement, on top of falling.
- Be observant of your surrounds and look before taking a controlled fall.
- Most importantly, only climb as high as you feel comfortable with, especially in the beginning.
Some extra guidance that seems to help is remembering that you're typically falling with your feet first, which are (insert height here) from your head -- meaning, it seems so much further down when you're staring at the ground from the top of boulder climb. The best thing to do if you're at the top of the wall or unsure if you want to continue a climb is to down climb as much as possible, which is climbing down using any available holds, before making a controlled jump to the padded mat.
These are just a few of many pieces of information you'll find when it comes to falling properly. I highly recommend doing more research (Google "how to fall properly while bouldering"), watch videos, and practice. The more you practice, the more natural it will become when you actually take an unexpected fall. Ultimately, knowing how to fall will help with your confidence on bouldering routes.
Since we're talking about gyms, always read the posted rules. I usually see "don't walk under someone actively climbing" as a rule, but have also witnessed both beginner and experienced climbers completely disregard that in the bouldering area. I've been on a route, past the crux, making the second to last move of which I'd never attempted before -- and I just happened to look down and realized two people were standing directly below me. This point goes back to "be observant of your surroundings". Don't walk under an active climber and try to avoid falling on someone who might be unobservant enough to be walking under you as you're actively climbing.
Lastly, the best way to get over that fear is to just boulder more. Your levels of confidence will rise as your skill increases; you'll feel more comfortable climbing higher, taking smart falls, and landing well for those unexpected falls.
