Climbing is becoming increasingly popular with tens of thousands of practitioners, indoors and outdoors, and ever new enthusiasts approaching this sport, even more since the IOC decided that climbing will be an Olympic discipline in Tokyo 2020. All this although verticality, for an adult who has never climbed, is not such an instinctive dimension (the case of children is different, as Simone Moro explained to us in this interview). However climbing is easier than it might seemat least at a basic level, and if you are thinking of starting climbing here are some tips on how to get started with climbing.
Climbing: how to get started
Climbing is many things, from indoor to outdoor, from bouldering to a thousand technical nuances on how to face walls, natural or artificial, to a new language to learn and up to, but not least, all the notions of safety , if observed and respected, they pay off climbing is a safe sport. Let’s see then 7 tips on how to start climbing to enjoy all the benefits we have described here.
It starts in an indoor gym
If you weren’t born between walls and mountains, it’s best to start in an indoor gym. The debate on the transfer from gyms to cliffs has been going on for a long time and everyone has their own opinion, but certainly indoor climbing gyms like these have an advantage: you can go there in any weather condition, now you can also find equipped walls in school gyms of small municipalities, you can continue the practice without having to travel miles to look for a wall or forget about the weather and, for hire, you can find all the equipment you need.
Pay an instructor
As you would for skiing, tennis and yoga, it also applies to climbing: it is the best, fastest and safest way to learn right away: not only will he be able to assist you and explain the technique to use, but he will give you continuous feedback on mistakes and things done right. It is the most effective way to improve.
Make friends
It seems like a piece of advice that makes little sense, but it’s not: climbing is a sport with a strong sense of community and that above all you can’t practice alone: at least a partner who “makes sure” is always useful, but then climbing in company is the best way to exchange advice, views and opinions and enter the culture of this sport.
Learn the terms of climbing
Like all things, climbing too has its specific vocabulary: to learn it, read the climbing dictionary from A to Z here.
Don’t buy the climbing gear
Before having the sensitivity and competence to be able to choose wisely shoes, harness and other equipment you need to climb will take some time. It’s true that renting may seem like a waste of money but what you learn from trying and testing different models will pay off by preventing you from making the wrong purchase and throwing money away. In the meantime, however, you can read these tips on how to choose shoes, and this guide on how a rope is made.
Don’t trust others
Yes, we said before that climbing has a strong sense of solidarity. But when it comes to safety never trust others: learn the techniques to be sure, try them and try again, and even if others think about it you check anyway. It’s also a form of respect for the sport you’re playing.
Try going to the crag
Climbing indoors is practical, fun and healthy, but climbing was born outdoors and sooner or later you have to try to go up a rock wall: everything will be completely different, but that’s the beauty of it (in the meantime, here are some indications on how to why start climbing at the crag). Here too, go with trusted and competent people, preferably with a mountain guide qualified to teach climbing on the crag.
Credits photo: CC Pixabay / Patrick Hendry / Sean Benesh
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