My boyfriend and l are going to start rock climbing twice a week in a nearby indoor arena (not sure if that is what they're called). I've never been but he has. He is told me what to expect but i'd like to hear from others also.

What should l expect?

Any tips/advice for a newbie?

If you've never been rock climbing before, even if you're in relatively good shape, expect to be sore. My first time at an indoor facility was nearly 10 years ago - l was not sure what to expect either. l had fun, but it takes some getting used to the equipment & the technique.

First, be sure to have some first-aid supplies with u like band aids & maybe some Neosporin. l scraped my knuckles a few times trying to get to the top of the wall & again on the way down because l was not sure how to rappel.

You may bang ur knees & elbows too, because if u slip off of the ''rocks something has to hit the wall & it is usually an appendage joint. Expect a few bumps & bruises

Remember to use ur legs more than ur arms or u will get tired really quickly, because u will be expending more energy than is necessary. You will feel like you're going to fall off the wall when u use ur legs because u will need to lean back a little, but that is what the harness is for. If u use it like a seat when u need to rest, it takes the load off the rest of ur body & puts it on the strongest part -- ur glutes & legs.

l would recommend reading up on rock climbing (a book on outdoor climbing is fine -- the basic principal is the same) & the types of exercises u can do to prepare yourself. l think l got a beginner is rock climbing book at Eastern Mountain Sports & it was really great. l knew how to use the equipment & what moves l would be making before jumping in. Knowing what is ahead of u makes the journey a little easier.

Good luck to u & l hope u enjoy yourself!

wear comfortable long pants, if u do not have ur own gear, when u rent ur stuff, remember to rent shoes & a chalk bag too. ur hands r going to get tweeked & so will ur foreamrs. remember this, climbing is mainly about leg strength. ur hands r there for mostly balance. if u use them to much (and u will at first) you're arms r going to burn out before u reach the top of most routes. & do not be afraid to really try for the hard routes, if u fall u fall. that is why ur belayer is there. do not get psyched out by the numbers either. I've done 5.10 routes without looking at the numbers when l was struggling with 5.8-5.9s. have fun!!!

There r many things to learn when first starting climbing, & most of them u have to learn yourself. Climbing is a huge world, bigger than u would expect, with so many different aspects & confusing terms.

However, some tips would be: watch ur feet! The worst thing amateurs do is to kick the wall while trying to put their feet on a hold. Keep ur feet high & use them to push yourself up (or along) the wall rather than pulling on ur arms. Many muscle-bound men have been awed by the femine grace of a skilled climber dancing up the walls. Strength is a part of climbing when u get into steeply overhanging routes, but until then u should be relying on a good technique & footwork.

Footwork:

Good footwork is one of a climbers most important assets. Except on overhanging rock, u will climb basically on ur feet, ur arms acting only as a support mechaniasm to maintain balance as u step up from one foot haold to the next. It is magical how well sticky rubber soles adhere, but even so, a beginner may need some time before she learns to trust her feet. With practise u will find that even the tiniest footholds can provide good support.

There r many, almost infinite, types of footholds, but aside from the pure friction of simply pasting the foot flush with the wall there r two types of ways to use footholds: smearing & edging.

In the gym, smearing is likely to be the same as friction; pasting ur soles flush with the wall. This is handy in the absence of footholds & should not be underestimated. This will work well on the underhanging walls & the easy slabs.

Edging is, obviously, using the edge of ur shoe to gain support. This can be done using ur toe or the edge of ur foot near the big toe or little toe. Do not use the arch part of ur shoe for standing on as it does not provide the feeling & strength of the ball.

Heelhooking is a further way to gain an advatage. This is where u use ur heel as a 'third hand', raising it above ur waist in a hooking motion

Once ur foot is on a hold, do not move is till u take it off.



A common problem with beginners is they rush their moves. They hug the rock, their feet r kicked towards, but not onto, the holds, and, as the do not trust their feet, they r quaking in their shoes with their feet skedadling all over the wall.

Handholds r obviously also important, but r only
for balance until u get to higher grades. People say strongs arms r not required for rock climbing, & this is true for beginners, but if u do start to do this twice a week, u will find this claim to be, simply, bullshit. You will develop not only arm muscles, but core tension & strength & a great phisique, as well as improved balance & contact strength.

You should expect to get sore arms, & maybe forearms if u r using small holds, & sore fingers. Expect blisters on ur fingers & as u continue, some beautiful callouses. Do not expect to be an expert on ur first go, even after reading this amazing guide, & do not be disappointed, it does not take long to become good, & u can decide which type of climbing u really like.

If u want to read further there r some excellent guides on rockclimbing.com, & Falcon Guides r the only rock climbing books that should be considered,as they talk to u as an adult rather then a toddler & do not dumb everything down to you.

Good luck, & do not forget that outdoor climbing is about 100 times better than indoor climbing!

Here is my two cents from working at a gym, climbing indoor/outdoor, & working at REI:

1. The rope is got you. Do not worry about falling. Also, do not rely on the rope - it should be slightly slack (not much though!)
.
2. Upper body/arms = balance. Lower body = how u get up. You want ur weight on ur feet so u can use ur legs to push yourself up while balancing yourself with ur arms. Best way to do this - hips over feet (obviously this does not apply to overhangs). DO NOT stick ur butt way out off the wall. Also, to keep u hips over ur feet doesnt mean keep ur feet below u - get ur legs & arms out sideways, upside down, whatever it takes - just keep ur hips into the wall.

3. Although arms r for balance, do not neglect them. Finger/forearm strength is KEY! Get a grip trainer & use it, do some forearm strengthening exercises.

4. Being buff does not matter. Usually relatively skinny/low bodyfat type excel at climbing, so do not go & workout like crazy.

5. Practice.

Do that & u will hit 5'10 is in no time.

Clothing: Shorts, t-shirt or tank, ideally a tight-fitting underwear like Nike Pro b/c cotton tends to bunch up under a harness (bad for guys especially).

Expect to be pumped. You're arms will have no stength, you wo not be able to grip. You may get a couple of blisters on your fingers.

Tips, if you're going to start going regularly, get yourself a chalk bag and chalk ball, also pick up a pair of rock shoes. Try them on in the store, try and make sure the store has a wall to see what they'd be like on the go. Get them small so your toes are cramped up but not agonisingly painful, just uncomfortable.

Go with an open mind and enjoy yourself. That is all there is to it!

its amazing