bouldering tomorrow and nervous! anyone tried this?

Hey! Not an expert, but I have done this before (and at a very low level of fitness!)

I'd say wear tight, stretchy clothing if possible (yoga pants are fine, just don't want them getting in the way when you're looking for a foothold). And cut your nails if you have longer nails.

I would look for an area in the gym with lots of mat coverage under the wall, and get yourself lots of chalk to sprinkle on your hands to improve your grip. Get a helmet! And then don't worry about falling, and just have fun!

The gyms I've gone to have had paths marked out with coloured tape (yellow for beginner, black for hard, etc.) to help guide you on a climb that's workable for your fitness level. Maybe ask the staff whether there's something like this.

Have a great time!

Hi!
I use to do bouldering competitions a while back and also tought it to some of my personal training clients. They all LOVED IT!
Yoga pants are best, You need proper climbing shoes. The tighter the better. They should kinda hurt your toes in the beggining. Don't wear socks with your shoes. the shoes should feel like a second skin. *Climb slowly! Plan your route before you climb it! Goodluck!

No helmet needed on indoor climbing. Nothing is falling on your head. And if you fall on a helmet, well, you are REALLY doing it wrong.

ashleymariesav wrote: »

Hi!
I use to do bouldering competitions a while back and also tought it to some of my personal training clients. They all LOVED IT!
Yoga pants are best, You need proper climbing shoes. The tighter the better. They should kinda hurt your toes in the beggining. Don't wear socks with your shoes. the shoes should feel like a second skin. *Climb slowly! Plan your route before you climb it! Goodluck!

No. Too tight shoes are bad. Shoes should be snug and fit but not hurt for a novice. There is no need for ultra tight shoes at the start as one is getting comfortable with the sport. One can actually evolve to tighter fitting shoes. Keep nails clean and close cut.

boobsandmuscles wrote: »

No helmets in the videos online except the roped climbing. I'm pretty sure that if someone is going to fall on their head it will be me I'm so accident prone! Lol.

Im not 100% sure about the difference between bouldering and climbing? Seems they have seperate inductions for roped climbing and bouldering though. It would be great outside but I think I'd like to learn indoors with instructors and big mats! Looks fun though some serious spiderman - like hanging off the ceilings and stuff in the videos on their website. Something I'd like to be able to do out doors one day in the distant future. Very distant future....

No beginner would ever fall on their head, you'll see. Gravity says butt, ankle, back as worst choices. Maybe. Climbing helmets are intended to keep things that fall from hurting you, not to protect you from a fall. Not. Used. Indoors.

The difference is that bouldering us done at a lower height and without ropes. It's more about finesse and learning grip technique. Climbing (for a novice) has a rope and the objective is to go up, finesse is important but a little less so.

It's fun but something you have to work on to get used to. At first you'll want to hug the wall and use your arms to pull you up and maneuver you. This will make your forearms ache all day. Instead you need to do all the work with your legs. Keep your arms long and just grip the wall enough with your fingertips so you don't fall off. Once you get used to that form, you will last much longer on the wall. Have fun!

I used to go to a bouldering gym a few times a week. It is so much fun ( for me at least!). Boulder routes won't go over ten feet high, some can even be horizontal. So you don't need a helmet or ropes, makes it super simple and accessible. I look at the routes like puzzles that require strength. I found it was addicting once I started, and only stopped because the closest gym to me now is hours away. Don't get discouraged if it's really challenging at first, you'll be amazed at the progress you make if you keep going and trying the same moves. All of a sudden you'll be doing things that seemed impossible.

Just Have fun! And don't worry about shoes for your first time (often gyms rent out climbing shoes if you want to try them right away) but definitely take care of those nails

All the above advice is good! I am a climbing instructor and coach a competitive team. Remember to use your legs!