Starting out at an indoor climbing wall as a complete beginner can seem quite daunting, but there is nothing to fear as the basics of climbing and visiting a wall are very simple to grasp.
Hire Shoes at the Desk
Climbing shoes can be hired at the desk for a few pounds so there is no need to purchase your own pair initially. Make sure to wear thin socks or go barefoot as this will help the shoes to fit better. When putting on the shoes make sure they are snug as this will improve your climb.
Choose the Right Session Type
Indoor walls will offer bouldering and roped climbing, the bouldering is by far the best to start with as you can climb on your own without any help. If you do decide to have a go at roped climbing most walls will require you to do a short induction before you start climbing with a partner. Also it is best to go to the wall on your own for your first visit as you will get more out of it.
Reading the Colour-Coded Routes
The holds on the bouldering wall will have coloured tape on them, or matching coloured holds. Each colour represents a different level of difficulty, with the lowest being the easiest (usually labelled V0 and is typically a pale colour). As a complete beginner to indoor climbing, follow the holds for the lowest colour and start at the marked start point at the bottom of the wall and climb to the top.
Pace Yourself Early On
The first day of your indoor climbing wall experience can be quite tiring for your fingers and your forearms even if you attempt only the easiest problems. In general it is best to attempt 5-6 climbs on the first day, and to rest between each attempt for a couple of minutes. Most new climbers underestimate how hard climbing can be.
Ask for Beta Without Hesitation
Beta is climbing jargon for tips on the best way to complete a problem. These are freely shared between climbers, so don’t be afraid to ask for ‘beta’ on a route.
For Climbing Wall Birmingham, visit https://www.270climbing.com/climbing/birmingham/.
Take your time, rest between climbs and you will return to the wall feeling proud of what you have managed to do.
