Indoor Rock Climbing Best Way to Get Started Rock Climbing

Posted by xtremespots on April 29th, 2014

If you are looking to try rock climbing, one of the easiest and safest ways to learn is to visit an indoor rock climbing gym. For those who have never tried rock climbing before, it makes a lot of sense to start in an indoor rock climbing gym’s controlled environment. These gyms are set up, designed, and managed so that new climbers can try the sport and practice safely. Going to an indoor climbing gym regularly can help you quickly learn essential climbing skills and techniques, as well as basics such as proper belaying and lowering.

The walls are typically built from prefab ‘fake-rock’ panels and/or textured plywood sheets attached to the metal framework of the building’s structure, making them stable. You’ll find all kinds of walls here, from vertical to overhanging to slabs. The walls vary in height—from 20 to 50 feet, typically. You will also find bouldering walls, which are lower and designed for climbing without a rope.

On the walls are handholds and footholds made of resin and bolted onto the wall, forming climbing ‘routes’ that let you do combinations of climbing moves in various levels of difficulty. The so-called ‘easy’ routes are peppered with big holds, while difficult routes feature smaller holds that may be farther apart.

Bad weather is never a problem in an indoor rock climbing gym. If you climb outside, you’ll have to worry about the weather being too cold, rainy, or snowy. That’s never the case in an indoor rock climbing gym. You can train all year round and maintain your climbing muscles so that when the ideal rock-climbing season arrives, you are ready.

Going to an indoor rock climbing facility is also a social event; you can meet other avid climbers and maybe even find new climbing partners—someone to belay and lower you.

If you don’t have a friend who wants to learn this sport, perhaps you can find someone in the gym. Don’t be shy—just ask. Approach someone who isn’t busy and ask if they would like to swap belays.

 
It’s possible to sign up for indoor rock climbing classes in a gym, as well as observe elite climbers do their thing. Watching experienced climbers is one of the best ways to learn this sport, after all. Look at how they position their feet on different footholds. Study how they grasp handholds of all shapes and sizes. In no time, you will be ‘flowing’ up the wall just like a real rock climber.

Go online to get more information on rock climbing destinations and the countries where you can travel to enjoy it!

About the Author:

This article is written by Artemis Magoula who is associated with Xtreme Spots. Xtreme Spots is the perfect adventure search portal. Their team’s common passion is to let people enjoy sports around the globe. They help you choose the best adventure spot within all five continents, where extreme sports can be practiced safely, both by amateurs and professionals.