Boulder climbing: what is it and what are the risks; understand – 04/06/2023 – Equilibrium

When John Sherman first climbed a mountain, he wasn’t a fearless guy looking for peaks to conquer. He was a bored teenager wandering a few blocks in his neighborhood in Berkeley, California.

It was 1974, and he stumbled upon a small urban park, Indian Rock, where local climbers were practicing free-rope climbing on blocks of volcanic rock the size of a house. “When I started, I couldn’t even do a push-up. That beginning was really difficult.”

At the time, plump and unathletic, according to himself, he was attracted by the balance and challenge of bouldering. No ropes, axe, or even partners – just skill and rock. For the next 50 years, he created new climbing routes, called “problems” by practitioners of the sport, and helped to popularize the practice through books, articles and impressive feats.

Currently, indoor bouldering is an Olympic sport and is among the most popular adventure sports in the world. “It’s a collective and collaborative activity, people get together, they get to know each other”, says David Sacher, founder of the Vital network of climbing gyms.

It’s also the easiest way to get into the wider universe of mountaineering, particularly in urban areas. But it can be a little intimidating to walk into a musty-smelling shed, full of people hanging upside down by only their magnesium-covered fingers.

If you want to try this kind of climbing, here’s a basic guide.

Climbing is a physical activity that involves the whole body.

One of the first things newbies notice is the pain they feel in very strange places the next day. That’s because climbing engages muscles big and small, including some we rarely use. It is an aerobic and anaerobic exercise and works the upper and lower limbs and the core, which is composed of the muscles of the abdomen, lower back, pelvis and hips.

“It takes total concentration to understand the relationship between your entire body and the surface you’re trying to climb. All the muscles are engaged, except maybe the tongue. Unless you climb with your tongue out,” indicates Lanae Jobert, assistant professor at the University of Northern Michigan, who has studied rock climbing for decades.

A veteran climber, Joubert says it’s not possible to predict who will make a good climber based on height or body type. Men do not have an advantage over women, according to her. What really matters is how much one practices.

Climb with your legs, not your arms

As a skinny, awkward teenager, I quickly learned that good climbing technique comes from the legs, not the arms, and is based on balance, strong legs, and a tight core.

The best climbers learn to take the weight off their arms, focus on their hips, and get good footholds rather than handholds. Good climbers don’t climb in leaps: they glide.

Climbers can be intimidating, but don’t be put off

Entering a climbing gym alone can be daunting: the language is strange, the bravado is irritating, and the occasional blood-curdling scream is heard. Not to mention the bare torsos and physical display, not always subtle.

But the first climbers were kind and different guys who enjoyed exploring nature, and that culture remains today. It’s not like surfing, where people get mad if you mess up their wave. The climbing wall isn’t going anywhere, and many climbers like to exchange ideas about strategy.

falling is part

If you’re afraid of heights, start with side routes instead of vertical ones. When it’s time to fall, do a back flip when you touch the foam mattress. It is better to land sitting down than on one ankle. Practice a little: Climb a few steps, let go and practice the back somersault.

If you still don’t feel safe, ask a more experienced climber to monitor your climb, to help in case of a fall. It won’t catch you, but it can lead you to a safer fall, according to Sherman.

It takes time to learn this monitoring partnership, which is less common in indoor climbing, where problems are created to make falls safe. Do not monitor someone who has not asked you to.

See the problem, be the problem

Boulder climbing is equal parts physical and mental activity: many call it body chess. By turning a knee or lifting a hip slightly, an impossible problem can be made doable, even easy. Should you have grabbed that support with your right hand instead of your left? What if you put your other foot on that little blue brace? These are the questions that plague a boulder climber.

When you fall, don’t climb right away: wait a moment, wave your arms and explore other ways to climb. Watch others.

If you are going to practice bouldering outdoors, you will need to use a crash pad – a portable cushion to cushion falls –, but it is common to share it with beginners.

Get comfortable outdoors – but not too much

If you decide to climb outdoors, even on a random granite block in the middle of a suburban area, never forget that you are in nature. Treat the rock with the respect of a visitor – which you really are. Enjoy the fresh air, feel the rock under your fingers and the movement of your body.

“I’m looking forward to climbing for another couple of decades. I love it, there’s nothing else I’d rather do. Nothing satisfies me more than bouldering,” says Sherman.