Basic skills of outdoor rock climbing Warm-up bouldering action specifications

Occasionally participating in some exciting extreme sports can broaden our understanding of the world, such as bungee jumping, rafting, rock climbing, etc. Only by mastering the basic skills of outdoor rock climbing can we climb to the top and achieve our goals more safely.

Outdoor rock climbing tips:

1. Warm up

Before you start rock climbing, warming up is very important. Skipping this step can easily lead to injury. For example, if you have a trainer in the hallway of your home and you have a habit of doing a few pull-ups on the bar every time you walk through the hallway, you may have strained a muscle or tendon because you did not warm up.

It's impossible to calculate how much warm-up you need to improve your climbing performance, but warming up does reduce the risk of straining or even breaking a muscle, so don't ignore it. It's a must-do step before climbing or training. There is still controversy about how to warm up, but our advice is to find the method that makes you most comfortable.

The best way to warm up is to jog for 10-15 minutes. There may not be a running track near the rock wall, but you can run in place, raising your knees as high as possible, and add jumps and back kicks. The first route is a lively 30 minutes, especially if you are carrying gear.

Another big problem is that rock climbing is always about stopping and starting. Rope setting is time-consuming and can easily cool the body down, and securing a lead climber takes more mental energy than physical energy, so it's probably easier to cool down when you're climbing. Therefore, you must do whatever you can to keep your muscles warm before you climb.

2. Bouldering

Bouldering is a non-secure, low-level form of rock climbing. The advantage of bouldering is that you can find a large rock or a smaller rock wall to climb. The ability to return to the ground at any time is a good thing, but you also have to be careful to avoid hurting your ankles, so it would be better if you have a partner behind you to secure you with his hands. Regardless, as long as you have a pair of rock shoes, you can try the fun of bouldering.

Try to find a large rock with cracks, different types of handholds, ledges, and hollows, the kind of terrain you would encounter when climbing a normal route. It is said that you learn the same thing from climbing 100 feet of lead as you do from an hour of bouldering.

So, what can we learn from bouldering? First of all, balance is the most important element in rock climbing skills, and bouldering can improve your sense of balance. The best way to train it is to pay attention to your feet when climbing. Try to move boldly, and success will be built on your confidence.

In addition, bouldering can also train your basic skills and teach you to choose the best handholds and footholds. You'll begin to notice the difference in strength between your hands and feet; the more you use your feet, the less likely your muscles will tire. So, when you boulder, practice good foot placement, such as using forward or sideways footing depending on the foothold. Pay attention to leaning your body outwards a little, which can increase the friction between your feet and the rock surface. A common mistake made by beginners is that they cannot keep their body vertical, but are too close to the rock surface, resulting in the wrong center of gravity and a lot of wasted strength in their hands.

3. Rock climbing techniques

The fundamental purpose of using hands in climbing is to move the body upward and as close to the rock wall as possible. There are many shapes of fulcrums on the rock wall, and there are dozens of common ones. Climbers need to be familiar with the shapes of these particles, know where to hold on to different fulcrums and how to apply force, and according to the position and direction of the protrusions (or depressions) on the fulcrum, there are methods such as picking, pinching, pulling, tugging, gripping, and pushing. But don't be too rigid, there are many ways to grasp the same fulcrum.

Finger strength is very important in climbing and can be practiced through finger grips, pull-ups, finger-hanging pull-ups, lifting and squeezing heavy objects, etc. Now some experts have reached the strength level of one-finger push-ups. When climbing a longer route, you can choose an easy section and rest your hands alternately.

4. Footwork for rock climbing

Footwork is about the use of footsteps during climbing, including techniques such as stepping on footholds and changing feet. The correct way to change feet is to ensure stability without increasing the burden on the hands. Taking changing from the right foot to the left foot as an example, first lift the left foot above the right foot, and rotate the right foot counterclockwise (looking downward) with the rightmost foot on the fulcrum as the axis, leaving the left side of the fulcrum empty, while the weight is still on the right foot; the left foot cuts in from above, steps on the point, and the right foot is pulled out, with the weight transferred to the left foot.

5. Unconventional Actions

There are some special actions in the rock climbing process, including:

Pull: Grab a firm fulcrum in front and above, and pull up with force.

Plank: Use steps, gaps or other terrain to move your body with your palms and forearms.

Lean: Use a crack that can accommodate the body, lean your back against one side of the rock, and use your limbs to support the opposite rock to move your body upwards.

Swell: Put your hands into the cracks and use your bent palms or clenched fists to grab the cracks in the rock and move your body.

Push: Use the inner side of the forefoot or toes to support the body and reduce the burden on the upper limbs.

Cross: Use your own flexibility to avoid difficulties and seek useful support points.

Hang: Hold onto the rock with your toes or heels to maintain balance and move your body.

Stepping: Use the front of the foot to step on a larger fulcrum to reduce the burden on the upper limbs and move the body.

In addition to these movements, climbers can also use more imaginative movements according to actual conditions and their own needs, without having to stick to the form. In short, the most effective rock climbing technique can be considered as one that allows one to climb higher and more steadily.

6. Targeted Practice

Some daily exercises or targeted training can help improve your climbing ability. For example, pull-ups can increase arm and finger strength; skipping rope can exercise the body's flexibility and coordination; table tennis and chess are very helpful in cultivating judgment and insight; and swimming can enhance cardiopulmonary function and increase overall strength and endurance.

Lastly, endurance is the key physical attribute for a climber, as it allows you to maintain your stamina to complete a route. Unfortunately, when bouldering, because the height is not high, it is easy to forget and not train it. Therefore, when bouldering, we can climb up, downclimb or cross for several times in a row without rest to achieve endurance training.