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Bouldering for beginners

Climbing / Popular

What to expect, how to start and the habits that matter on your first sessions.

What coaches agree on

  • Place your foot precisely on each hold with your toes, not the flat of your foot, and watch it settle before shifting your weight onto it. Keep your hips in close to the wall so your weight stays centered over your feet.
  • When you spot a partner, stand in a stable, ready position with your arms up and elbows soft, ready to guide their fall under control. Protect their head and shoulders on a low fall, and guide their hips toward the pad on a high one.
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  • Know how you are going to get down before you climb up, whether that is downclimbing, using a marked finish, or checking your descent route. If you do come off the wall, land on both feet together, bend your knees, and roll onto your back to absorb the impact, keeping your hands off the ground.

Common mistakes

  • Starting to climb before you have read the route and planned where your feet will go, not just your hands. Coaches describe this as leaving you stuck mid-route in an awkward position, burning energy while you improvise the next move instead of following a plan.
  • Pulling yourself up with bent arms, sometimes called chicken-winging, instead of pushing with your legs and keeping your arms straight. This burns far more energy than a leg-driven, straight-arm style and tires your arms out fast, since most people's legs are stronger than their arms.