Scary first time bouldering reddit. If you’re about to go climbing for the first time or if you’re new to the sport, you’ve probably already thought about the topic of fear. Today I went bouldering for the first time, and it was great. How long should I wait before going again? Reddit's rock climbing training community. The second and third times I was absolutely terrified, but after that, I got over it. Are you brand new to bouldering? Here is a super-quick start guide covering the basics. Take a break, work on your training program, and ease back into climbing, you will drop a few grades at first, but you will get back to where you are. Dual texture holds are scary af (especially as feet) but this boulder was so much fun! This is the first time I managed to send it (sloppily) after a few sessions of tries, I plan on working on it to smooth the movements. I have been indoor climbing for about 4-5months, 2 times a week. I usually open with “Hey, have you topped this one? Me and my girlfriend are climbing (bouldering) outside this weekend and I was wondering if anyone had some good tips / advice for people who haven't climbed outside before? Any video suggestions for spotting tips? we both have climbed indoors for around 2 years, in the v5-7 range but I'm sure it'll be lower outdoors since that seems to be a pattern for most climbers. First Time Bouldering Today I decided to embark into the bouldering world. Started climbing for the first time ever today and… : r/bouldering r/bouldering Current search is within r/bouldering Remove r/bouldering filter and expand search to all of Reddit The other advice I wish I had heard my first few times bouldering is to make sure to get plenty of rest between attempts. I'm super excited! Bouldering is the perfect sport to do alone. Your arms are going to be fucked after like the first 3 VB climbs. I started climbing to get over my fear of heights. At my gym, anything above a V2, usually you need to top out. Going to an indoor bouldering gym for my first time today. Tldr: Scared of falling and hitting my head or landing awkward on the way down, how to get over it? For me, to get over my fear of falling, i had to fall. Any advice on overcoming these fears? Many people like to mentally reframe a 'scary' climb and call it 'spicy' instead. This 85 minute film takes a raw look into the global bouldering scene. She's going to know you are going to struggle and (if she's not a dick) won't judge you. When I went bouldering for the first time I didn't touch a hold for like 1 hour because I thought people will see me and think "what a noob". I've pretty much stuck to bouldering due to both a fear of heights and a fear of equipment failure. Hello r/bouldering Reddit, I want to try and start bouldering but I am a physically unfit gremlin who sits 14 hours a day, where should I even start? I currently work in a climbing gym that offers bouldering, top rope and lead climbing. start out slow and give your connective tissue time to adjust, your muscles will get strong in a few moths but tendons wont. I climb around Fb 7a and would like to try to send my first 7b during this trip. Go with your instinct and assess what a fall would be like if you didn't stick it. The gym you sign up for will grade their problems and you'll settle into a range where you know which grade you can do easily and which is more of a challenge or too difficult to try. Just remember, it takes time. Because we have a lot of deleted posts on this subreddit, here is a backup of the title and body of this post: First time outdoor bouldering Incredibile, would highly recommend to anyone if they have a chance. It's not about the grade, training boards (kilter, moon tension), or hang boarding, time on the wall and climbing as much as you can will do more than any specific training. (it's not the case outside, it's always scary ahaha) And yes boudering will make you work differently and you will definitly improve, specially in the beginning, but if you don't like bouldering, don't force yourself . When I went into work that night and tried to share my stoke about my new found favorite style of climbing every single response I got was almost disgust with the IDEA of doing trad Just started going to a bouldering gym. I had a fear of height, not a strong one but still. The first time I joined a bouldering gym I walked around in a giant circle and went straight home, not having one clue what to do. Bouldering the first time is HARD. Other tips… I want to enjoy bouldering because many of my friends prefer it over top rope climbing but it’s just so scary to me. In the gym, bouldering is scary in the beginning, but you get use to it quite quickly. But five years later, I can tell you it's been one of the best decisions of my life! Biggest thing the first year is just miles on the wall. So, having the limited amount of time I have in mind, I thought looking for some advice on here would be a good idea. Some questions: Has anyone been to Harrisons Rocks? Whats the atmosphere like, how busy is it? Am I ok to boulder by First time posting any of my climbing to Reddit but this has to be my favourite post-lockdown problem so far so I had to share it here too ๐ A subreddit for the indoor bouldering community. Cordless and proud. We would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us. My recommendation is to keep at it, and make sure to rest for about five minutes between attempts. Work with the body you have, and if you want to progress faster, spend a larger amount of time bouldering, climbing on edges for finger strength, and specifically working hard/technical moves because although you feel weak, climbing is a skill sport and regardless of how strong you get, if you don't know the movement you won't ever get better. After that works, which it will, climb up 20 feet and let go again. More recently I've been wanting to try top roping but haven't gotten the courage to do so. And yes we are scared of falling. I use it 95% of the time for indoor and outdoor bouldering and sport. Went to the bouldering gym today for the first time and cleared a Level 3, any tips to improve? The next week ill go bouldering for the first time, and I want to ask basic bouldering etiquettes to not be an asshole unintentionally. Already had climbed a few time occasionally, but now I bought my first pair of shoes and plan on going more regularly. I inconsistently climbed for the next 5 years, like once every couple months or so due to money and time. There was a time where I tried bouldering high balls to get over the fear, but it just resulted in a lot of screaming and sweating. After that, you should have the confidence you need to know it will catch you from the top. First, Find First, a send from last summer: Airstar v13 in Rocklands. e. Ohh it get it. It surprised me at first how often an ‘unclimbable’ problem was just one foot placement, body shift, or change in grip from sending. I gotta save my 33 year old ankles for ski season. The people I know who progress pretty quickly at lower grades on rope split time between bouldering and roped climbing-- progressively shifting towards more bouldering as a percentage of training as their roped climbing grades have gone up. I think this is a V3? Realistically should I start with easier climbs or challenge myself? This specific climb took me 50 minutes to finally get. 4M subscribers in the climbing community. Advice for getting into climbing? I have been looking for a fun way to get in shape and was looking and a rock climbing gym halfway between my work and home. Reply reply PepegaQuen • The first time I went bouldering I was so excited and so focused on learning that I didn't really have time for fear. Reddit's rock climbing training community. I started indoor bouldering 2 months ago, knowing that I have a pretty big fear of heights and that it will be a challenge to… Reddit's rock climbing training community. Don't feel pressured to go for a move that feels bug or difficult or really scary. It is really rough the first few sessions because the forearms get pumped so quickly. r/trueandscarystories: Your source for true and scary accounts from across the world, reported by people just like you! Submit your story today (or a… 22 votes, 12 comments. To this day my scariest climbing moment was during my first lead climb. I started climbing last winter and absolutely love it. First V3, but for a specific reason. Every climber deals with fear in the sport at some time. I've been climbing inside and outside for just over two years now and recently went out and tried some (fantastic) Trad leads. Having only climbed indoors before my first thought was "where are the holds?". When falls happen, make sure you get your feet off the wall and under you. Ive noticed I can rock climb something easy and not be scared until I reach near the top but as the climb increases in difficulty the fear starts kicking in sooner. Sure you could flash this first try with zero experience, but you cannot really think we don’t understand what fundamentals your specific climbing requires, which you cannot possibly claim to understand from reading lmao. I literally did not touch the wall. Committing moves can be scary, but being Oct 6, 2021 ยท 6 Mistakes to Avoid when Bouldering for the First Time Bouldering is one of the most challenging forms of rock climbing that’s become more and more popular to new climbers at the gym given its accessibility. You make elegant moves and have a fluid and consistent pacing, truly amazing to watch! 580 votes, 43 comments. I went to Stoney Point near LA, which is the closest to me. It was the unknown that was holding me back bouldering and leading. Just went outdoor bouldering yesterday for the first I am about to go climbing for the first time. Advices please? Hey Guys, I'm planning my first time outdoor bouldering this weekend. You keep on doing that, I promise your confidence in bouldering and falling safely will be higher than your fear of heights and win out every time. No fall should ever be unexpected, and you should always land going into a roll to reduce stress on your ankles. Yes. Hi ladies, After bouldering indoors for around 1. So if you take 30 seconds on an attempt, rest for at least 2 and a half minutes before trying again. Reply eshlow V8-10 out | Author of Overcoming Gravity 2 | IG: stevenlowog • Additional comment actions it does go away eventually. Staying healthy is part of that so you generally want to avoid popping tendons, but sometimes you just can't know. Mani the Monkey: My Scariest Rock Climbing Fall - Might have to watch it twice in real time to understand what is happening there, legitimately scary to watch imho. Some gyms will let you tie another person in, if they cannot pass a belay test, others wont. 5 years, I’m finally going outdoors for the first time next week (with one of… 1. Jul 16, 2025 ยท Indoor rock climbing is scary at first, but the more you do it the less scary it is. It was worse in my mind, so i needed to experience it. I was climbing indoors, leading for the first time on… 619 votes, 549 comments. Dont try to do stuff to impress her. I climb v4-v5 indoors and was absolutely humbled when I couldn’t send any v1’s or v2’s lmao Can From only 10 feet, you should come down in a quick but safe pace. I am a bit out of shape (6'1 and around 270lbs) and have never climbed so it is a bit intimidating. Also, did you have your own crash pad? Really want to get outside and climb on some real rock. My biggest concern is to avoid overuse injury, as my forearms muscles/tendons are currently sore for a good 4 days after a session. hands / skin will get stronger over time, don't forget to rest in between climbs, bouldering is an intense full body activity, think of it like doing max effort sets in the gym rather than shooting baskets in basketball. A lot of the confidence in bouldering comes from knowing you can take the fall. If you're serious about getting better, you'll want to go a few times a week, and it's near impossible managing to find people to go that often and to fit your schedule. It was MUCH fun and I want to do that on a regular basis in the future. Thats ok. From the courses to the people! I have researched a bit beforehand and you guys make it seem way easier than what it actually is. The important thing is always being able to land feet first. Eh, it happens. Do some stuff, try some hard stuff and fail. 3M subscribers in the climbing community. 388K subscribers in the bouldering community. Take at least a minute or two between climbs, more if you're pumped. One person, who is not very athletic, literally on his first time bouldering broke his leg on a short fall indoors. Start climbing, you'll figure out very quickly what your skill level is. r/bouldering • has she climbed before? if its her first time, bouldering can be really tough. But I'm also scared of heights and I LOVE how intense the game is because even though it's scary it also magnifies the feeling Frequent Flyers - Bouldering Around the World - Bouldering Island, the - Bouldering: "The Island by Chad Greedy has just been released as a digital download exclusively at iCLIMB. Spend your first year working on developing good technique (footwork!) and dont even think about bouldering at your limit for the first few months. My first time on auto belay, I was nervous af. The thing is, he's been climbing for years, his whole family does it, he's the whole outdoorsy-outgoing-athletic package. Should you wait for the soreness to be over to climb I went bouldering for the first time 2 days ago, my muscles are still pretty sore. This was my first day trying to climb. I've heard that this area is fairly sandbagged so we stuck with the v0-v1 range of climbs. By Erik Vance The first time John Sherman went rock 397K subscribers in the bouldering community. We have 2 crashpads and Went bouldering for my first time a few weeks back and had the opportunity to put up this scary V1 Yesterday afternoon I participated in a beginner's outdoor bouldering session at Val-David (organized by Bloc Shop). So your main focus should honestly getting yourself use to the heights and most importantly learning how to fall in many different ways, whether it be awkward or First time bouldering outdoors - any tips? I recently graduated and wanted to do something for myself to celebrate--I managed to get a four day weekend and will be going to Joshua Tree to chill out and boulder outdoors for the first time. My fingers really hurt, the rock was sharp and the holds are very uneven and awkward. You will be fine. So when I topped out for the first time I was huge for me. MembersOnline • onewheeler2 ADMIN MOD What were the mistakes you made as a beginner? Small, big, form, etiquette? Hopefully it's not all horror stories of falling poorly! I was asked to go rock climbing as a first date kinda thing, with this guy I've liked for a while. From advice on which gym to visit to videos of world cup IFSC climbers, you can find it all here. Whether that’s a fear of falling, heights, or failing to succeed at a climb. For more in-depth articles, see the links at the bottom of this page. 172 votes, 11 comments. Nov 10, 2024 ยท Hey there! Thinking about getting into bouldering? You're in for an incredible adventure! I remember my first time walking into a climbing gym - I was totally intimidated by all those colorful holds on the wall. Stupid question but, people who have stopped climbing or started climbing significantly less, why? What did you start doing instead. 35 isn't too old by a long shot. The others (who have years of experience and fit backgrounds) have to deal with being stuck at the V2-V3 level while being extremely careful about climbing. I was wondering how many times per week to target. 42% of the community is happy to help. 1. First time outdoor bouldering this weekend at Harrisons Rocks, East Sussex. And yeah, it is great workout and a lot of fun. I played Horizon Call of the Mountain on PSVR2 and figured with the higher fidelity it'd feel the same but it never came close making me as scared as The Climb 2 does. It looked like you bailed at an appropriate time. I am new to bouldering and don't have much calisthenics strength, and was wondering if taking those beginners courses are absolutely recommended before I go to my first drop-in? I want to go tomorrow to a place but they only offer these courses on the weekends, so I don't want to embarrass myself doing something abnormal. I would recommend you to do more rope, cause with time you get confidence in the gear and "realise" that your safe and it's a first step to get rid of it. Toe hooking sucks from factory but got them resoled recently with an added toe scum patch to make them a bit better there. And while there are some ‘elitist’ climbers who don’t have the time of day for a new climber, I find 97. Edit: I appreciate all the advice and replies! I'm feel more confident How do you deal with fear of heights in rock climbing whether in a gym or on a mountain? Ive been rock climbing for 2 months. Bouldering was very scary and I could barely send v0/v1s. Take it easy, hang out, talk, encourage her to climb. It's my first time bouldering in South Africa and honestly I'm a bit overwhelmed by the sheer amount of sectors and problems. My biggest barrier to completing V3s wasn’t the actual climb, but actually getting over the fear of being at the top of the wall. Dedicated to increasing all our knowledge about how to better improve at our sport. There is absolutely nothing wrong with "just having fun" imho its the most important part in sports. 398K subscribers in the bouldering community. I agree, and that game in particular is quite potent in its ability to trigger that fear of heights. It looks like a ton of fun though and I have been interested for a while. Maybe your first time bouldering, but not your first time climbing ;). Watch better climbers in the gym and online a lot. The home of Climbing on reddit. The general rule of thumb is five times as much time off the wall as on. Lol climbing is a very technical sport, most of the technique is focused on shifting more of the . For me I totally got rid of that fear when I'm on the wall (I still have some fear when when I'm above the cliff tho but less than before) To add to good previous answers. So I did a little Bouldering 101 class at a climbing gym closest to me. 386K subscribers in the bouldering community. As others have said, fall often and practice your falling/landing technique. just While I am sure your experience is not unique, I am also quite sure it is exacerbated by the fact that you are experiencing rock climbing culture 1)in NY city, 2) in NY city indoor climbing gyms, 3)in Brooklyn, and 4) specifically in Brooklyn Boulders. Hey, how does the V1 outdoors compare to a V1 indoors? I've started climbing inside at Bkb somerville, and I can do V3s, just curious how real rock compares in terms of difficulty. I like it but the heel is just a bit loose on really intense heel hools on small edges/holds. It’s not as hard as it looks. It evokes an exciting physical response that you can learn to enjoy over time. I look at bouldering as solving a puzzle and I search for the missing piece. Make sure to get one or two days' rest before climbing again. I know a few obese people who climb. Do you have any tips for starters, like the most essentials/important things to know? Something you wished somehone had told when you started? Are there any recommended training routines (special workouts and things I can do at home)? "Learning by doing", i. I'm not discouraged though. I got pretty good at most low balls or highish boulders with a good overhang and a clear landing. During this process, I learn the part up to the crux well, save energy, fine tune the moves and over some time, sometimes sessions, I get stronger, smarter, more efficient and also get to the scary position many times. But a great part of the sport Hi! I bouldered the first time in my life some days ago. I've only been bouldering for a couple months and topping out was scary at first, but I just made sure to take plenty of falls from the top of the route to see that the extra foot from topping out isn't scary. I have had this issue in my first year of climbing because I was very scared of heights but Bouldering would always psych me out way more because I wouldn’t be on a top rope and if I landed the wrong way I knew I could hurt myself. Do what works for you, and enjoy the focus you can have. not to mention my rock climbing group next year was talking about learning to do lead climbing which sounds absolutely terrifying! do you have any tips for getting over bouldering/falling fears? 48 votes, 73 comments. This was a life list boulder for me, one of the ones I've been training for for a long time! Second, I am making a short horror film that revolves around vanlife/climbing! You can check out the teaser and the crowdfunding campaign here: "Cow: There is No Outside". Apr 22, 2022 ยท People are flocking back to indoor rock climbing gyms for the intense workouts and amiable social scene. Anything related to indoor (and outdoor) goes. Let me first say it was quite a humbling experience because I only (barely) made it to the top to 3 of the 5 routes i climbed and they were all pink tags. After that, I kind of forced myself to lead in the gym all of the time, and only rarely top rope. Any suggestions? I’m a bit out of shape but naturally strong and athletic (early 30s, woman) How dangerous is it to fall from 10ft? I’ve been doing a lot of indoor bouldering at my local gym and a lot of the routes are very tall which worries me that I might get injured falling from a tall height or at a weird angle from trying to go for a certain move. Hi there TheVerdeLive. Falling correctly is a skill you can work by intentionally dropping from heights you’re comfortable with and properly rolling out. Friends and I had a great time trying this weird, spin upside down problem. La Sportiva Skwama (womens): My intense bouldering shoe. The only thing I've climbed is maybe a small tree and some fences, I've been told I have the hand eye coordination of a blindfolded toddler, and until recently heights kind of 273 votes, 92 comments. What is the advice you wish you had gotten your first day at the gym? If you just want to have a little bit of fun while climbing/bouldering, then go for it and just ignore moves or boulder that are to scary/sketchy for you. The strength Those that have been climbing for years, is there still a fear of gear failure and falling? If we could rewind the clock and I was going to start bouldering for the first time in a climbing gym again there would be… 46 votes, 89 comments. There are guys that climb hard into their 60s. The first time i was climbing outdoord we warmed up on some relatively easy like 5a-5b slab and they had the pads pushed all the way on the rock just 2 stacked on top of eachother. A subreddit for the indoor bouldering community. But it's fun once you get over the nerves. Once you get more comfortable bouldering, a lot of people (myself included) will downclimb a few holds to reduce the distance we're falling. The biggest change came when I climbed outside for the first time and it became apparent how crucial lead climbing is to climbing outside - I didn't want to be the person following/top roping every time. Going for the first time alone? Tips for first-timer? : r/bouldering r/bouldering Current search is within r/bouldering Remove r/bouldering filter and expand search to all of Reddit Reddit's rock climbing training community. After few sessions that anxiety went away. gbui xkap pnxs ignzj cvmzuz ykuao yrl sykjn vcudub glkdo