BROWSE HOW TOs

How to Boulder

By eHow Sports & Fitness Editor

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Bouldering is a great way to train for rock climbing, but it's also fun to just get your feet off the ground. Find a rock, lace up your shoes and climb away.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

Friends
Climbing Gear
Climbing Helmets
Climbing Ropes
Climbing Shoes

Step1

Convince a friend to be your bouldering partner for the day. A good partner can spot you as you climb, lessening the chance of injury if you fall off the rock.

Step2

Locate a rock (on public property) large enough for climbing. Freestanding boulders are suitable, as are rock outcropppings.

Step3

Make safety your top priority. Make sure that the rock is solid (not crumbly) and stable and check out the immediate surroundings for any potentially dangerous situations.

Step4

Scope out the landing area. Note any potential ankle twisters like loose rocks and roots.

Step5

Begin climbing. Stay low enough to avoid an injury from a fall.

Step6

Use your hands and feet for balance and to cling to features on the rock.

Step7

Try climbing straight up and traversing right or left. Be careful not to climb too high.

Step8

Save difficult moves for later. Get a feel for what it takes to move over the rock and gain experience.

Step9

Challenge yourself once you get the hang of it. Be creative and invent problems - paths over the rock that force you to think and require increased amounts of physical effort.

Tips & Warnings

After you've bouldered a few times, you'll probably decide you need a pair of climbing shoes. You might also want to buy chalk and a chalk bag to keep your hands dry as you cling to the rock.
You'll find many established bouldering areas ' places where people have bouldered for years. You can purchase or download guides to these areas. The guides will show classic problems and indicate how difficult the moves are.
Bouldering is a physically demanding sport that could result in serious injury. We recommend that you seek the proper equipment and training before undertaking this activity.

Comments

tjboulder said

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on 2/19/2008 to start bouldering, get a friend who has already been bouldering or has been rock climbing and is fairly good. you don't want you AND your friend to get on the rock and have no idea what you're doing.

you'll need a boulder, shoes, chalk, a crash pad if you want to land on something softer than the ground if you fall, and a friend you trust to spot you as you climb.

if you can, get a book from the library that documents good bouldering spots where you live, or you can go to a local climbing gym and ask for directions to a good spot.

Bouldering ettiquete is very important. refrain from clearing dangerous debris as this may be part of the thrill of a problem. if you do clear things like rocks and tree logs or branches, move them back. the next climber will appreciate that.
if you're using chalk, take an old toothbrush to brush off the holds you can reach so they aren't caked with

Anonymous said

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on 11/22/2005 It is a good idea to purchase some sort of bouldering crash mat before attempting harder climbs. A mat can greatly reduce the chance of common injuries such as twisted ankles and sore knees, as they give a level, cushioned surface to land on.