The Basics of Bouldering

Series Summary

Rock climbing itself has been around for centuries, however rock climbing as a sport began at the end of the nineteenth century in Germany and England. Since then it has grown into a world famous sport that hundreds of thousands participate in. There are several different types of climbing, each having it's own grade of difficulty and risks. It is considered one of the more dangerous sports because of the extreme risk no matter what type of climbing you do but when the proper safety is followed rock climbing is a very enjoyable sport that is much safer than most people think.

If you are taking up climbing you should definitely check out these video tips. You will learn about all the safety precautions you should take and preparations needed to ensure you have a cautious and successful climb. Our experts go through everything from the warm up routine to the terms used to communicate quickly with other climbers. Of course it is always good to consult live experts before attempting this sport. We suggest taking a class on the safety of climbing and get live tips from guys who do it every day. Then go have fun!!

Video Transcript

"Hi, I'm Bill with Zoar Outdoor. On behalf of expertvillage.com we're here today at Chapel Ledges in Ashfield, Massachusetts the Trustees of the Reservations property and in this series I'm going to be talking about preparing to climb. Bouldering is climbing close to the ground, typically on fairly difficult rock, becoming increasingly popular lately. Some of the hardest climbs in the world are now done as boulder problems. Things you want to know about bouldering, you probably want a crash pad, softens the landing, helps for any rocks on the ground, things on the ground that you might otherwise trip over. You probably want a buddy for spotting because unless you have a whole bunch of crash pads, it's not going to cover all the landing. You're going to have your climbing shoes on, you're going to want some chalk most likely because the climbing is difficult. You want to think about the climb and realize that you're not on a rope, you want to make sure that you understand where you are going and use your good judgment about how high you're willing to go off the ground. Some higher boulder problems called high ball can post some serious risk of injury if you blow it up high. Technique, it gets pretty advanced, if you don't make it the first time, keep trying."