Just getting into the sport; couple things I’ve noticed in videos. 1. An overwhelming humbleness from creators 2. A passion for bettering ourselves 3. A passion for bettering others Thank you for all three and a good video.
Been climbing 3 months, the climbing community ar my local gym is always so friendly and helpful, it's never anyone trying to outdo each other rather than help everyone progress, success for all
One other thing that I've found really helpful as a beginner is climbing with friends who are better climbers with you, trying to keep up, getting their tips, and just watching them climb is super productive.
I love your videos :) Also, dear beginners: 1) Climb a lot but don't forget about resting. Your body and muscles will need it to progress. 2) Remember that climbing is in a huge part a mental game. So exercise your mind but don't forget to take care of it - go out with friends, go to a concert, to theater or cinema. 3) Enjoy the process of learning and trying again and again and again. And don't worry when you can't send some routes: work hard and your time will come. 4) Have fun :)
5) Please. Don't. Beta spray. It's ok to ask someone if they would like some beta that worked for you and WAIT for them to say "yes" (and accept "no thanks, I'm enjoying working it out" if that's what they want). Some people (like me) really enjoy the problem solving side to climbing. Don't spoil it for us to bolster your ego. Just be satisfied in yourself that you accomplished the task you set out to do. That should be enough. 6) Don't keep score with your friends/ others over how many times you or they took to finish a route/ problem. Experimentation is part of climbing; and it doesn't really matter how many variations you try before choosing the one that works best for you. All that matters is the fact you managed to unlock a successful sequence. Sometimes feet and hands just slip for various. The flash really doesn't mean much. If you flashed something it just means you weren't pushing yourself. Ultimately, climbing is a relatively useless skill, primarily developed for personal enjoyment and individual goal setting. Don't define or measure yourself or others by climbing ability. 7) Don't yell out "dab!" because 3mm of someone's toe edge rubber lightly grazed a different coloured hold. It's petty and embarrassing (for you). Leave your unnecessarily over-competetive attitude at the door and just let them have it. It's not the World Cup (and if it was, you shouldn't be shouting out anyway). 8) When in doubt, don't shout out. Letting the climber concentrate on their actions is much more helpful than jarring their concentration with stock phrases or vague pseudo-advice. Definitely don't do it if they're about to clip. 9) If you're belaying WATCH your climber ALWAYS. You are not a Jedi. Yes, you do need that visual cue to brace for their fall if they slip. Especially if they're your weight or more. Don't look at someone next to you for a chat while belaying (yes, indoors too)! Also, wear proper shoes. You probably will drop them if they pull you off your feet and your bare feet have to hit a hard, rough rock wall to catch the fall. Flip flops aren't really proper shoes for outdoor belaying. They come off easily and provide no toe protection . You owe it to you partner to be properly prepared to keep them as safe as possible at all times. 10) Wear a helmet for outdoor routes. Loose rock doesn't give a shit how cool you look for photos. If you think wearing a helmet means you can't finish the route, you aren't really good enough to climb it yet. Helmets are probably even more important for belayers. Again, you can't catch a climber with a piece of rock in your skull! There are no mental gymnastics that can rationally justify not wearing a helmet climbing outdoors. Just cos many pros don't doesn't mean they're not foolish not to. 11) When in doubt, beta stick the first bolt. It's not 'cheating', it's smart, safe practise. They're expensive, but still better than having to be airlifted to hospital after falling on sharp rocks and boulders. OK, that turned into a list of mini rants, but I stand by every point; and I've met many beginner/ few-years climbers that need to hear them. Too many seasoned climbers are also guilty of 9), 10) and 11).
@@Drabee yes thats really important. I remember when i started bouldering a couple of years ago, i went 3 times a week and after some months my tendons in the arms hurt so much, that i couldnt do pain free pullups for some months
I think that the “mileage” advice is spot on. During my first year of climbing I focused only on achieving the highest grade, which eventually led to injury and more time off the wall (resting) than climbing. Now that I’ve let go off my ego, I will certainly focus on climbing just more time per session, and don’t feel judged for climbing V2 s
Same. Tried to lead 5.10d in my first 6th months. Sent the route, but wasn’t ready and dislocated shoulder on the crux. Off the wall for the last 2.5 months...
About 7 months in now. My gym is small so I tend to blow through the grades until v4. Yet this is my second time hurting myself on a v5. Nothing major, just takes me off the wall for 2 weeks or so.
I tend to split my sessions up. First I do some easy boulders that I know I can flash without wasting too much energy. Then I continue to some tougher routes that are on the upper limit of my comfort zone. So routes that I know I can send but might need 2-3 tries. After that I move to projecting harder routes. And towards the end, when I'm gassed out, I do a couple more easy routes.
Generally climbers are ego less, however beginner climbers (6mths - 2 yrs of experience, differs for each climber) do have a high ego and look to achieve the next grade rather than enjoying climbing for the fun of climbing. Not to say there is nothing wrong and satisfying to achieve the next grade, but enjoy the movement and the next grade will come.
It isn't. You can see he's going too deep by watching his hips tilting backwards, therefore loosing tightness in his low-back, balance and form. If you weight it up, this could be dangerous.
Followed this video and got finished V7 within my first year of climbing. You have no idea how many times your words repeated in my head over the past year. Thank you
Being a new climber, I have found that the "soicial' aspect of going to my gym has helped me so much. I've met a some people at the gym who have seen me try to figure out a boulder and talk me though it and I accomplished it! Just confirms that I do have the strength, but maybe not the knowledge of how get through. Good video! Arms, legs, core.
Thanks for the great tips! 3 important actions to maximizing you first year of climbing 0:59 Action#1: Get Mileage 2:09 Action#2: Diversify climbs 3:05 Action#3: Build base fitness 6:13 Bonus tip: Create a community
I'm going to take the mileage advice very seriously, I've kept just focusing on 'projects' and because of that I actually slowed my progress. I really enjoyed the vid 👌
Apart from the exercises you mentioned (squatting, push ups and pull ups), I feel like core strength is an important aspect to train as well. For example to keep tension on overhangs
now that you mention it, that's probably why i struggle with overhangs. I don't have a very strong core, though it definitely has gotten stronger since i took up climbing.
Fostering your intuition is such an underrated point. I've seen plenty of very strong new climbers fail on boulders because they do not know how to move and orient their body in efficient ways, and end up doing moves in methods that I would find bizarre. Actively thinking about what the best way to move on the wall is in the early stages of your climbing journey will more quickly allow you to subconsciously know how to move than if you just try to brute force everything.
Thank you for your videos, so helpful for a new (first year) climber. We are lucky enough to have a climbing wall at our local gym, and travel to Climbing Gyms pretty regularly, like The Edge and Central Rock. We have done outdoor climbing at Little Falls and "The Gunks" and I am amazed at the progress I have made....next fall we are traveling as a group to Rumney NH to climb, can't wait! I never in my wildest dreams thought I'd be doing this at age 70! But here I am, and loving it. When I first started out, my only focus was getting to the top of the wall, any way I could, lol. Now I take my time, problem solve, concentrate more on my technique rather than just brute strength. And equally as important is the coaching and support of my fellow climbers, and getting together outside the gym. We have also gone hiking, white water rafting, rail trail cycling, dinners and lunches and brunches out, pot luck get togethers....enjoying life to the max!
Thank you for this video. I’m just getting started again after a 10-year hiatus and your first tip is spot on. I hit the gym last week for my first return climb. In 20 minutes I flashed a couple V2-3s, and a couple 5.9-10s and I was spent. Forearms were shot. Went back today after watching this video and stuck with V1s and a single V2. Rather than my arms being shot I actually felt good. Felt like I got some cardio, felt like I actually worked out. So thank you.
The ropes are durable and just like the ones at the gym. ua-cam.com/users/postUgkxTFxba6lNeHrZaHoY_LXe6ZzmMfaipnwu Caution: I bought the 50 feet ropes and they are long and heavy so make sure you have the space (I do have the space). If I was to do it again I would probably get a shorter version as 50 feet (25 feet each side) is a little long.
A note for getting reps in on lower grades. Especially in bouldering, if you climb let's say V1, don't be afraid to try a few climbs around that grade, like V2s and V0s. Gyms set differently, and sometimes it comes down to the individual setter or type of climb. My toprope climbing grade on overhang is like a solid one or two grades lower than it is on slab for instance.
Awesome video man! It’s really rare to find someone talk about the nuances of the basic exercises like with scapular retraction with the pull up and cork screwing your arms in the push up and your feet in the squat. Please make a video of how to push through plateaus for those of us trying to break into the V4/V5 range!
Being a new climber, I have found that the "soicial' aspect of going to my gym has helped me so much. I've met a some people at the gym who have seen me try to figure out a boulder and talk me though it and I accomplished it! Just confirms that I do have the strength, but maybe not the knowledge of how get through. Good video! Arms, legs, core.
I'm in my third month of climbing and I'm glad I watched this video to confirm I'm on the right track 😊 I just need to work more on the fitness and exploring a bit more on climbing/route styles that I'm not as strong in
I watched this video roughly a year ago when I first started bouldering and I'm glad I did. You helped me get excited, set healthy expectations, and really set up the correct mindset for me to enjoy myself and progress the most. I always kept your words at the back of my mind - especially "Just get as much mileage as you can", and really helped me frame failure as just an excuse to climb more. I went from spending several sessions projecting a single V1, to now projecting V4s and V5s and I do feel that progress can be attributed in to small part to this video. Thank you. Genuinely.
Thank you for not overloading the video with too much information. I'm finding that getting into this sport can be somewhat intimidating. I haven't made it to the indoor gym yet. I have been speaking to an old Marine Corps buddy who is a professional climber and he feels that I'm not too old or "out of shape" to start. Thanks again, cheers
So today is my first climbing birthday, a whole year! I’m one, finally! It has been an awesome experience and it’s kind of wild to think an entire year has gone by, but here I am! Your videos have been super helpful and very well put together, bravo and a big thank you! So far I’ve made it to V8, my goal was V10 but I’m still pretty stoked on my progress.
After having to take time off and then the pandemic, I'm treating my return as Year One 2.0: it's not like my body has retained anything but vague memories of my first two years of climbing, after all. Instead of pretending like "I've got this," and very probably getting injured by not working my body back step by step, I'm going to be safe & cautious and just go back to the very, very first step. I'm so excited, tbh. Ready for the mileage!
Climbing is an incredible sport Started about 13 months ago and never would have imagined I'd progress so fast. I remember my first few sessions feeling so badass being able to solve 5.8s.. then came that first "project". I didnt even know of that word or all the fuckin lingo in climbing back then, but that first 5.9 had me fail.. session after session.. trying over and over again, being like "THIS IS FUCKIN IMPOSSIBLE". That was the first time i felt that project-finishing satisfaction and I was HOOKED. 13 months later and I almost flashed an 5.11a in RRG :D its hard to balance between having fun and chasing the difficulty, pushing your limit, etc Really easy to overtrain so as a rule of thumb never train more than 3 days in a row, try 2 on 1 off. consistency is key. dont spend more than half a session projecting
Great video, some good advice. I’ve been climbing 6 weeks (twice a week) did my 1st v4. I’m now climbing v1/v2’s with more slower controlled movements. I feel I still need to build more fitness up before moving on.
watching this after a 3 year hiatus. I only went once a week beforehand, with my work. And when i quit, I kind of stopped sadly. Glad to take the plunge again, even invested in my own shoes finally.
All the different ways to do squats are as (or more) contested than push ups. If there was one thing I’d encourage newbies to do it is find what works for you when it comes to feet position (width apart, angle)… and take your time with bodyweight before going weighted.
Went bouldering for the first time just before Christmas, I can't wait to get into it this year! This was a really good video. Love that you keep it so simple.
I can't get enough of your vids, there's something calming yet inspiring about them. Loving the format too. The whole voice-over and stabilised camera makes everything easy to watch and enjoyable.
New to your channel and I very much appreciate your videos. I’m only six months into climbing and have mostly relied on excitement and intuition so far, but have recently been trying to focus on honing the basic skills to give myself a better foundation to build off of. Your videos have been an important part of that foundation. Thank you, and please keep it up!! =)
If you are getting injured a lot, besides looking at how you are training, look at how you are eating and sleeping! Make sure you are eating enough variety and amount! Make sure you're sleeping enough! Climbing is very stressful for the body so make sure you rest a lot
I think what's worth mentioning before getting mileage is rest and recovery. It's super important, especially at first, to allow your body to heal before you push too hard.
I generally feel so lost about stuff. Very much appreciate this video. 8mo in but I def have been guilty of trying to hit higher grades vs improve upon the routes I’ve been able to finish
The routine I use is: *3x Front Plank* - Progress from 15sec holds to 45sec, equal rest between holds. *3x Side Plank* - do 3 on both left and right side (so 6 total). Same progression and rest as front plank. *Leg Lowering Drill* - start with 10 and progress to 20. This can be a tough one if you have a weak core, so take as much rest as you need, but aim for 1 min as you build strength. *Metronome* - Start with 5 and progress to 15. (same thing applies as leg lowering) *Sit-up w/ twist* - alternate twisting left and right at the top of a sit-up, two twists equals 1 rep. Start with 5, progress to 15. (To clarify you'll actually do 10 sit-ups to start and progress to 30) *Jane Fonda (Side Leg-Lift)* - Start with 10 progress to 25, do both right and left sides. (This is more for the hips, but it does work the obliques some) Do the circuit 1-3x taking 3 mins or so in-between sets. The amount of rest you take doesn't really matter, it's not meant to be a cardio based routine. So take what feels good but keep the last reps feeling tough. I got it from a running coach, but core is core for the most part.
Cody Heiner Yea two most important strengths for climbing is 1: finger strength and 2: core strength. Doing standard pushups is pointless unless for warmup. Everyone has opinions on things but I find this channel puts out consistently incorrect info.
@drew13600 Pulling has a much higher ceiling and isn't used in every hard climb equally. (we try to pull as little as possible when climbing, that's not a good strength exercise) The Core is used almost all the time while climbing, and that's why you will get it just by doing that. (with proper technique) There is a reason we get pumped in our arms and not in the core...
very very good advice. only thing to add would be to do walls you are intimidated by, if you hate crimps make it a point to try as many crimpey walls as you can, if you hate slopes same thing. helps me have a respect and appreciation for holds that i typically would avoid or hate. im more likely to walk up to wall that looks like a struggle than a wall of the same grade that i know i can flash because im good at the holds.
The antagonist exercise of pull ups are vertical pressing movements like handstand push ups, pike press or overhead press and not push ups. Push ups are still a good choice but I think adding a vertical push exercise, a horizontal push exercise, a vertical pull exercise and a horizontal pull exercise to your workout is better than only doing pull ups and push ups for your upper body
Thanks for a great motivational and informative vid. I'm in my second month of climbing, still frustrated by simple routes but trying to get it bit by bit. I'm working on basic fitness right now too. You are an inspiration!
I've started in january and I can see how much I have improved during that time I can use boulders as a warm up that were a project in the beginning of the year Currently I'm working on a roof route (don't know if it is roof in english) In June I fell off on the third move, now I'm only missing the last one
Something I've found is that if you get bored with the easy routes, but are not strong enough to do the harder routes, you can do the easy hand holds with the harder foot holds. Sometimes this does not work, depends on the setup of course.
I love your videos and wanted to say thank you. I look forward to seeing more. I am a newer climber, only about 4 months in. I have fallen in love with the sport/hobby/life. All i think about is climbing and all i want to watch is climbing. I live in Atlanta and climb at a local gym called Stone Summit. it's such an amazing place. As a nearly 40 year old male with weak upper body strength would you happen to have a workout/eating routine to help me get started? I have not done any lead rope climbing, but i love top rope and bouldering. I only climb v2-v3's while bouldering, and on the wall I can climb 5.10's. I climb on Mon, Wed and Fridays. I know that I'll never be a famous climber, but the feeling of finally topping out on a difficult route is such a great feeling. Thank you again.
Many people hate slab, but I always say, if you're a beginner or intermediate climber, slab is your best friend. It forces you into building three invaluable habits for climbing: footwork, balance and problem solving. With slab, you can't brute force your way through it, you have to actually think and build proper muscle memory for technique. You should climb everything when you're starting out, but I find slab to be really underrated by most climbers. Even if you hate climbing it, it's excellent for practice.
I'm more of a boulderer and a lot of girls or guys would actually do all the slabs at my gym but somehow ignore overhangs or roofs. Especially as a beginner overhangs teach you to not let your feet come off the wall, to engage your back, to climb clean to save strength. I honestly think both are equally important.
This was me. I came into climbing with zero athletic background, so I simply wasn't strong enough to do most overhangs, so I ended up avoiding them in favour of slab/vertical climbs, to the point that my "overhang" grade was lower than anything else. It was only when I forced myself to do some overhangs each session, learned how to flag properly and engage my core, and did my first pull-up that I ever got any good at them.
Lol, first time in a boulder gym today and was sending V3's after 2,3 tries...talk about over confidence. Really bad technique though, so tomorrow going to do all V1's and V2's before going onto V3's, thanks for the advice and tips.
Far out man! This was the first video that I found from this channel, but I am a subscriber now! Three months into climbing/bouldering and I am so stoked to be applying your tips for better performance.
Great video! I think its good to note, though, that everyone's different body mechanics may require different stance width and foot angle than what you demonstrated for squats. For me, my hips are stronger and feel better during squats with a slightly wider stance and feet pointed outwards maybe 30 degrees.
I´ve watched this Video when i started climbing one year ago and i am very thankful because it worked! I made huge progression! Now i would like to get some advice for my 2nd year :D Thank you very much!!
Thanks so much for the advice. I've been reimmersing myself back into climbing (after a 5 year break; before this, i climbed for a few years) for about 3 months now. Nothing surprised me about your advice except getting more mileage, which I never gave much thought into. I'll definitely be doing more of this going forward
Have loved discovering your channel, just starting out on my climbing 'journey', have been enjoying it tremendously thus far and will put into practice many tips from your videos on my next climb tomorrow!
Just finished day one today. Arms hurt, skin is raw, and I can feel the obsession coming on. I’ve never had so much fun working out. UPDATE: It’s been a bit less than a month and I climbed my first (soft) v4 today. I’m so proud of myself.
I'm almost at the one year mark, and I've finally watched this video. I think I'm getting most things right (focusing on mileage rather than ascending grades as fast as possible), so that's a relief! thanks for the video!
First year of *indoor* climbing... Your videos are great, but I'm in my first year and it's all outdoors. Coronavirus is indoors. Thanks for putting in the time to create all the great content.
Do u have any videos about nutrition amd about what u consume on a daily basis what helps your training and climb?! Ps LOVE your videos mate! U are rock!
Thank you. I feel like diet/nutrition is a highly subjective matter and what works for me may not work for a lot of other people. However, I wouldn't mind sharing some general details of a training regimen in a future video. Appreciate the suggestion!
Been struggling with what to train and measure to push past plateaus and I like the simplicity of focusing on time on wall, pull ups, push ups, and squats for simple metrics. Thanks for the really nice video 🙏
I really liked watching you climb. You have very slow and controlled movements between every hold and rarely readjust your hands. That is where I am trying to focus right now... I am very jerky and do a lot of straining and body movement between holds.
Came back to this after two weeks in the gym and will probably be back in 6 months. For strength and movement I've been doing 3 reps on the V0 wall. Super juggy and focusing on silent feet and straight arms. trying to do that 3 times.
The only bouldering gym in my area is tiny. There is a small area too leave your bags and a room with (i think I counted) 16 problems? It is not very big. I can only to problems up to V2 which limits me to about 6 problems my level and with limited space it can get quite crowded. I also can't practice pull ups because there is no training room. Even with the small size I like the bouldering gym in my town, the people there are really nice and I can't wait to go there next!!
I’m that one person who can’t do squats right cuz I have really really tight Achilles. I’ve only been climbing for 6 months but I have gotten so so strong so fast and it’s helped me so much for climbing. I’m a very static climber so climbing hard grades take a really long time
I'm over here just trying to figure out how to do one pull-up, I spent an entire year on it pre-pandemic (doing around V3s i believe) and admittedly stopped trying when covid hit. I'm getting back into it and climbing. I'll try to do more milage from now on, though.
Would you recommend working out at all before I sat climbing? I run track and have a lot of strength in my legs, but almost none upper body, i can’t even do a pull up tbh. Also should I get climbing shoes right away? Or start with regular tennis shoes?
Excellent video. I am 60 now have not climbed in 6 years, but I would like to share a few things. Strong legs definitely helps in a big way, I used to be on a speed skating team in my 40’s. Strong grip training was also another advantage over upper body strength. Used to work in small climbing gym for 17 years that was built in a Racquetball court, 3 connected walls that allowed for traversing. We would set up traversing competitions to see how many times you could go back and forth from one end to the other end and the record was 65x in 2 hours. We were only about 2 feet off the ground and learned to relax our entire bodies so that we could keep going as long as possible which naturally built strong hand grip. Every time I visit a gym people only climb vertically straight up a short distance and that’s it, this to me is not enough, they should add traversing exercises in their training. Strong legs as well.
Hello All! Thanks for the video. I’m a newbie who want to try this hobbit and eventually develop a habit for mental stimulation and physical endurance.
Just getting into the sport; couple things I’ve noticed in videos.
1. An overwhelming humbleness from creators
2. A passion for bettering ourselves
3. A passion for bettering others
Thank you for all three and a good video.
Riding bareback can improve core for climbing 😉
this can be said for every single solo sport,
Climbing has a good community
Been climbing 3 months, the climbing community ar my local gym is always so friendly and helpful, it's never anyone trying to outdo each other rather than help everyone progress, success for all
Likewise. The community is very welcoming and willing to see new climbers grow and improve
One other thing that I've found really helpful as a beginner is climbing with friends who are better climbers with you, trying to keep up, getting their tips, and just watching them climb is super productive.
I love your videos :) Also, dear beginners:
1) Climb a lot but don't forget about resting. Your body and muscles will need it to progress.
2) Remember that climbing is in a huge part a mental game. So exercise your mind but don't forget to take care of it - go out with friends, go to a concert, to theater or cinema.
3) Enjoy the process of learning and trying again and again and again. And don't worry when you can't send some routes: work hard and your time will come.
4) Have fun :)
Can't agree more on all of them!
yeah, agree with rest part, im just starting out, i can do about 2hours a week atm, otherwise i feel my forearms may pop if i try any more
5) Please. Don't. Beta spray. It's ok to ask someone if they would like some beta that worked for you and WAIT for them to say "yes" (and accept "no thanks, I'm enjoying working it out" if that's what they want). Some people (like me) really enjoy the problem solving side to climbing. Don't spoil it for us to bolster your ego. Just be satisfied in yourself that you accomplished the task you set out to do. That should be enough.
6) Don't keep score with your friends/ others over how many times you or they took to finish a route/ problem. Experimentation is part of climbing; and it doesn't really matter how many variations you try before choosing the one that works best for you. All that matters is the fact you managed to unlock a successful sequence. Sometimes feet and hands just slip for various. The flash really doesn't mean much. If you flashed something it just means you weren't pushing yourself. Ultimately, climbing is a relatively useless skill, primarily developed for personal enjoyment and individual goal setting. Don't define or measure yourself or others by climbing ability.
7) Don't yell out "dab!" because 3mm of someone's toe edge rubber lightly grazed a different coloured hold. It's petty and embarrassing (for you). Leave your unnecessarily over-competetive attitude at the door and just let them have it. It's not the World Cup (and if it was, you shouldn't be shouting out anyway).
8) When in doubt, don't shout out. Letting the climber concentrate on their actions is much more helpful than jarring their concentration with stock phrases or vague pseudo-advice. Definitely don't do it if they're about to clip.
9) If you're belaying WATCH your climber ALWAYS. You are not a Jedi. Yes, you do need that visual cue to brace for their fall if they slip. Especially if they're your weight or more. Don't look at someone next to you for a chat while belaying (yes, indoors too)! Also, wear proper shoes. You probably will drop them if they pull you off your feet and your bare feet have to hit a hard, rough rock wall to catch the fall. Flip flops aren't really proper shoes for outdoor belaying. They come off easily and provide no toe protection . You owe it to you partner to be properly prepared to keep them as safe as possible at all times.
10) Wear a helmet for outdoor routes. Loose rock doesn't give a shit how cool you look for photos. If you think wearing a helmet means you can't finish the route, you aren't really good enough to climb it yet. Helmets are probably even more important for belayers. Again, you can't catch a climber with a piece of rock in your skull! There are no mental gymnastics that can rationally justify not wearing a helmet climbing outdoors. Just cos many pros don't doesn't mean they're not foolish not to.
11) When in doubt, beta stick the first bolt. It's not 'cheating', it's smart, safe practise. They're expensive, but still better than having to be airlifted to hospital after falling on sharp rocks and boulders.
OK, that turned into a list of mini rants, but I stand by every point; and I've met many beginner/ few-years climbers that need to hear them. Too many seasoned climbers are also guilty of 9), 10) and 11).
@@Drabee yes thats really important. I remember when i started bouldering a couple of years ago, i went 3 times a week and after some months my tendons in the arms hurt so much, that i couldnt do pain free pullups for some months
Thank you guys for your help! I´m a beginner and i love this sport i don´t know much about this but i want to learn.
Thank you so much
I think that the “mileage” advice is spot on. During my first year of climbing I focused only on achieving the highest grade, which eventually led to injury and more time off the wall (resting) than climbing.
Now that I’ve let go off my ego, I will certainly focus on climbing just more time per session, and don’t feel judged for climbing V2 s
Same. Tried to lead 5.10d in my first 6th months. Sent the route, but wasn’t ready and dislocated shoulder on the crux. Off the wall for the last 2.5 months...
About 7 months in now. My gym is small so I tend to blow through the grades until v4. Yet this is my second time hurting myself on a v5. Nothing major, just takes me off the wall for 2 weeks or so.
I tend to split my sessions up. First I do some easy boulders that I know I can flash without wasting too much energy. Then I continue to some tougher routes that are on the upper limit of my comfort zone. So routes that I know I can send but might need 2-3 tries. After that I move to projecting harder routes. And towards the end, when I'm gassed out, I do a couple more easy routes.
V2s.. sorry mbmb judging again
Generally climbers are ego less, however beginner climbers (6mths - 2 yrs of experience, differs for each climber) do have a high ego and look to achieve the next grade rather than enjoying climbing for the fun of climbing. Not to say there is nothing wrong and satisfying to achieve the next grade, but enjoy the movement and the next grade will come.
I'm concerned as to how calming this video is.
You don't climb to better hide corpses?
I think this is the cleanest squat I've seen in months on UA-cam
It isn't. You can see he's going too deep by watching his hips tilting backwards, therefore loosing tightness in his low-back, balance and form. If you weight it up, this could be dangerous.
Step 1: Don't start six months before a pandemic closes all of the gyms indefinitely 🥴
Our gyms have been closed for over 4 months now...
Haha same here, I can't wait to get properly involved😁
I did
Started the day if the pandemic
Started the day if the pandemic
Followed this video and got finished V7 within my first year of climbing. You have no idea how many times your words repeated in my head over the past year. Thank you
Being a new climber, I have found that the "soicial' aspect of going to my gym has helped me so much. I've met a some people at the gym who have seen me try to figure out a boulder and talk me though it and I accomplished it! Just confirms that I do have the strength, but maybe not the knowledge of how get through. Good video! Arms, legs, core.
Thanks for the great tips!
3 important actions to maximizing you first year of climbing
0:59 Action#1: Get Mileage
2:09 Action#2: Diversify climbs
3:05 Action#3: Build base fitness
6:13 Bonus tip: Create a community
I'm going to take the mileage advice very seriously, I've kept just focusing on 'projects' and because of that I actually slowed my progress. I really enjoyed the vid 👌
any chance you're going to do a vid on maximising your 14th year of climbing haha
I can sum up a video for you...be humble...I wish that was more taught
Surviving the 40th
@@illduitmyself gotta keep that shirt on.
Back to basics
Hahaahahahahahahahahahahahahah
Apart from the exercises you mentioned (squatting, push ups and pull ups), I feel like core strength is an important aspect to train as well. For example to keep tension on overhangs
now that you mention it, that's probably why i struggle with overhangs. I don't have a very strong core, though it definitely has gotten stronger since i took up climbing.
Yep, core strength and stretching should be added to that list
@@sxanep i do yoga once a week as well. hell, a lot of climbing gyms i've seen offer yoga classes or even sometimes have full yoga studios as well.
Barbell squats, shoulder presses and deadlifts are great for core
Fostering your intuition is such an underrated point. I've seen plenty of very strong new climbers fail on boulders because they do not know how to move and orient their body in efficient ways, and end up doing moves in methods that I would find bizarre. Actively thinking about what the best way to move on the wall is in the early stages of your climbing journey will more quickly allow you to subconsciously know how to move than if you just try to brute force everything.
Thank you for your videos, so helpful for a new (first year) climber. We are lucky enough to have a climbing wall at our local gym, and travel to Climbing Gyms pretty regularly, like The Edge and Central Rock. We have done outdoor climbing at Little Falls and "The Gunks" and I am amazed at the progress I have made....next fall we are traveling as a group to Rumney NH to climb, can't wait! I never in my wildest dreams thought I'd be doing this at age 70! But here I am, and loving it. When I first started out, my only focus was getting to the top of the wall, any way I could, lol. Now I take my time, problem solve, concentrate more on my technique rather than just brute strength. And equally as important is the coaching and support of my fellow climbers, and getting together outside the gym. We have also gone hiking, white water rafting, rail trail cycling, dinners and lunches and brunches out, pot luck get togethers....enjoying life to the max!
Thank you for this video. I’m just getting started again after a 10-year hiatus and your first tip is spot on. I hit the gym last week for my first return climb. In 20 minutes I flashed a couple V2-3s, and a couple 5.9-10s and I was spent. Forearms were shot. Went back today after watching this video and stuck with V1s and a single V2. Rather than my arms being shot I actually felt good. Felt like I got some cardio, felt like I actually worked out. So thank you.
The ropes are durable and just like the ones at the gym. ua-cam.com/users/postUgkxTFxba6lNeHrZaHoY_LXe6ZzmMfaipnwu Caution: I bought the 50 feet ropes and they are long and heavy so make sure you have the space (I do have the space). If I was to do it again I would probably get a shorter version as 50 feet (25 feet each side) is a little long.
A note for getting reps in on lower grades. Especially in bouldering, if you climb let's say V1, don't be afraid to try a few climbs around that grade, like V2s and V0s. Gyms set differently, and sometimes it comes down to the individual setter or type of climb. My toprope climbing grade on overhang is like a solid one or two grades lower than it is on slab for instance.
Awesome video man! It’s really rare to find someone talk about the nuances of the basic exercises like with scapular retraction with the pull up and cork screwing your arms in the push up and your feet in the squat. Please make a video of how to push through plateaus for those of us trying to break into the V4/V5 range!
Being a new climber, I have found that the "soicial' aspect of going to my gym has helped me so much. I've met a some people at the gym who have seen me try to figure out a boulder and talk me though it and I accomplished it! Just confirms that I do have the strength, but maybe not the knowledge of how get through. Good video! Arms, legs, core.
I'm in my third month of climbing and I'm glad I watched this video to confirm I'm on the right track 😊 I just need to work more on the fitness and exploring a bit more on climbing/route styles that I'm not as strong in
I watched this video roughly a year ago when I first started bouldering and I'm glad I did. You helped me get excited, set healthy expectations, and really set up the correct mindset for me to enjoy myself and progress the most. I always kept your words at the back of my mind - especially "Just get as much mileage as you can", and really helped me frame failure as just an excuse to climb more. I went from spending several sessions projecting a single V1, to now projecting V4s and V5s and I do feel that progress can be attributed in to small part to this video. Thank you. Genuinely.
Thank you for not overloading the video with too much information. I'm finding that getting into this sport can be somewhat intimidating. I haven't made it to the indoor gym yet. I have been speaking to an old Marine Corps buddy who is a professional climber and he feels that I'm not too old or "out of shape" to start. Thanks again, cheers
Have fun, learn to try hard, listen to your body, stay stoked.
"do not stick to one style of climbing"
I've been climbing for 2 years and I still really needed to hear that
So today is my first climbing birthday, a whole year! I’m one, finally! It has been an awesome experience and it’s kind of wild to think an entire year has gone by, but here I am!
Your videos have been super helpful and very well put together, bravo and a big thank you! So far I’ve made it to V8, my goal was V10 but I’m still pretty stoked on my progress.
Happy climbing anniversary! V8 in one year is super good progress. Glad to have been of help on your journey.
@@movementforclimbers Thanks!
I’ve been climbing for two months. A lot of great advice in this I’m going to incorporate.
After having to take time off and then the pandemic, I'm treating my return as Year One 2.0: it's not like my body has retained anything but vague memories of my first two years of climbing, after all. Instead of pretending like "I've got this," and very probably getting injured by not working my body back step by step, I'm going to be safe & cautious and just go back to the very, very first step. I'm so excited, tbh. Ready for the mileage!
Climbing is an incredible sport
Started about 13 months ago and never would have imagined I'd progress so fast.
I remember my first few sessions feeling so badass being able to solve 5.8s.. then came that first "project". I didnt even know of that word or all the fuckin lingo in climbing back then, but that first 5.9 had me fail.. session after session..
trying over and over again, being like "THIS IS FUCKIN IMPOSSIBLE".
That was the first time i felt that project-finishing satisfaction and I was HOOKED.
13 months later and I almost flashed an 5.11a in RRG :D
its hard to balance between having fun and chasing the difficulty, pushing your limit, etc
Really easy to overtrain so as a rule of thumb never train more than 3 days in a row, try 2 on 1 off.
consistency is key.
dont spend more than half a session projecting
Great video, some good advice. I’ve been climbing 6 weeks (twice a week) did my 1st v4. I’m now climbing v1/v2’s with more slower controlled movements. I feel I still need to build more fitness up before moving on.
watching this after a 3 year hiatus. I only went once a week beforehand, with my work. And when i quit, I kind of stopped sadly. Glad to take the plunge again, even invested in my own shoes finally.
You have thee most insightful climbing channel on youtube. Hands down! Thx for your effort!
you should have waaaay more subscribers! your content is gold!
Hey! This is my local gym. Awesome to see people having fun there
Miss good ol' Pipeworks!
All the different ways to do squats are as (or more) contested than push ups. If there was one thing I’d encourage newbies to do it is find what works for you when it comes to feet position (width apart, angle)… and take your time with bodyweight before going weighted.
Went bouldering for the first time just before Christmas, I can't wait to get into it this year! This was a really good video. Love that you keep it so simple.
Your content is always so well on point. As is your humor.
I can't get enough of your vids, there's something calming yet inspiring about them. Loving the format too. The whole voice-over and stabilised camera makes everything easy to watch and enjoyable.
Great advice at the begining and I love how simple progression in climbing is.
Your knowledge has helped me climb 7a in my first year!
Congrats! Happy to be of help.
New to your channel and I very much appreciate your videos. I’m only six months into climbing and have mostly relied on excitement and intuition so far, but have recently been trying to focus on honing the basic skills to give myself a better foundation to build off of. Your videos have been an important part of that foundation. Thank you, and please keep it up!! =)
If you are getting injured a lot, besides looking at how you are training, look at how you are eating and sleeping! Make sure you are eating enough variety and amount! Make sure you're sleeping enough! Climbing is very stressful for the body so make sure you rest a lot
I think what's worth mentioning before getting mileage is rest and recovery. It's super important, especially at first, to allow your body to heal before you push too hard.
I generally feel so lost about stuff. Very much appreciate this video. 8mo in but I def have been guilty of trying to hit higher grades vs improve upon the routes I’ve been able to finish
Surprised core strength wasn't in there. IMO it should be the fundamental four: push, pull, squat, core.
Maybe because core is trained very well by climbing itself.
I never did any core training off the wall and have quite a strong core.
The routine I use is:
*3x Front Plank* - Progress from 15sec holds to 45sec, equal rest between holds.
*3x Side Plank* - do 3 on both left and right side (so 6 total). Same progression and rest as front plank.
*Leg Lowering Drill* - start with 10 and progress to 20. This can be a tough one if you have a weak core, so take as much rest as you need, but aim for 1 min as you build strength.
*Metronome* - Start with 5 and progress to 15. (same thing applies as leg lowering)
*Sit-up w/ twist* - alternate twisting left and right at the top of a sit-up, two twists equals 1 rep. Start with 5, progress to 15. (To clarify you'll actually do 10 sit-ups to start and progress to 30)
*Jane Fonda (Side Leg-Lift)* - Start with 10 progress to 25, do both right and left sides. (This is more for the hips, but it does work the obliques some)
Do the circuit 1-3x taking 3 mins or so in-between sets. The amount of rest you take doesn't really matter, it's not meant to be a cardio based routine. So take what feels good but keep the last reps feeling tough. I got it from a running coach, but core is core for the most part.
Cody Heiner Yea two most important strengths for climbing is 1: finger strength and 2: core strength. Doing standard pushups is pointless unless for warmup. Everyone has opinions on things but I find this channel puts out consistently incorrect info.
@@secret5. The pushups are the main antagonist training for climbers. It's mostly for injury prevention.
@drew13600 Pulling has a much higher ceiling and isn't used in every hard climb equally. (we try to pull as little as possible when climbing, that's not a good strength exercise)
The Core is used almost all the time while climbing, and that's why you will get it just by doing that. (with proper technique)
There is a reason we get pumped in our arms and not in the core...
Insanely good and informative video! Thank you very much!! I loved it and will implement everything you recommend
very very good advice. only thing to add would be to do walls you are intimidated by, if you hate crimps make it a point to try as many crimpey walls as you can, if you hate slopes same thing. helps me have a respect and appreciation for holds that i typically would avoid or hate. im more likely to walk up to wall that looks like a struggle than a wall of the same grade that i know i can flash because im good at the holds.
The antagonist exercise of pull ups are vertical pressing movements like handstand push ups, pike press or overhead press and not push ups. Push ups are still a good choice but I think adding a vertical push exercise, a horizontal push exercise, a vertical pull exercise and a horizontal pull exercise to your workout is better than only doing pull ups and push ups for your upper body
Having friends to climb with is clearly aid.
Hey just wanted to say thanks. You motivated me to get back into climbing.
Thanks for a great motivational and informative vid. I'm in my second month of climbing, still frustrated by simple routes but trying to get it bit by bit. I'm working on basic fitness right now too. You are an inspiration!
I've started in january and I can see how much I have improved during that time
I can use boulders as a warm up that were a project in the beginning of the year
Currently I'm working on a roof route (don't know if it is roof in english)
In June I fell off on the third move, now I'm only missing the last one
Something I've found is that if you get bored with the easy routes, but are not strong enough to do the harder routes, you can do the easy hand holds with the harder foot holds. Sometimes this does not work, depends on the setup of course.
I love your videos and wanted to say thank you. I look forward to seeing more. I am a newer climber, only about 4 months in. I have fallen in love with the sport/hobby/life. All i think about is climbing and all i want to watch is climbing. I live in Atlanta and climb at a local gym called Stone Summit. it's such an amazing place. As a nearly 40 year old male with weak upper body strength would you happen to have a workout/eating routine to help me get started? I have not done any lead rope climbing, but i love top rope and bouldering. I only climb v2-v3's while bouldering, and on the wall I can climb 5.10's. I climb on Mon, Wed and Fridays. I know that I'll never be a famous climber, but the feeling of finally topping out on a difficult route is such a great feeling. Thank you again.
Many people hate slab, but I always say, if you're a beginner or intermediate climber, slab is your best friend. It forces you into building three invaluable habits for climbing: footwork, balance and problem solving. With slab, you can't brute force your way through it, you have to actually think and build proper muscle memory for technique. You should climb everything when you're starting out, but I find slab to be really underrated by most climbers. Even if you hate climbing it, it's excellent for practice.
I'm more of a boulderer and a lot of girls or guys would actually do all the slabs at my gym but somehow ignore overhangs or roofs. Especially as a beginner overhangs teach you to not let your feet come off the wall, to engage your back, to climb clean to save strength.
I honestly think both are equally important.
This was me. I came into climbing with zero athletic background, so I simply wasn't strong enough to do most overhangs, so I ended up avoiding them in favour of slab/vertical climbs, to the point that my "overhang" grade was lower than anything else.
It was only when I forced myself to do some overhangs each session, learned how to flag properly and engage my core, and did my first pull-up that I ever got any good at them.
Dude I'm loving each video more and more
Lol, first time in a boulder gym today and was sending V3's after 2,3 tries...talk about over confidence.
Really bad technique though, so tomorrow going to do all V1's and V2's before going onto V3's, thanks for the advice and tips.
So how far have you progressed
@@lokalepolitiegent1479 Only been 3 times, but last one, managed a V4. Just waiting on some Sportiva Tarantula shoes to arrive, to get on it again.
@@shino8854 bro im hooked and my gym isn't even good lol any advice ?
Far out man! This was the first video that I found from this channel, but I am a subscriber now! Three months into climbing/bouldering and I am so stoked to be applying your tips for better performance.
Your video (choreography, tempo, etc) and the way you explain (the words, your voice) are exceptional. Thanks for such an informative video.
Great video! I think its good to note, though, that everyone's different body mechanics may require different stance width and foot angle than what you demonstrated for squats. For me, my hips are stronger and feel better during squats with a slightly wider stance and feet pointed outwards maybe 30 degrees.
I´ve watched this Video when i started climbing one year ago and i am very thankful because it worked! I made huge progression! Now i would like to get some advice for my 2nd year :D
Thank you very much!!
Thanks so much for the advice. I've been reimmersing myself back into climbing (after a 5 year break; before this, i climbed for a few years) for about 3 months now. Nothing surprised me about your advice except getting more mileage, which I never gave much thought into. I'll definitely be doing more of this going forward
Great video! I’m new to climbing and this was helpful
Have loved discovering your channel, just starting out on my climbing 'journey', have been enjoying it tremendously thus far and will put into practice many tips from your videos on my next climb tomorrow!
Just finished day one today. Arms hurt, skin is raw, and I can feel the obsession coming on. I’ve never had so much fun working out.
UPDATE: It’s been a bit less than a month and I climbed my first (soft) v4 today. I’m so proud of myself.
Wow thanks such a great video, great advices. I'm lucky to have found this video literally just before starting to climb
I can't do a pull-up yet but am able to climb V4. Don't discourage people, teqnique and general body strength matters more.
I'm almost at the one year mark, and I've finally watched this video. I think I'm getting most things right (focusing on mileage rather than ascending grades as fast as possible), so that's a relief! thanks for the video!
High quality information thank you so much for your hard work creating these videos
This is such a calm, wholesome and informative video. Going to start climbing soon and this was the perfect video to watch.
First year of *indoor* climbing... Your videos are great, but I'm in my first year and it's all outdoors. Coronavirus is indoors. Thanks for putting in the time to create all the great content.
Do u have any videos about nutrition amd about what u consume on a daily basis what helps your training and climb?!
Ps LOVE your videos mate! U are rock!
Thank you. I feel like diet/nutrition is a highly subjective matter and what works for me may not work for a lot of other people. However, I wouldn't mind sharing some general details of a training regimen in a future video. Appreciate the suggestion!
For nutrition eat calories, for strength training lift things that are heavy
The advice is fantastic, but dude...... YOUR SHOULDERS ARE AESTHETIC AF.
Been struggling with what to train and measure to push past plateaus and I like the simplicity of focusing on time on wall, pull ups, push ups, and squats for simple metrics. Thanks for the really nice video 🙏
I really liked watching you climb. You have very slow and controlled movements between every hold and rarely readjust your hands. That is where I am trying to focus right now... I am very jerky and do a lot of straining and body movement between holds.
Came back to this after two weeks in the gym and will probably be back in 6 months.
For strength and movement I've been doing 3 reps on the V0 wall. Super juggy and focusing on silent feet and straight arms. trying to do that 3 times.
Love your videos, just discovered you and love how informative and helpful your videos are!
The only bouldering gym in my area is tiny. There is a small area too leave your bags and a room with (i think I counted) 16 problems? It is not very big. I can only to problems up to V2 which limits me to about 6 problems my level and with limited space it can get quite crowded. I also can't practice pull ups because there is no training room. Even with the small size I like the bouldering gym in my town, the people there are really nice and I can't wait to go there next!!
ive been climbing for 3 years and i took a year break bc of covid i still have all my technique but i need my strength back💀
Thank you for the video. I enjoy watching your movements, and getting inspired to be a better climber.
I’m that one person who can’t do squats right cuz I have really really tight Achilles. I’ve only been climbing for 6 months but I have gotten so so strong so fast and it’s helped me so much for climbing. I’m a very static climber so climbing hard grades take a really long time
I'm over here just trying to figure out how to do one pull-up, I spent an entire year on it pre-pandemic (doing around V3s i believe) and admittedly stopped trying when covid hit. I'm getting back into it and climbing. I'll try to do more milage from now on, though.
Wonderful video. I loved the calm tone. I subscribed, I'm looking forward to watching more of your stuff. Cheers!
What a great tribute to Roger Bannister at the end!
Killin it buddy! Keep up the great content. I'll be at pipeworks tomorrow
one of the most important things when it comes to movement: breathing and learn how to breath in the right way :)
You have a very calm voice. Love it!
Great video, I wish I could squat with that form! I find it so hard not to fall backwards
This is incredibly high quality information. Appreciate you sharing this!
great video , thanks.
Dude this channel is a gold mine. Holy shit
REALLY HELPFUL AND MOTIVATING THANK YOU.
Sac Pipeworks for the win!
Would you recommend working out at all before I sat climbing? I run track and have a lot of strength in my legs, but almost none upper body, i can’t even do a pull up tbh. Also should I get climbing shoes right away? Or start with regular tennis shoes?
I can only go about once a week but still progressing and having fun after first month
Best title on a youtube video I have seen
Been climbing for 12 years but here I am
Excellent video. I am 60 now have not climbed in 6 years, but I would like to share a few things. Strong legs definitely helps in a big way, I used to be on a speed skating team in my 40’s. Strong grip training was also another advantage over upper body strength. Used to work in small climbing gym for 17 years that was built in a Racquetball court, 3 connected walls that allowed for traversing. We would set up traversing competitions to see how many times you could go back and forth from one end to the other end and the record was 65x in 2 hours. We were only about 2 feet off the ground and learned to relax our entire bodies so that we could keep going as long as possible which naturally built strong hand grip. Every time I visit a gym people only climb vertically straight up a short distance and that’s it, this to me is not enough, they should add traversing exercises in their training. Strong legs as well.
Hello All!
Thanks for the video. I’m a newbie who want to try this hobbit and eventually develop a habit for mental stimulation and physical endurance.
Holy shit, that squat was clean 👏🏽 the hip mobility