Bouldering 101: What to Expect on Your First Visit
So you’ve discovered bouldering! Was it from the Olympics? Did you stumble upon it on YouTube? Maybe you have a friend who’s hooked and wants to drag you with them?
However you got here, get ready, because for all you know, your whole world could change. This isn’t to say you’ll start obsessing over climbing just from visiting a bouldering gym in Kansas City once… but you could, so you might as well be prepared!
Well, before you get to the gym, discover precisely what bouldering is and learn some tips and tricks to have a great first climbing session!
What Even Is Bouldering?
Okay, breaking it down, bouldering involves wrestling with walls that are typically 12-15 feet high to reach the top. Sounds silly, right? That’s because it is, and climbers love it. Bouldering in a gym will have start and finish holds. It’s simple: start with your hands on the start holds and end with your hands on the finish hold(s), which is sometimes just the top of the wall.
Bouldering is beginner-friendly because it requires minimal gear. Anybody can throw on a pair of rental climbing shoes and get after it. Plus, there aren’t actual rules, so you can climb anything you want. Sure, there are guidelines for climbing something “correctly”, but nobody is gonna stop you if you want to use all the colors and climb around on the walls.
Before You Go: Prepping for Your First Session
Think of climbing as a workout. It’s not an easy activity! You’ll grunt, sweat, and get tired, so dress as you would for exercise. You want to wear breathable clothes that allow your limbs to move freely.
For your first visit, please bring a water bottle and a pair of shoes that slip on easily, in case you’re not comfortable walking around the facility barefoot or in your climbing shoes. Plus, climbing shoes aren’t allowed in bathrooms, so it’s easier to slip on a pair of shoes when you need to.
You can fill out your waiver online to save time at the gym and get to climbing quicker. When you approach the front, ask for a day pass and some rental shoes. You’ll receive an orientation where they show you around, and voilà, you can start climbing!
Inside the Gym: What You’ll See and Do
A bouldering gym will feature an open space surrounded by various angled walls. On these walls will be boulder “problems.” Boulder problems are the color-coded routes that typically go to the top of the wall.
To help you understand bouldering grades, you must realize the lowest grade, V0, isn’t zero effort. It’s just the lowest grade out there. For some reference, the hardest grade in the wild is currently V17. Start with V0-1 and climb until you find grades that are too hard!
Climbing Etiquette: How to Be Respectful
Spatial awareness is fundamental in climbing. You must know where you are, where the pads are, and where other people are to ensure everybody stays injury-free. Falling space is sacred and should be kept clear of all gear and bodies.
Further, sharing is caring. Don’t hog a boulder, especially if you’re having trouble. Take a step back when you fall to reassess and allow others to climb nearby. Plus, this will help you recover some strength to send!
The Falls, the Fails, and the First Sends
How to fall safely (and why it’s part of the process) is essential to learn. Imagine you're falling off the wall in front of you. The best way to fall is to spot your landing, bend your knees, tuck your arms into your chest, and sit/roll backward when your feet hit the mat.
Take some small practice falls before climbing too high. Expect to feel awkward, don’t worry, everyone started right here! Once you feel comfortable with your proper falling technique, you can start reaching new heights.
You’ll probably even climb your first boulder and find out why it can be so addictive! Who knows, maybe you will start obsessing over climbing. Achieving something new and challenging that requires strength and problem-solving is why climbers keep coming back.
Time to Climb!
Are you ready to wrestle with some walls? Discover the bouldering gym in Kansas City that will turn you from a skeptic to a believer. Before you know it, you’ll be dreaming about funky-colored boulder problems and how to send that one that got away. Have fun when climbing. It’s silly, remember?
