If you’re looking for a new sport or adventure to do outdoors that will challenge your endurance while also letting you enjoy the sights, then rock climbing might be something that you would want to try.
It’s exhilarating as much as it is challenging, and reaching the top is very rewarding, with all the gorgeous natural views. Imagine taking the Colorado via Ferrata route, for example, and reveling at the beautiful expanse of nature surrounding you. Of course, you can enjoy that all the more if you have the skills and confidence to complete a safe and successful climb.
Here are some basic but helpful rock climbing tips so you can make the most out of your trip in nature.
Get the Right Gear
Rock climbing is one activity that you should never skimp on when it comes to the proper gear. Simply put, this is what will help ensure your safety during the climb. The foremost gear you should invest in are climbing shoes. Don’t just settle for one that looks good, but rather, what fits and feels well.
Stable and solid footwork is highly crucial in this activity, so you need to make sure to find a pair that allows for a good grip on various types of rock surfaces. Ultimately the type of shoe you’ll need will depend on the type of climb you’ll do. Choose the right one from among neutral, moderate, and aggressive climbing shoe choices.
Practice Indoors
Learning how to properly rock climb not only takes skill and competence, but also a lot of patience. Even as you do the climb itself, you’re going to have to be patient but steadfast; rushing can only make you lose your footing, and so put your safety at risk.
Part of building your skill and endurance is constant practice. To do this, you can climb in indoor gyms in the meantime. They should have training from beginners and can start you off with ropes training, another skill set you’ll need out on a real climb.
This is the safest environment you can be in to practice your climbing skills in the meantime. If you can get a mentor as well to help you train, then all the better it is.
Develop Strength, Master Technique
You will soon learn that while strength is certainly important in the sport of rock climbing, it is not the first thing you should concern yourself with, necessarily. Rather, it is the mastery of techniques that is going to be crucial.
From finding and keeping your balance to footwork, proper grip, body positioning, and more, it’s crucial for you to be able to visualize your next moves as you make your ascent. Developing that intuition and intentionality with every step is very important in achieving a safe, successful climb. This is also why it’s important for you to keep practicing indoors when you can. It’s much better to commit errors and then learn while there, rather than committing the mistake in an actual climb.
Warm Up, Strengthen Core
Physicality is going to be a major requirement in this type of activity. That is why you need to work out and, specifically, strengthen your core. Contrary to popular belief, it’s not your arms and legs per se that will need to be activated the most, but rather, your core. This is where you need to get your support from as you push yourself up from ledge to ledge.
Meanwhile, warming up is also crucial in a climb as it helps prevent injuries. Strains, sprains, muscle aches can get in the way of a good, safe climb. Getting the blood circulating well and the muscles loosened up help you become more limber.
