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Rock Climbing and Things To Keep in Mind

Rock climbing is a growing sport that interests many – in fact there are over 200,000 rock climbers in the United States alone! Sometimes climbers can be divided though…those who prefer outdoor climbing and those that only like man-made rock walls or rock gyms. But both types of climbing have these things in common: techniques, specific ratings for climbs and a lot of work to get to the top!

Rock Climbing

This sport is both mentally and physically demanding. A climber must possess strength, endurance, agility, balance, and mental control and it is of the utmost important to have proper safety equipment, as well as knowledge of the proper climbing techniques, in order to ensure their safety.

There are many different types of climbing including the following:
- Aid climbing
- Trad Climbing
- Sport Climbing

- Bouldering
- Free Climbing
- Free Soloing
- Solo Aid
- Indoor Climbing
- Scrambling

- Deep Water Soloing
- Mixed Climbing
- Rope Soloing
- Simul Climbing
- Top Roping

Each style of climbing varies in difficulty, with some being of more danger than others. Some climbing techniques, which are great for beginners, include a stronger climber working with a less experienced climber, to help him or her learn proper and safe climbing techniques to accomplish the climb.

There are a variety of types of rocks that can be climbed and the experience and ability of the climber denotes the types of climbs they would be most interested in. However, for beginners, there are several options that would be best to begin with.

The first place that novice climbers should start is by looking into indoor climbing centers. Indoor rock climbing allows climbing enthusiasts to train year-round, so that skills and techniques can be learned and improved upon, even when the weather is inclement. This is recommended for beginners because it gives you an idea of what it’s like to climb actual rocks outdoors. This is especially important for beginning climbers, so they can learn proper techniques and strengthen their climbing skills, to better ensure their safety when they begin climbing outdoors.
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Top-roping is a climbing technique that is the safest type of climbing and has the lowest chance of injury (Wikipedia, 2010). That is why this climbing method is one utilized by many beginning climbers. With this type of climbing the climber can take his or hers time to learn – this is thanks to the belayer, whose job it is to keep the rope taut between the two as to minimize long falls, thus allowing for a safer and longer learning experience.

So, when looking to use top-roping techniques, you will need to look for climbing areas that would allow for the climbers to set up an anchor system at the summit of the route prior to the climb. This allows rope to be run through the anchor, with one end to be attached to the climber and one to the belayer, increasing the safety of the climb.

Some other things to keep in mind, on outdoor climbs, include the following:

•  Climb on dry sunny days when you can get the best grip on the handholds
•  Make sure you have properly inspected and cleaned your safety gear prior to the climb to minimize gear failure
•  Choose climbing areas that are lower on the rating scale – work your way up to the more difficult climbs as your skills and experience improve
• Use rock-colored chalk (for your grip), bolts, hangers ,and webbing, so the chalk residue and any equipment that might be left behind do not mar the beauty of the rock you just climbed
• Practice “clean climbing” techniques to minimize damaging rock, as well as ensure less disruption of natural wildlife nesting areas or local plant life – in other words…don’t leave anything behind!
• Be sure the area on which you are climbing is allowed to be climbed upon; and
• At all times, practice high regard to your safety and the safety of other climbers.

Rock climbing is a sport which many enjoy. Even beginners can appreciate and enjoy the hard work and pride that comes in learning proper climbing, as well as completing a new climb. It can be fun, but you still need to ensure that you are prepared before your climb, so that you can enjoy this sport safely. Also, when you practice “clean climbing” techniques, you can better ensure that the rocks you climb will continue to be climbable for others that come after you, but also that the beauty of the climbing areas will continue to be enjoyed by non-climbers and climbers alike.