Bouldering, a form of rock climbing that’s done on smaller rock formations or rock walls without ropes or harnesses, is pretty hardcore. It’s also incredibly fun, an absolutely killer full-body workout, and a great way to meet cool people. If you’re thinking of trying it out for yourself, here are some tips.
Communicate
Bouldering, while it may appear to be a solo sport, is actually really social, with many people climbing with partners or chatting with others in the gym while they climb. So don’t hesitate to talk to people around you, even if you came to the gym alone. You can ask for advice, and always let people know when you’re falling so nobody gets crushed under you.
Use Your Legs
People tend to view bouldering as an upper-body sport, so they use their arms and try to muscle their way through problems. But the truth is that your legs are much stronger than your arms, so try to use them as much as possible while climbing.
Get the Right Shoes
While you don’t have to commit to buying an expensive brand-new pair of bouldering shoes right away, we do recommend at least renting climbing shoes to begin with, as they really do make bouldering much easier.
