Indoor Rock Climbing

Discipline overview:

Indoor Bouldering is probably the most accessible form of indoor rock climbing for new climbers as it requires the least amount of specific equipment and safety training. Most notciable as the climbing discipline which doesn't require the use of a rope, Bouldering routes/problems tend to be shorter climbs with a focus on being more of a physical puzzle for the climber to solve.

Safety First: There are risks involved with indoor rock climbing so please pay attention to advice from staff at your climbing gym

How to Boulder:

1. Identify the starting hand holds. These are often indicated either by coloured tape or a little metal tag with an S on it and/or the grade of the climb, but this varies from gym to gym.
2. Identify the starting feet holds. These may be marked similarly to the starting hand holds. If none are marked, then it is up to you where you place your feet to start the climb.
3. To start the climb, you must not be holding anything other than the marked start holds or have any part of your body on the gym matting, unless the climb requires a sit-start. It's good form to be stable in this position for at least a second or two but this isn't a strict rule in casual climbing.
4. Make your way up the wall towards the heighest hold that is part of your route or up onto the top of the wall if it is a Top-Out wall. You may only use; the holds which are part of your route, volumes and any wall surfaces/edges which are allowed as part of your route, which will be specified by the gym.
5. Finish with both of your hands on the final hold in a controlled/stable position, which is down to your own judgement in casual climbing, or climb onto the top of the wall if it is a Top-Out wall.

Discipline overview:

Indoor Lead Climbing is generally only performed by more experienced climbers as it requires special equipment and safety training as well as a high level of physcial endurance and familiarity with rock climbing techniques. There are, however, a couple of more accessible forms of roped rock climbing for newer climbers, namely; Top Rope and Auto-belay. Whilst Lead Climbing routes can still have elements of the physical problem solving found in Bouldering, the routes generally have more of a focus on challenging the climber's physical and mental endurance.

Safety First: There are risks involved with indoor rock climbing so please pay attention to advice from staff at your climbing gym

How to Lead Climb:

1. Identify the starting hand holds. These are often indicated either by coloured tape or a little metal tag with an S on it and/or the grade of the climb, but this varies from gym to gym.
2. Identify the starting feet holds. These may be marked similarly to the starting hand holds. If none are marked, then it is up to you where you place your feet to start the climb.
3. To start the climb, you must not be holding anything other than the marked start holds or have any part of your body on the gym matting, unless the climb requires a sit-start which is rare for roped routes. It's good form to be stable in this position for at least a second or two but this isn't a strict rule in casual climbing.
4. Make your way up the wall towards the heighest hold that is part of your route, clipping your climbing rope into the quickdraws as you ascend. You may only use; the holds which are part of your route, volumes and any wall surfaces/edges which are allowed as part of your route, which will be specified by the gym.
5. Finish by clipping your rope through the final quickdraw and placing both of your hands on the final hold in a controlled/stable position, which is down to your own judgement in casual climbing.
6. Communicate with your belayer to ensure they are ready to lower you down and it is safe for them to do so. When they signal they're ready, place your feet flat against the wall and a slight bend in your knees and hold onto your climbing rope. As you descend, use your feet to gently push yourself away from/walk yourself down the wall to avoid knocking into the holds.

Discipline overview:

Indoor Speed Climbing is probably the least accessible of the three main disciplines, to new climbers, as it requires a very specific combination of physical strength, agility and familiarity with rock climbing techniques. The physical setup of the route is characterised by the sole use of only two shapes of climbing hold; small, round footholds and large, X-shaped hand holds, and the large timer display at the top of the wall, which is started by releasing the pressure pad at the foot of the route and stopped by hitting the pressure pad at the top of the route. Another very distinct difference in Speed Climbing from the other disciplines is that the route is always the same, having more of a focus on the climber's speed and ability to ascend the route as efficiently as possible.

Safety First: There are risks involved with indoor rock climbing so please pay attention to advice from staff at your climbing gym

How to Speed Climb:

1. Identify the starting hand holds. These are the two lowest X shaped holds on the right-hand side of the wall.
2. Identify the starting feet positions. One foot must be placed on the timer pressure pad on the floor below the starting hand holds and the other placed on the lowest foothold.
3. You must wait until signalled to start the climb, as releasing your foot from the pressure pad too soon will result in a false start and immediate disqualification, which is not necessarily applicable for casual climbing.
4. Make your way up the wall as quickly as possible towards the timer stop pressure pad, using whichever of the holds you wish.
5. Finish by hitting the timer stop pressure pad, which will leave the timer displaying your climb time. If you are racing another climber, the shortest time wins.
6. After hitting the pressure pad and letting go of the wall, the autobelay system that you are attached to will slow your descent back down to the ground.