As of: March 25, 2024, 7:33 p.m
Comments
Press
Split
When bouldering you don't go too high, so falls can be cushioned by the soft mats on the ground © IMAGO / Pond5 Images
Bouldering involves climbing at low heights without a rope or harness.
An expert gives important tips for the premiere in the bouldering hall.
“Climbing isn't for me - I'm afraid of heights”: This excuse only counts half when it comes to bouldering. Admittedly, this sport can make you slightly dizzy when you look down.
But it's a maximum of 4.5 meters high - a height at which the thick floor mats can gently catch you if you fall.
Bouldering is no longer a fringe sport, as Fabian Pelzer, lecturer at the German University for Prevention and Health Management (DHfPG), says.
The sport even had its Olympic premiere in 2021.
Stars like pop singer Beatrice Egli boulder to keep fit.
By the way: The name is derived from the English word “boulder”, which means block of rock.
Bouldering for the first time: What should I wear to climb?
It doesn't work without special climbing shoes.
You can rent them in many halls.
Their special feature: The shoes fit very tightly on the foot, the sole is reinforced on the toes - especially on the large ones.
This gives you a good grip on the steps, which are sometimes very small.
“You should wear sports clothing that doesn’t restrict your mobility,” advises Fabian Pelzer.
Colorful handles everywhere!
How to find your way around the wall
As colorful as the colors on a bouldering wall are, it's easy to get an overview: "You always follow the holds of the same color," says Fabian Pelzer.
They make up what is known in bouldering vocabulary as a route.
Holds in other colors are taboo when climbing - even if they are within tempting reach.
My news
Putin wants an “empire” – also with the help of Soviet material: “Losses are an acceptable price” read
Seriously injured ski jumping ace with devastating bedside diagnosis
“That’s disrespectful”: Civil servants earn as little as citizens’ benefit recipients – and the traffic lights are watching
Unusual event: 25,000 people wait in St. Peter's Square - Pope foregoes reading sermons
Motorcyclist from Munich has to return on foot - and takes out anger on construction yard employees
Skoda's novelty with a combustion engine impresses fans - read “It's sustainable”.
The routes have different levels of difficulty.
Some halls have a color system for this, others provide the starting handles with pieces of paper that indicate the difficulty level.
Pelzer explains: A route is successfully mastered when you hold the top handle securely with both hands for three seconds.
This handle is called the top.
The check: Running vs. cycling – which is better?
These climbing techniques are important in bouldering
When climbing, the power has to come from your arms alone?
Incorrect.
It becomes easier if you push your body upwards using the strength of your legs.
Essential: “Place the shoe with the reinforced part of the sole on the big toe firmly on your feet,” says Pelzer.
This relieves the muscles in your arms and hands.
Speaking of arms, you should keep them stretched as often as possible while climbing.
If you climb with your arms bent, you lose a lot of energy.
And that's annoying when you want to try out a few more routes in the hall.
It is also important, especially for beginners, to know the three-point rule.
This means: three out of four limbs always remain in contact with the wall, only one arm or leg comes loose.
This makes you feel safer - especially when you get closer to the end of the route and the distance to the ground might make you stop.
Strengthen your arms, chest, shoulders and core with push-ups
No matter whether for bouldering or for other reasons: If you want to build strength in your upper body, you can do this effectively with push-ups.
In our PDF library you will find the following training plans for free download:
- 6-week training plan “Learn to
do push-ups” for beginners - 4-week training plan “Do more push-ups” for advanced users
- 8-week training plan “100 push-ups in a row” for professionals
In order to be able to download these and other training plans, you must register once and easily with our login service USER.ID.
By the way, grip strength, which is so important when climbing, says a lot about your health.
In our fitness section you will also find important tips on how you can effectively build strength and muscles.
What is important, for example, is how often you train and how many repetitions per set you should do when strength training.