Bouldering – answers to the most frequently asked questions

You’ll be ready to go indoor bouldering in no time: all you need is comfortable sportswear, some chalk and, of course, climbing shoes. You can rent these in almost all bouldering gyms. In order to go bouldering safely, it is important to know some basics and rules. In many bouldering gyms, introductory courses are offered, where the most important techniques and jumping off the wall are practised.

Here, you’ll find answers to the most frequently asked questions on the subject.

What is bouldering and how does it differ from climbing?

Bouldering is like climbing without a rope and harness at jumping height. That means you are never higher than 4.5 metres, so you can jump off at any time. Bouldering can be done outside on boulders or on artificial walls in a bouldering gym. The different routes are called boulder problems. These are assigned different levels of difficulty, just like climbing. The routes are shorter and often more technically challenging than climbing routes. This trains strength and precision. One advantage over climbing is that you don’t need much equipment for bouldering.

What equipment is needed for bouldering?

For bouldering, in addition to comfortable sportswear, all you need is climbing shoes and chalk, either in a chalk bag or in liquid form in a tube. In bouldering gyms, the floor is well padded. In some cases, there are additional mats that you can move around as you please. If you are bouldering outdoors, you have to bring your own boulder mats, also called crash pads.

What safety measures should be observed when bouldering?

Unlike climbing, you don’t need any safety equipment, but you still need to follow some rules to keep yourself and others safe.

• Always warm up. This helps prevent injuries.

• Practice the correct landing technique (see next question). Even if you don’t fall from very high up when bouldering and the floor is padded, you can still hurt yourself.

• Watch out for other climbers bouldering on the wall and keep your distance. Don’t sit or stand directly under them. Remember, they could fall off the wall onto the floor at any time.

• Please observe the in-house rules of the bouldering gym. When you’re outdoors, follow these rules.

What’s the right way to jump off when bouldering?

Although you don’t fall from very high up, you can twist your ankle or put unnecessary strain on your joints if you don’t know how to jump off properly. The following tips will help you jump off correctly. If you want to jump off in a controlled manner, first look down and make sure that no one is standing in the way or is sitting in the landing area. No matter if you’re in control or not, when you land, bend your knees, cross your arms in front of your chest and hug your shoulders. Try to land on your feet and roll onto your back to break the fall. This protects your joints and back. The best way to practice the right jumping technique is to take a foundation course.

You don’t have to jump off. When bouldering, you can also simply climb back down the route, which is a good workout. In addition, in bouldering gyms, there are usually special routes to help you descend difficult routes, e.g. climbing grips that are very easy to grip.

What is ‘spotting’?

Spotting means protecting other people while bouldering. The person who is spotting stands behind or underneath the person who is climbing and ensures that they land safely on the mat in the event of a fall. It’s not about catching the person, but about controlling and steering the fall. The person who is spotting is ready to do so and has their arms outstretched. Amongst other things, it is important to place your thumb on the palm of your hand to protect it from bending. It takes a lot of practice to make it safe for both of you, because both of you could get hurt. The best way to practice this is on a course.

Bouldering properly: which techniques are important?

Beginners learn the exact technique for bouldering best in a course. In general, however, it is important to use your strength as efficiently as possible. Therefore, it is important to place your feet precisely on the grips or to reach for them with your fingers in a very targeted manner. Don’t pull yourself up. It should feel more like you’re pushing yourself up using your legs. Your arms should therefore be stretched out as far as possible to save energy. Also, try to move your hips and upper body close to the wall. This saves energy, because otherwise your centre of gravity will pull you away from the wall. By shifting your weight and finding different ways to stand on a grip or grab it, you climb to the target grip.

What levels of difficulty are there in bouldering?

There are different levels of difficulty in bouldering, which can vary depending on the system.

The French system, the Fontainebleau scale, is widespread. It starts at 2 (light) and goes up to 9A (extremely difficult). Some gyms also use colour codes to categorise their bouldering problems into difficulty levels.