Indoor climbing: these courses will teach you the basics

Climbing gyms swap rugged rocks and sunshine for colourful holds and artificial lights. However, they’re a great place to learn the basics, improve your technique and get started with minimal equipment, particularly if you’re new to climbing.

Climbing courses and tips for beginners

The best way to get started in climbing is to take a taster course. The necessary equipment, including climbing shoes and climbing harnesses, can usually be rented at the climbing gyms.

In the video, sales advisor and climber Adi explains what courses are out there and what equipment you need, while sales advisor Anja reveals the best warm-up for climbing.

Climbing courses: top rope and lead climbing

Climbing gyms often offer courses that build on one another. This way, you start by learning important basics so that you can safely move around the gym. You then deepen your climbing technique.

Improve your climbing technique

So, you’ve completed the foundation courses and you’re a familiar face at the climbing gym. One day, though, you may start to feel like you’ve plateaued. If so, we’d recommend going climbing more more often and regularly. A technique course will also help you. There, climbing instructors will show you how to best hold and stand on the holds, how to use your hips or how to climb in the most energy-efficient way possible. Even small corrections can make a big difference. Bouldering might also help you to build up the muscles you need, as this sport is highly strength-focused.

Alongside climbing-specific training, exercises to balance out these movements are key. Climbing places great demands on your shoulders and fingers. To avoid this impacting your posture, you should specifically strengthen the counterparts to the muscles used when climbing. Classic exercises for this include scapular press-ups, normal press-ups and handstands.