Disclaimer: Climbing is an inherently dangerous activity. This article is for informational purposes only and is not meant to act as a substitute for personal training with a qualified guide.

Introduction

This guide will help you start your climbing journey off on the right foot. The sections below explain common terminology, describe technique/etiquette, and provide recommendations on how to get out there and start climbing.

Terminology

This section defines some of the more common terms you hear in the climbing world.

• Bouldering - Climbing low routes where a rope is not required. A soft crash pad is usually placed under the climber to avoid injury should a fall occur.
• Sport climbing - A style of climbing that involves attaching a rope to protection (bolts and anchors) that is permanently attached to the wall.
• Traditional climbing - More commonly referred to as "trad climbing," this is a style of climbing that involves placing protection into a wall and removing the protection once the climb is complete.
• Ice climbing - A style of climbing that involves ascending large ice formations.
• Free soloing - Climbing without any equipment to protect from a fall.
• Beta - Any information about a route. This can include things such as how difficult the route is, what kind of a route it is, anything abnormal about the route, what types of moves and skills will be required, and more. Most commonly, the term beta is used to refer to the "how to" for a given route. That is, beta is instruction on how to best physically complete a route or move.
• Belay - Secure a climber from falling using a rope passed through a belay device. The belay device allows the belayer to apply varying levels of friction so that the rope can (while the climber is moving upward) or cannot (during a fall) pass through the device.
• Carabiner - A strong metal loop with a gate that typically requires inward force coming from outside the loop to open. A very common piece of climbing equipment that has many uses. Also referred to as a 'biner.
• Dyno - Derived from the word "dynamic," this word describes a move that involves using momentum to push the body towards a hold that would be out of reach if the climber attempted to reach it with a more controlled motion. While feet don't have to leave the wall for a move to be considered a dyno, picture someone leaping upward to reach the next hold.
• Hold - A feature of the wall that the climber can grab or place a foot (or other part of the body) on.
• Send - To successfully climb to the top of a route. Derived from "ascend."

Etiquette

There are a few things you'll want to remember when you first start climbing.

• The first person to set their gear at the bottom of a route has dibs on that route. Once someone sets up in front of a route, don't try to jump on in front of them without asking permission.
• Never stand on someone's (or your own) rope. Not only is this very bad manners, but it grinds dirt into the rope which can cut and damage the fibers
• Clean up after yourself. Climbers are in general very respectful of the environment. Never leave garbage behind. Also, be careful with your chalk. Chalk is unavoidably going to get places but do you best not to carelessly dump chalk around by tossing an open chalk bag.
• When bouldering, don't stand or walk beneath someone who is climbing unless you are spotting them. When sport or trad climbing, you can stand near the belayer if you are assisting them but make sure not to get in their way should they need to move around.
• Don't distract someone who is belaying by talking to them excessively, and don't allow people to distract you unnecessarily when you're belaying. This is a safety issue.

Basic Technique

This section will cover basic technique that you'll want to keep in mind as you begin climbing. This applies to the physical act of climbing itself, and not to any other aspects of the sport (such as belaying, taking care of gear, etc.).

• Focus on your feet.
  
  • In general, you should use the front part of your foot (the ball of your foot and your toes). As you develop into using more advanced technique, you'll begin to use your heels (such as in a heel hook) and your entire foot at once (such as in a foot jam).You should rarely or never stand on a foothold using only the middle of your foot.
  • Try and position your body so that your weight is on your feet. Your legs and feet are much more used to supporting your body weight than your arms are. When you move your body upwards, focus on standing up using your feet and legs instead of pulling up with your arms.
  • Always think about putting your feet and legs in a position that will make it easiest to reach the next hand hold before trying to move your hand. Often when a hand hold is just out of reach, remembering to move your feet up will give you that extra bit of reach that you need.
• Keep your hips tucked in close to the wall. This will help to keep your weight on your feet and reduce the load on your arms.
• Hang with your arms straight so that your weight is on your bones instead of your arm muscles. To get a feel for this, find a pull-up bar, hangboard, or pair of holds that you can hang from with both arms. First hang very loosely with your arms all the way straight. Then try and hold yourself up with your arms slightly bent. Which position can you hold for longer?
• When pulling yourself up to the next hold, try rotating upward using your chest or upper back muscles muscles instead of just pulling up with your bicep. People can bench press more than they can bicep curl. Taking advantage of this will help keep your arm muscles from getting tired too quickly. This technique becomes even more important when climbing on overhangs.
• Watch other, more experienced climbers. Think about how way they move helps them climb, and then try and mimic those movements. Don't be afraid to ask for advice - most climbers are plenty happy to give it as long as you ask humbly.
• "Good form" in climbing can be described as completing a move while using the least energy/strength possible. Focus on using your body in a way that allows your to complete moves smoothly with the least amount of strain on your muscles.
• Don't forget to breathe. Many new climbers are very tense and forget to breathe properly while they are climbing. Breathing deeply and slowly will help you to keep your movements smooth.
• Stretch before you climb. Run in place a little bit to get warmed up and then stretch your neck, arms, hands, and legs. This will reduce your chance of injuring yourself.
• Climb hard. The fastest way to get better at climbing is to go to the gym and just climb your heart out. Don't forget to focus on maintaining good form. This is all the more important as you become tired.

Getting Started

The best way to get started climbing is to take a trip to your local climbing gym. Depending on what type of gym it is, you may be required to take a belay class and learn how to belay before you're allowed to climb. If you're going to climb using a rope either in a gym or outdoors, you should always take a course and pass a safety test before belaying anyone or being belayed yourself. Most gyms will allow you to boulder up to a certain height without a rope. When you first arrive at the gym tell the attendant that you're new to the gym, and they should able to provide you with some more information about what you'll need to start climbing there.

I strongly recommend renting a pair of shoes as soon as you begin climbing. Climbing shoes are structured very differently than street shoes and make a world of difference. Once you've decided that you're ready to invest a little bit of money into climbing, picking up a pair of shoes should be one of your first purchases. You'll also want to purchase a chalk bag and some hand chalk early on. Chalk helps to keep your hands dry and improves your grip.

To bridge the gap between climbing in a gym and climbing outdoors, you'll probably need to make some friends. If you're having a hard time meeting people in the gym there are plenty of online communities for climbers. Ask the attendant at your gym if they know of a good way to meet people.