5 Tips Every New Climber NEEDS to Know

This week Louis breaks down the top 5 tips all beginner climbers must know!!

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[TheOpaqueWalrus]

Also, similar to the last tip: Try climbs that you think are way too hard for you! You may not finish the climb, but even just trying to understand a move or two can teach you a lot

[alexnjx]

As a new climber, I have found that the grading system can be quite useful, because the way I see it is that the system is typically a fair rating, but different climbs can feel like a test of certain skills, and once you have tuned those skills to the rating, you are at a comfortable place to start doing different ratings. Though there are a fair amount of times when the rating just simply does not match the climb.

[GeorgeLupton]

Tip 5 is coaching gold. Whether you tell yourself you can or tell yourself you can't - you will be correct.

[Domm]

"Don't let the grades affect your self confidence"
Thank you, Louis. I will try to make this my new mantra while I'm in the gym.

[neaituppi]

What I found in asking channels how do you determine what is a V5 over a V8, or how they determine the grades in general.
They don't pick my question or anyone else that asks it, they may talk about the grades, but they don't seem terribly interested in trying to really explain what makes a grade. Because I don't think they know.
It is even more ambiguous than if you said, "walk what you think a mile is."

[GymLili]

As a Routesetter, I am so over grades. As the person who assigns the grade, I think grades are overrated! You will excel in your climbing if you learn your own strengths and weaknesses and base your growth on how much you’re learning and not on the grades you’re climbing.

[koko-lores]

I do like the (a) grading system, but you shouldn't take it too seriously. It shows you a direction, but not an objective measure. On top of that, different routes require different skills and favour different body/climbing types, but they all get collapsed in a single grading system - of course you cannot expect to "be able to climb any X-1 and struggle at any X+1". Something one has to keep in mind.
What I do notice sometimes, when climbing an "easy" route (relative to my normal grades, in a fitting type of climb) and I find it way harder/more complicated than assumed based on the grade, I can take another look for holds and steps I might have missed... :)

[jamesconnell]

Loved the video and the first timer tips. I’ve just started climbing at age 58 and I’m completely blind. Any further tips or advice for a blind climber? 😎

[sean]

I'm now 58, and still enjoy bouldering. There will always be someone who is stronger, more elegant, more flexible than you, and so on. Beginners, remember to enjoy yourselves, because it's easy to become disheartened, envious, and experience other negative feelings. Try hard, learn from others, but remember to enjoy it.

[MusclesfromB]

Hey Louis, in contrast to you i find the grading system quite useful. If I am struggling with a boulder that is a lower grade than i usually can do. I keep trying it until i can do it. Since i cant do that particular boulder, maybe that is the part of climbing i need to work on and so i improve in that area by doing it.

[algorerhythm]

#2 tip is the first time I've heard it explained for beginners, but it's crucial and makes even the first session WAY more fun. It's not squeezing most holds so much as placing the fingers onto them. It makes the muscle loads stronger, and uses way less energy!

[mdhindley]

Going climbing for the first time next week. Thanks, this is useful.

[Catplanty]

Ahh yes the grading system 😬 I try to ignore it nowadays after I found out only a month ago that I love crimps and that my fingers are actually already pretty strong. I went on a boulder two levels above my average climbing level just for fun and flashed it 😱 I came down and everyone (including me) was like „uhm that’s a V6… how the fuck did you do that“ so I analyzed it and saw that it would’ve been a V3 max if it had bigger holds bc there was a crazy amount of holds 😬 so don’t be scared! Remember to have fun and try new stuff that seems impossible, you might be surprised ☺️

[kavali]

Every gym should have 'a Louis' ;)

[ansharihasanbasri]

great tips! the second one was on point. i notice i'm awfully lot stronger in the first couple of minutes climbing and run out of strength in just a few mins. i wonder if i could maintain much longer strength reserve had i been much more sparing in my first runs. can't wait to hit the wall again!

[palomacarrion]

These are great tips for EVERY climber, regardless of their level! THANK YOU!!

[evandiil]

I've heard that take with grades a couple times and for the most part I agree. How I like to think with boulder grades is that it's set for that style of climb. From there, I can kinda gage where I'm at with different styles of climbing and have an easier time seeing where I can improve.

[xin]

I can climb v6 and have been climbing for 3 years, and tip #2 is still valid for me!

[slidewineder]

this video was so helpful as a new climber, ty brothers

[carrier]

That red v3 humbled quite a few people on the opening day of EustonWall I think!