Online Manual of Rock Climbing Skills and Techniques
Post and pages that are about trad climbing
What rock climbing harness you use is in the main comes down to fit and comfort. The only advice worth considering is what you intend to use the harness for. Traditional, sport, alpine and winter climbing have different requirements. It is far cheaper to start with to get one good multipurpose harness with adjustable leg … Read moreRock Climbing Harnesses
Warming up will get the heart, lungs, muscles, joints and tendons ready for action. Whilst some people will do a full aerobics style warm-up, some will opt for easy bouldering or climbing. Some climbers will choose to do none. Although this might feel like you will be able to get more climbing in because you have … Read moreWarming Up Overview
Whether you climb indoor or outdoors on routes or boulders you need to do some form of warming up. Failure to do so will often lead to poorer performance and/or injury. We cover some of the basics of warming up for indoor and outdoor climbers. Warming up for the Indoor Climber At an indoor climbing … Read moreWarming Up
Whilst there are simply hundreds of thousands of individual climbing movements. There are a few climbing fundamentals both in terms of climbing and training that will help give you a strong foundation when it comes to developing your climbing skill. This section covers the most basic of those climbing fundamentals that will be key to … Read moreClimbing Fundamentals
You would probably put placing gear and building belays high on your list of skills needed for safe lead climbing (these are skills you will have begun to develop from top-roping). There are some additional skills you need to consider: Belaying a lead climber. Belaying a second (belayer at top of pitch). Judging route vs … Read moreBasic Climbing Safety: Lead Climbing
Top roping (or bottom roping) is how most people start out climbing and, in the context of this site, one of the most appropriate ways to repeat the exercises in safety. If done properly, it should be an very low risk activity. There are however several fundamental principles that you can learn whilst making basic … Read moreBasic Climbing Safety: Basic Belays
There are various standards that each and every piece of protective equipment must pass for it to be fit for purpose and saleable, often involving randomized destruction testing during manufacture. As we use and abuse the kit we need to be able to make informed decisions as to when to retire and replace our equipment. … Read moreBasic Equipment Maintenance
In order to climb safely there are many pieces of climbing equipment that you will need. This is just a short overview of each of those pieces of equipment and some advice on the pro’s and con’s associated with each piece of equipment. Helping to turn you into an informed climber. In the modern era … Read moreBasic Climbing Equipment
This may seem like teaching your grandmother to suck eggs, but taking time to increase our awareness of risk and safety is often overlooked. It’s common sense, when you look at a hazard (like being high off the ground) and the risk (of falling) you will consider ways to reduce the risk. Many of the … Read moreBasic Safety in Rock Climbing