Learn Rock Climbing Holds

1. Schedule a rock climbing lesson with a professional climber or climbing team. Prior to learning rock climbing holds, it is essential to understand and be familiar with basic uses of climbing equipment. If you have already had at least one rock climbing lesson, proceed to the next step.
2. Familiarize yourself with your climbing hold course. Most rock climbing gyms will have a variety of charted courses available to the novice climber. These courses are based on the holds which are currently in place on the wall, and offer a wide range of difficulty levels, depending on the climber’s individual needs. Start easy and work your way up. Do not attempt to increase level of difficulty until you no longer have to think about the placement of your arms, legs, hands and feet for the course.
3. Begin your climb. Use the smaller holds for your hands, while placing your feet on the larger holds. Don’t forget to visualize your course as you reach for the next hold. Rock climbing is not a racing sport, so take your time to prepare your mind and body for each next move.
4. Pay attention to your balance and grip. Griping the holds too tightly will consume too much of your energy and cause the arm muscles to tense. If you feel the need to grip the rock climbing holds tightly, you may want to evaluate your rock climbing form. Keep your balance by being aware of your center of gravity, which is comprised of the mid-section, chest and head. If you are balanced, your center of gravity should be closer to the wall than any other part of the body. Reaching with your hands and feet before leaning with your body will help you traverse to the next rock climbing hold.
5. Practice! All rock climbers fall, but good rock climbers get back up and do it again. Excelling in the sport of rock climbing means figuring out what part of your form or technique caused the fall so you can correct it next time.