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For a complete beginner to bouldering, a few basic rules can make a big difference to your climbing and safety on the mats.
Fall With Your Body, Not Your Arms
When you inevitably fall off the wall, land feet first with your knees bent slightly. This will allow you to roll up onto the mat afterwards. Don’t throw your arms out in front of you to try and break your fall, as this can cause sprained wrists. Instead practice falling to the ground before attempting the climb.
Watch the Landing Zone
Make sure nobody is underneath you for your landing and that there is enough space between you and other climbers completing routes near to your problem. The bouldering wall area can get very busy with lots of people climbing and using the mat area for landing after their falls.
Never Climb Above Someone Else
Wait for another to finish a climb if they are climbing on a section of the wall below you, as a fall from height can result in serious harm to both parties. Reference can be made to the HSE framework for managing risks for physical activities.
Know the Difference Between Fatigue and Pain
Tired forearms are normal but sharp pain in a finger or elbow indicates that you should stop using that limb. Most bouldering injuries are caused by long-term damage through pain that the climber is suffering whilst climbing.
Use the Crash Mats Properly
Use the Crash Mats: Keep them underneath you and don’t remove them from underneath someone climbing whilst they’re still climbing. Look for bouldering walls with proper inductions covering the use of crash mats and techniques for landing safely. A useful reference for Bouldering Near Me is https://www.270climbing.com/bouldering/.
A little awareness on the mats keeps everyone climbing safely.
