Having the best indoor rock climbing techniques will make climbing much easier. Indoor rock climbing is different from outdoor climbing not just in its location. Indoor rock climbing involves quick movements and requires more muscle strength and less endurance than outdoor rock climbing. Use these techniques the next time you go indoor rock climbing.
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Warm Up. In order to have the best indoor climbing technique, you need to warm up. Warming up will allow your muscles to loosen up which will make it easier to climb and also prevent injuries. Warm up by doing cardio and finish with some light stretching. Many indoor rock gyms have cardio equipment. If not, go for a short run.
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Study the route before an attempt. Advanced climbers say that you should learn to read the route before climbing. They say that you should “visualize the sequences” you will be doing through the route. This means thinking about your movements and the positions you will need to use. After attempting the route, look at it again and re-analyze it.
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Don’t “over-grip.” You should only expend the amount of force necessary to complete the hold. Your arm and finger strength will wear out much more quickly than your legs, so you want to reserve as much of your energy as possible. It seems counterintuitive to relax when trying to hold on, but this is the best way to save energy.
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Stay balanced. The most important indoor rock climbing technique is to balance your center of gravity. Keep your body close to the wall at all times. Keeping your body close to the rock wall helps save energy, so you will fatigue less quickly.
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Stand up. As stated above, your arms will lose strength faster than your legs. Use your legs to complete your movements, not your arms. Think about standing up with your legs rather than pulling up with your arms. Your arms should be used for balancing more than anything.
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Watch and learn. Watch other rock climbers who have good technique. Watch how they move through the sequence and pay attention to where they take breaks and when they move quickly. This is especially helpful if you are stuck on a specific part of a route.
References:
http://www.indoorclimbing.com/Climbing_Technique.html
