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Outdoor Bouldering Training Day

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Marky78 11 May 2015
Been indoor bouldering for a few weeks now and want to give outdoor a go. Would you recommend a one day training course so I don't miss something important or should I just get a mat, guidebook and get on with it?
 AlexBush 11 May 2015
In reply to Marky78:

The best thing to do is to go with someone else who climbs outside. You can use their pads and guide books etc. Also they can show you how to read the routes and and will know where the nearest pub is afterwards

Alternatively you could just buy a pad and guide and get on with it. If you go up to Stanage plantation on a clear day over a weekend there will always be other people there pulling on.

Definitely more fun to go with a few mates though.
mart 11 May 2015
In reply to Marky78:

Where you based?
Marky78 12 May 2015
In reply to AlexBush:

Think I'll get the guide and pad sorted and just head up there then.
Marky78 12 May 2015
In reply to mart:

Birmingham, so Peak District is probably closest for me
 slab_happy 12 May 2015
In reply to Marky78:

There's not really any special "training" required, just some different things to think about that you don't have to deal with indoors.

E.g. making sure your mat's actually in the right place so it's underneath you at the crux (hint: this is not necessarily where you want it at the start of the problem), learning to read the rock when it doesn't have the holds nicely marked in bright colours, spotting people, deciding what you don't want to risk doing without a spotter if you're climbing on your own, etc..

If your local wall offers some sort of "indoor to out" day and you'd prefer to get a bit of guidance (especially as you're pretty new to bouldering) as you venture outside, you could go for that.

Or find some more experienced boulderers and tag along with them -- that'd be ideal.

But it's also possible to get a mat, a guidebook and get on with it. That's what I ended up doing.

There are various places like Burbage South valley boulders where you can play around pretty safely on your own on many things with one mat and no spotter, with lots of stuff at gentle grades.

(Burbage South is also handily about 15 minutes walk from the bus stop or car park. And the pub.)

Just drop any expectations about what grade you "should" be able to climb -- indoor grades don't translate very well, especially when you're just getting started outdoors. Start on the easiest things possible and see how it goes

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