Bouldering vs top rope weight reddit. While im still a beginner, im looking for .
Bouldering vs top rope weight reddit. rock climbing and discuss the implications in terms of difficulty, training safety, and equipment. Anything related to indoor (and outdoor) goes. I think it's because almost every move requires thought about your technique whereas lead/top rope routes tend to have a lot of filler and you can power through the few tough moves. It was rough for a while, and I was getting super frustrated because I had to rest even on easy 5. "Rope climbing" makes more sense but that's not a term people are familiar with. Is top rope climbing just like belaying or is it different somehow? With top rope climbing, the anchor is at the top of the climb, with the rope going down one side to the belayer, and the other side to the climber. pushing myself bouldering is just not worth the risk of injury for me, especially considering i enjoy sport/top rope climbing a lot more! We would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us. Apr 4, 2025 · We tested 13 climbing ropes from Sterling, Petzl, Edelrid, Mammut, and others to find the best options for you. I’m assuming as I get comfortable with climbing it will get lower. 10b-c, while projecting 5. Climbing is incredibly shoulder dominant, and there's going to be a lot of areas you'll need to test yourself on before your 100% comfortable again. 5 10 190 lbs. You won't be discerning enough to tell the difference between it and a tip top Petzl 8mm. Compare climbing methods today! I used to do some strength training before or after my bouldering sessions, including a little bit of weight training but I decided to move my cross training in a separated session to maximize my time on the wall. Your strength to weight ratio would be 1. I have questions about the difference between top rope climbing and lead climbing. For example if you are in a strength climbing cycle (bouldering, hard climbing), you could Simultaneously train max strength and power in the weight room. I recently took a fall from a bouldering problem in the gym that left me with some mild whiplash - but to be clear, I was pushing myself at the top of a boulder problem that was at the top end of my grade ability. The great thing is I think top roping has made me a better boulderer, and vice versa. I think, in general, there a couple different ways to organize your weight training and climbing, each with certain pros and cons. Both of my children, who weigh at least 100lbs less than me, can successfully belay me on top rope. That said, SWL isn't really referred to in climbing contexts because it's not very relevant. Let’s look at the differences between bouldering, top roping and rock climbing, and whether outdoor bouldering is harder or not. I would say try bouldering after a few months of top rope, just so you have the basics down first. I also fell bouldering, and sprained my ankle which meant no physical activity for a few weeks. Top rope is like endurance running, you’re not climbing at max but you go for a much longer time. Could lead climbing that same route increase its grade in theory? In my gym there are walls where you can climb top rope or lead with the permadraws along the same routes. . Most beginner's at my gym use the maxim equinox because its the cheapest rope that the local MEC carries. ) I was able to immediately 5. Mostly Bouldering, some Top Roping. New kid on the block is bouldering project. I started bouldering and progressed into top rope indoors, then out doors, then leading outdoors which is so satisfying. Every kilogram that I lost was immediately noticed on the walls. Sep 28, 2021 · What’s the Difference Between Bouldering vs Rock Climbing @pablosot1 rock climbing on El Salto. The fear of taking a bouldering fall is something I still struggle with, especially towards the end of an overhang problem. For hang boarding I’ll transition into doing 7-3 repeaters, and throwing in a couple max time hangs on an edge and a bar to finish the workout. 1-2 days a week bouldering, 1-2 days a week lifting/calisthenics. Top rope/lead climbs will test your forearms and endurance more. The rainbow of walls make for an intimidating but thorough introduction to the sport. I feel a mix of top rope and boulder has been the perfect combo of fun and training benefits for me! What I gain from bouldering translates into better strength and climbing past cruxes during top rope. It’ll take some getting used to for sure. 10, so that falls in line with your top rope capability. Some people at the gym recommended top roping more to build that endurance for all the "problem areas". Let's discuss each phrase and why you might lead or top rope. Comparing them is like trying to compare BMX biking and touring the country on a road bike. In climbing your max sustained load is going to be approximately body weight, or maybe twice that if you have 2 people hanging from an anchor, say 400lb (2kN). Even normal weight people drop pounds to climb higher grades, and yes it can be effective. This is what my Apple Watch reported. Bouldering is kinda like sprints, you push hard for a short periods of time with a break in between. Which leads to the question: How do Feb 21, 2025 · The gym juggles the now-usual brand of offerings: birthday parties, youth camps, and adult classes, plus a multitude of top rope and lead routes alongside a small bouldering area. Rocky Gym Pick: Movement vs. At a rope gym, you are climbing at most 50% of the time (belaying 50%). Go for the bouldering gym with day passes at the rope gym. Would it make sense to move towards top rope/lead to put less stress on my tendons? As others have said, you’re more likely to get injured bouldering than climbing on a rope. As accessory work, I don't do any "program" per se, but I try to identify what my weak points are in bouldering, and focus on strengthening that. What chalk should i get? Super chalk, a chalk ball, liquid chalk? And if so which brand and type. I did find that I rely on dynamic movements a lot in bouldering when I don’t necessarily have to, so the more static nature of top rope (at least at my gym) was a hard adjustment. Reddit's rock climbing training community. And my habits in top roping have made me boulder in a "power-saving" way. Don't even get me started on lead or trad. You can do more hard moves at a building gym and have more control over rest and difficulty. My buddy just started and he did a v5 first day without even knowing what to do. I‘m able to figure some things out on my own or with experienced friends (how to belay, how to check etc. I can only afford membership to 1 gym and was wondering if bouldering or sport climbing would be better to condition my body to get used to climbing again. What is your grade bouldering vs sport vs top rope? I know that some people boulder v4/5s but can't climb 10s because of endurance. 10 instead of 1. But then augment at the rope gym to get route endurance before the outdoor season. After four years of only indoor bouldering I’m now transitioning to sport climbing. Endurance built from rope climbing will help teach you and your muscles how to relax and recover for prolonged Bouldering sessions, and power from Bouldering may come in handy for harder rope routes. Is this amount of calories burned common? It seems pretty high. 10d (top rope), but I was confronted with a whole new set of problems. We break it down with this guide to belaying and climbing on the sharp end. As the climber goes up, the belayer pulls the rope to keep it tight and uses Bouldering will develop bigger muscles whereas top rope will develop leaner muscles over time. Bouldering grade VS Sport Grade (and what to expect) Stumbled across this article and found it quite useful/interesting as I'm a sport climber who basically uses bouldering as a tool to get stronger. I've been using rentals for months and think it is time for an upgrade considering my membership fees could've bought me several pairs of shoes by now. Bouldering definitely is hard at first and the best way to get better, imo, is to watch other people. You might also want to focus on weight training if you’re looking to achieve a bulkier build, which is beneficial for dynos and moves that require more power. I like to sit and analyze my movements on the wall and come up strategies to defeat the problem. TOP ROPE CLIMBING: Top rope climbing uses a single rope, which goes up and through an anchor at the top of the cliff (for outdoor) or climbing wall (for indoor). Dedicated to increasing all our knowledge about how to better improve at our sport. Both gyms have other cool locations under the same membership. Hey everyone! I am looking to acquire my first pair of shoes for rock climbing here soon. On top of circuits and 4x4s, when I focus on PE I like to incorporate it in other elements of my workouts as well. The "problems" more often involved figuring out body positioning and were more likely to involve lateral movements and overhangs. Mar 1, 2021 · Though it’s true… That climbing and bouldering both require ascending rock in some form but the reality is that they’re entirely separate subsets of the sport. Can I do top rope in my bouldering shoes, or is that dangerous? At what point (weight difference) does the risk become unacceptable? TL;DR: Climbing with partner 80 lbs heavier. I kept losing weight because I wanted to climb longer and harder routes. Been bouldering for a couple years (v5 indoor) and have been dealing with tendonitis for about a year on and off. My background prior to climbing is in Olympic weightlifting, so I doubt that general or even specific strength is the issue. Top rope climbing, on the other hand, involves ascending a route while being secured by a rope. In some places, a V1 is roughly a stout 5. If your goal is strength training for climbing, scapular pull-ups, negative pull-ups, and then regular pull-ups as well as core exercises should be your go-tos. I dislike hanging from a rope hanging from the ceiling / top of a cliff. What is an acceptable max weight difference? Am I irresponsible as a climbing partner and belayer if I belay someone that much Dec 27, 2022 · Most commercial climbing gyms provide lead and top rope climbing. It all depends on the height of the route. If you can hang 20 mm edge for 7 seconds at 190 lbs, you could hang it with 16 lbs added assuming no strength loss. Denver Bouldering Club? Just got a job that allows me extra money for a rock-climbing membership. The climber ties into one end of the rope, and to make them safe, the “belayer” uses some equipment on the other end of the rope to support the climber. Ready to Climb?Stop by Approach and try both bouldering and top-rope climbing for yourself. Wondering how much I should run, how often I should work out vs climb, and how your workouts break down. Cheap comparatively. P. I can see the merit in doing both rope rope and bouldering and how progressing in one would naturally help the other. My question/s is what benefits of bouldering set you up, if at all, for outdoor stuff? During these 6 weeks I’ve climbed 3 more 7as on top rope, and in the week following climbed my first 7b on top rope. I climb about v3-4’s. Feb 2, 2025 · There are significant differences between bouldering and top rope climbing from safety to health and cost. I would think that top rope poses less risk for acute injury (so long as the knots and ropes are double checked) due to less impact with the ground. According to lattice 20 mm hang data that would probably translate to around one V -grade improvement in finger strength. Anyway I feel u, I weigh more than usual (5'3, 125 vs 115)but I could get way stronger by just bouldering and hangboarding more first, and taking a break from sport projecting. Some manufacturers/ropes will be slightly fatter for the weight, and others skinny but hefty. That would mean losing 16 lbs. Feb 21, 2025 · Bouldering is the practice of climbing short and challenging routes without the use of ropes or other safety equipment. May 15, 2025 · But if you’re new to climbing, walking into a gym like Flip N Fun can raise a big question: Should you try bouldering or top-rope climbing first? Both styles offer unique thrills and benefits, so let’s break down the differences to help you choose the best fit for your next climb. Dec 5, 2024 · Bouldering focuses on shorter climbs without ropes, while top roping involves taller climbs with safety gear. Strength to weight is everything -- that's why kids crush and it's why high end climbers starve themselves. It does require a bit more weight than pure ascenders like the MicroTrax but I still found it manageable, and it avoids having to manually switch in a descender after topping out the The people I know who progress pretty quickly at lower grades on rope split time between bouldering and roped climbing-- progressively shifting towards more bouldering as a percentage of training as their roped climbing grades have gone up. Jun 15, 2025 · Explore bouldering basics and top rope essentials, from gear to safety, in this comprehensive guide. 0. I’m unsure what the difference in performance is between chunky and fine chalk. I did this for a week on top rope before bouldering. In top rope im doing consistent 5. Top roping tends to be my endurance days. Something else was at play. I recently started bouldering at an indoor place close to my home, I've been maybe 8 or 9 times over 6 weeks and I love it. It is also harder because you cannot rest on the rope and you fall farther if you slip or drop. 11a’s. Which is worse for finger joint health? There is a rock climbing gym by my house, that has tons of walls and stuff, along with tons of exercise equipment kinda like a gym area. As just mentioned, rock climbing and bouldering have many subtle differences, but the key difference between bouldering and climbing is quite simple: protection and climbing height. Bouldering is basically doing the crux of each rope climb. 2 instances of large falls from near the top of the wall ending with my climber on or near the ground. It's really hard to equate the grades of bouldering and rope because if a route is 30 feet, a 5. Bouldering V3+ and top rope 5. Safe working load is usually significantly lower, around 1/5th of the breaking strength. I view bouldering as my focus, and the lifting and calisthenics as accessory days. So, yes, you will likely improve if you add bouldering to your session. Is bouldering mainly about weight? Obviously there are so many variables but is weight limiting me this much? Reddit's rock climbing training community. Here is a chart of the most popular professional climbers, their height and weight. I wasn't sure if there was a good rule of thumb about lead climbing adding a certain amount of grades of difficulty or not. I like bouldering because compared to my experience with top rope (which was limited to one facility), bouldering seems more like a puzzle. For a beginner I would recommend getting the cheapest rope that's climbing rated you can find. If injuries are that scary for you, top rope might be the place to go because it is less risky. I'm torn between Movement and Denver Bouldering Club. I’ve been wondering if I should quit bouldering and stick with top rope. I also recently switched to top rope from bouldering due to a foot injury. By the time you've worn out your first rope you'll know what you want your second rope to do. But, i and most here like bouldering so if you prefer that you need to learn how to fall. A subreddit for the indoor bouldering community. I go to Austin Bouldering Project (both the Springdale and the Westgate locations) and I love it! Between the two, I am definitely biased toward the Springdale location because of the better locker room layout and the sauna. While im still a beginner, im looking for Jul 11, 2022 · For the purposes of the question at hand, we’re separating bouldering from other forms of rock climbing that involve climbing up a crag using technical gear like a rope and harness (Image credit: Jessie Leong) First, let’s establish what we’re actually comparing here – it’s true that bouldering is a type of rock climbing. Whether you’re looking for the dynamic bursts of bouldering or the steady challenge of top-rope climbing, we’ve got routes designed for every skill level. I've been bouldering for about half a year and want to try top rope. It's more like low weight high rep sets I did a little climbing back in college, but is there anything specific I should know as basically a beginner? There are about 1000 things I could tell you as a beginner from technique, how routes are rated, climbing gear, gym etiquette, etc. Apr 10, 2022 · With the rise of bouldering gyms worldwide, especially in big cities, it’s essential to look at what bouldering exactly is and how it relates to rock climbing. A lot of people are wondering what weight would be best for climbing or if they need to adjust their calories, so here it is. Basically prolonged low stress (climbing) versus short intense stress (bouldering). I have more endurance than most people who only boulder, and I can make more powerful moves on top and lead than people who never boulder. Initially when I was just beginning, I didn't find sport to be very engaging. Bouldering as a workout is indeed mediocre however bouldering as motivation was the best for me. We would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us. You simply can't get strong enough to overcome the physics of extra weight and size. Each style fosters its own community and requires different equipment. I mainly top rope and i boulder with my friends as well, but i prefer top rope. However that means that I’m always climbing slightly below my top-rope ability. Starting bouldering opens a lot of doors to great experiences and personal growth. Bouldering in general is much harder than rope climbing in short bursts, whereas rope climbing is more focused on endurance. He’s about 148 lbs. I started on top rope and ended up switching bouldering exclusively after a couple months. S this is for lead, top rope, and bouldering in a gym. Yes, people lose weight bouldering, and people do so intentionally to climb better because it's just simply easier to climb up a wall with less weight dragging you down. Some sources say bouldering Why do people who boulder have different physiques vs people who top rope? I've noticed that usually people who top rope regularly are usually thin and lanky, while those who mainly boulder are basically ripped, six packs, muscular. I am really into bouldering, especially problems with steep overhangs. So one of the things I decided was not to do top-rope at all, only lead (the only exception is when I do laps but those are always easy routes that I up climb and down climb for endurance). Here to offer a different take on top rope (as someone who favors rope). Some find bouldering easier for a beginner, while others think it’s incredibly challenging. Being heavy is generally a huge disadvantage in bouldering and sport and far outweighs (pun) the occasional advantage of extra reach. I do bouldering, lifting and calisthenics. There are 2 gyms in my area, 1 specializing in sport climbing/ top-roping with auto-belay, and another specializing in bouldering. I’ve just started working a 7a lead route and made good progress in one session. What’s everyone’s opinions on rock climbing as an alternative to going to the regular gym, or just to a regular workout? If you are top roping something really tall, you might get a lot of rope stretch out of a top rope, but decking from 15 feet is crazy. Bouldering is the Crossfit of climbing, change my mind (you can't) Its for gumbies that don't understand consequences. Is there a reason for this? We would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us. If you kept a good steady HR for, say, 3 sets of 10 minutes each, it would be good fat burning cardio and have better specificity since it’s actually climbing. They climb exclusively to heights between what would be the first and second bolt, often overhanging sharp rocks. And when I fell, I panicked and Started with top rope first, so I am more relaxed roped than bouldering. or people who can climb 12s but can't boulder v3/4s. Lets assume you reach a bmi of 25. 13 would have maybe v7-8 moves, but a 60 foot 13 would have v4-5 moves. Reply reply Doggosareamazing522 • The front downtown has everything including a sauna and lots of people after work hours. In this article we explain the pros and cons of each! Bouldering grades vs YDS grades aren't really super comparable all around the globeespecially in gyms. So bouldering and has really made it easy for me to solve cruxes in my I'm the opposite, I love bouldering, but top roping does not spark joy. Also I spend vast majority of time bouldering vs top rope. Bouldering focuses on power and technique, and allows you to repeat the same movements easily (from the ground, rather than climbing to a crux half way up a route). The weight of the rope doesn't always directly correlate with diameter. I normally do full body at the gym, but I was thinking of going rock climbing along with working out at the gym there. But I think you'll get these cross-benefits Climbers of Reddit, what is your workout routine? I'm a beginning climber (working on V3s) and looking to get a good routine going. I preferred the mental and more playful/gymnastic aspects of bouldering. So I try to stick with bouldering/top roping with climbers, and use "climbing" as a catch all, and with non-climbers I'll just explain that bouldering is like "rock climbing" but with mats instead of ropes. Bouldering is harder than top roping because bouldering grades start at a much harder levels than top rope grades. In this article, we’ll define bouldering vs. If that's your SWL, using the 5:1 ratio, you'd want Jun 16, 2021 · The number of opinions about bouldering’s difficulty is probably as many as the number of climbers out there. I think I'm definitely going to want to dry all forms of climbing in the future, in particular outdoor rope assisted rock climbing. 9s in my gym regularly. The womens version has a bit better of a heel fit compared to my Otaki and are amazing on toe hooks as well. The physical demands differ, with bouldering emphasizing strength and power, and top roping focusing on endurance. Hello all! Ive been climbing in Evolv Kronos and while they are great, im wanting something more for top rope, for the small footholds and overhang/slight overhang. 10d and 5. In this article, I’ll break down the concept of climbing vs bouldering thoroughly so there will be no more confusion. Tried out bouldering this past Friday as I’m looking for something fun for weightloss. ( if anyone knows any good subreddits to ask what shoes to buy, let me know) Let's say a route is set at a certain difficulty for top rope. What Is Bouldering? It depends on so many factors, like what level difficulty you’re climbing at, how long the routes are, etc. I broke my foot bouldering a month ago - I fell unexpectedly and landed poorly. Lastly, you’ll meet a great community of people who are way more interesting than the average gym bro. Talk to people who are better than you. You usually do it on boulder formations or artificial climbing walls. Also having it open all the way and not only the top makes access so much better Yes I know top roping isn’t as fun as bouldering but it’s also significantly safer because you don’t have to worry about falling at that weight. My weight is probably the biggest issue, I am 210 lbs @ 5’9 but a lot of it is muscle (powerlifting background). La Sportiva Skwama (womens): My intense bouldering shoe. Feb 1, 2022 · Transitioning from top roping to lead climbing can be a big challenge. What’s your average? If you track that. Bouldering requires more strength while top roping requires more endurance. The ability to attach the rope to the top and have lots of places to hang gear on loops on the back is marvelous. For pull-ups I’ll take off the weight and start doing frenchies. Firstly: endurance! My forearms just said „goodbye“ mid route. Super soft, doesn't edge well (for me and my weight) but they are amazing for really steep bouldering. The actual data of competitive climbers: So I split between top rope and bouldering. This is generally not an issue for top rope, especially if your gym wraps the rope around the pipe at the top of the route, as most do. As for endurance, bouldering actually requires less of it than top roping. Been climbing for years, but I don't know anything about the rock gyms in the area. Interesting. Given enough weight difference and not enough friction in the TR anchor, you absolutely need a weight sack for top rope, or you'll get pulled up when they let go at the top cartoon style. I’ve also climbed all but 1 of the 6A+ benchmarks, 4 6B BMs, 2 6B+s and 1 6C BM. A good way to lose weight would be rope climbing once a week, ideally up down up like on an autobelay. 8 routes. From advice on which gym to visit to videos of world cup IFSC climbers, you can find it all here. How do I improve my technique? bouldering for about 4 weeks slowly working my way up, but I feel like I’m learning some bad habits that won’t help me in the long run, plus can’t wait to buy shoes. Jan 29, 2025 · See our guide to the best climbing ropes of 2025, including top dynamic ropes for cragging and multi-pitch climbing from Mammut, Edelrid, Sterling, and more. Rope climbing is long, steady climbing at a much "lower" V grade equivalent that take insane amounts of endurance and strategy to get through in one shot. I tried researching this online but get conflicting information. Bouldering is short, intense climbing. Momentum in Millcreek is a good alternative. To avoid manually feeding slack through the Gri-Gri, I personally use a Trango Vergo in its place (in a single strand setup, above a MicroTrax), it feeds automatically while climbing when the rope is weighted. Jun 1, 2025 · Discover the differences between bouldering and top rope climbing, including pros, cons, and tips for beginners to choose the right path. zbhqlnoxrrfqqsfqgmnztunirzdfvhbvwsoygfaztklwauroddl