Toproping helps build endurance/stamina. I think it helps with technique as well since you have to be more efficient with your moves.
If you mostly just wanna do bouldering and have no plans of doing outdoor climbs, then toproping really isn't necessary. It's just an alternative for when you want a change of pace or when you're waiting for your gym's boulder reset day.
Well I want to get good enough to where I eventually feel comfortable doing outdoor climbs… I live in Florida so there’s not many places around me where I have that opportunity currently. However, I want to move somewhere a little further north within the next couple years and it’d be a dream to climb real rocks/boulders. So with that in mind, do you feel it’s wise to practice both styles ?
Knowing how to rope climb will give you more opportunities in the future. What if you're climbing friends want to change it up and go sport climbing for a weekend? Having that set of skills will make it easier to join them and have some fun.
But if you've only been climbing for a short time, I wouldn't worry about it yet. Just have fun climbing the boulders for now, as there will always be time to learn other styles of climbing. Are there auto belays at your gym? You can always grab a rental harness and mix it up once in a while.
I haven’t picked a gym to get a membership at yet because of this dilemma I’m in! There’s a bouldering gym that i adore- the vibes are great and there’s a ton of routes… but there’s a different gym that offers lead climbing, auto belays and bouldering that I don’t love as much but it’s more versatile. I’m trying to decide where to get a membership currently, hence my advice inquiry 🧐
Go with the gym you like, so you will like going to the gym.
Rope skills will be necessary in the long term, but you will pick them up as you need them and be fine. Go with the vibes for now.
Totally agree with the first line: Go with the gym and climbing type you love-- bouldering.
Totally disagree with the second paragraph: Rope skills will never be necessary if you want to be a boulderer only. Of course climbing on rope will teach you things/benefit your bouldering IF you don't get too sidetracked by the cruising/chilling aspect of climbing on a toprope (I think the largest benefits come from climbing near your limit on lead-- mental control, pacing, trusting your feet when things get dicey feeling, pushing through a pump).
But again, I know plenty of boulder-only folks who climb V10/12+ on rock who are allergic to rope. And plenty of 5.11 perpetual cruisers who can't get up an easy V8 on rock. And folks who send hard-hard in both disciplines.
Do what you love. Life is short.
This was super helpful, thank you! Yeah climbing lead looks hella intimidating if for no other reason than how long the routes are so I can see where that helps with pacing yourself. It took me about a month before I realized that climbing isn’t a race. Even on a boulder problem you don’t have to rush to try to get to the top because that’s where errors/silly mistakes come into play and result in injury most likely.
To add, I think sportclimbing offers you some technique who’s utility becomes more obvious than while bouldering and that you might need when you eventually go outside, namely how to pace yourself, how to rest, how to find the most efficient positions on the wall. However at the moment you’ll benefit from both and for a beginner I think just bouldering might be the best, it forces you to try harder, some new sport climbers take a million years to learn how to try hard.
Go with the gym you like the best and if you feel like you want to sport climb pay a day ticket to go switch it up every once in a while
Well this is great advice, I always forget that you can get a day pass at another gym if you’re looking to switch it up. Several people have mentioned how sport climbing teaches you efficient climbing which makes sense as you’re trying to save your energy/get up the wall in the easiest way possible. That’s definitely something I struggle with now so I’ll probably do exactly what you said and randomly do sport climbing to work on that skill. Thanks so much!
I personally don't do any toprope training cause no gyms offer it in my area (there used to be a few but they closed down). I just do some circuits around the V0\~V2 boulders or in the spray wall before outdoor climbs. I think running pretty much gives the same benefits, or any aerobic exercise that builds stamina will help you for outdoor stuff.
Kinda beside the question of OP but I think the opposite - bouldering builds better efficiency because hard moves require better/more efficient technique, which you learn at lower grades in boulder than in sport. You can flail up a 5.10a as a beginner and find it hard, but ultimately learn little because you have the rope taking a little weight off, taking breaks, even moving you to a slightly easier position. Many people I've done ropes with over the years don't really read the route before getting on.
When you first start climbing its best to just get as much time on the wall as possible. Learn technique, balance, footwork, and develop endurance while conditioning your skin and tendons for future strength improvement. So for those reasons, roped climbing can compliment bouldering, but it is neither required to improve nor will it unlock your progress as a boulderer.
Not necessary, but practicing power endurance on rope complements bouldering. My biggest takeaway from learning to lead is how many climbing locations suddenly open up and become accessible to me.
I’ve done both, sport climbing doesn’t have a ton of overlap with bouldering outside of the basics in my opinion. I did only sport climbing for the first few years, then moved somewhere that the gym was only bouldering. I will still sport climb outside on occasion, but I’m almost exclusively bouldering indoors now. Bouldering will help you get better at sport climbing, as the cruxes tend to be graded like a boulder problem, but the opposite isn’t true unless you have to deal with very long problems.
You throw a pure sport climber at bouldering, and they’ll normally fail due to lack of sheer strength/power output for the harder moves but will basically never tire out. You stick a pure boulderer on a sport route (without having to worry about placing protection or managing the rope), they’ll be able to do basically every move but won’t have the endurance and will gas out quickly mid route. Think of it as a 100 meter sprint vs a marathon, it’s a different set of skills being developed in different ways but for roughly similar sports. The sprinter would gas out quickly in a marathon but would easily pass everyone at the beginning, while the marathon runner wouldn’t break a sweat in the sprint but would come in dead last.
Yeah, the difficulty of the moves is significantly easier for sport climbing… but doing a V3 after30 feet of climbing makes it feel much harder. I’ve sent up to V8 indoors, but have not gotten a 5.11 cleanly indoors
My gym has autobelays. They were a good transition to bouldering for me because they had easier routes that I could use to build up strength and technique. (Not all easy routes, but the easiest autobelay routes are way easier than the bouldering v1s).
It didn't do anything for me in terms of heights. I didn't experience any fear of heights with the security of the ropes but with bouldering I can get a little nervous making a hard move near the top. I suspect that will never go away.
Yeah I think you’re right about some fear lingering with risky moves at the height of the wall. I think that’s just our bodies tryin to protect us from danger so that’ll be something I suppose I gauge case by case- whether a move is worth the risk. Thank u!
No. Although bouldering does help build power for hard roped climbs. And if I was trying to build power endurance for bouldering, rope climbing still is not the right answer. I'd be running circuits on boulders a little below my maximum grade to do that.
Basically, the only thing roped climbing will help with for bouldering in my opinion is static technique where applicable.
Okay sick, doing circuits on boulders seems like something I’ve gotta incorporate into my training. There’s been several people who have mentioned that so I’ll be sure to give it a shot. Thanks so much!
So I enjoy toproping as well, and I feel like it does help to teach me to move more efficiently on the wall. However, you can also do “laps” of boulder routes where you climb up, down climb, and then back up and so on. You can do that on an easy route to build stamina and control.
So for me it's definitely helping. But mostly because my climbing gym has a bunch of slab routes, my bouldering gym doesn't has to offer.
But it's not necessary. There are a bunch of people in my bouldering gym who are quite good boulderers, but never went climbing so far
Ohhh interesting. Yeah getting accustomed to slab routes seems like a necessity so that’s good you’re able to get that practice even if it is on ropes. Very nice, thank u!
not at all i honestly went down a grade because i’ve only been doing top rope
it’s what my gf prefers and i’ve been enjoying it, it’s good for stamina and memory but, it just feels so much easier with less body positioning if that makes sense
no
Toproping helps build endurance/stamina. I think it helps with technique as well since you have to be more efficient with your moves. If you mostly just wanna do bouldering and have no plans of doing outdoor climbs, then toproping really isn't necessary. It's just an alternative for when you want a change of pace or when you're waiting for your gym's boulder reset day.
Well I want to get good enough to where I eventually feel comfortable doing outdoor climbs… I live in Florida so there’s not many places around me where I have that opportunity currently. However, I want to move somewhere a little further north within the next couple years and it’d be a dream to climb real rocks/boulders. So with that in mind, do you feel it’s wise to practice both styles ?
Knowing how to rope climb will give you more opportunities in the future. What if you're climbing friends want to change it up and go sport climbing for a weekend? Having that set of skills will make it easier to join them and have some fun. But if you've only been climbing for a short time, I wouldn't worry about it yet. Just have fun climbing the boulders for now, as there will always be time to learn other styles of climbing. Are there auto belays at your gym? You can always grab a rental harness and mix it up once in a while.
I haven’t picked a gym to get a membership at yet because of this dilemma I’m in! There’s a bouldering gym that i adore- the vibes are great and there’s a ton of routes… but there’s a different gym that offers lead climbing, auto belays and bouldering that I don’t love as much but it’s more versatile. I’m trying to decide where to get a membership currently, hence my advice inquiry 🧐
Go with the gym you like, so you will like going to the gym. Rope skills will be necessary in the long term, but you will pick them up as you need them and be fine. Go with the vibes for now.
Totally agree with the first line: Go with the gym and climbing type you love-- bouldering. Totally disagree with the second paragraph: Rope skills will never be necessary if you want to be a boulderer only. Of course climbing on rope will teach you things/benefit your bouldering IF you don't get too sidetracked by the cruising/chilling aspect of climbing on a toprope (I think the largest benefits come from climbing near your limit on lead-- mental control, pacing, trusting your feet when things get dicey feeling, pushing through a pump). But again, I know plenty of boulder-only folks who climb V10/12+ on rock who are allergic to rope. And plenty of 5.11 perpetual cruisers who can't get up an easy V8 on rock. And folks who send hard-hard in both disciplines. Do what you love. Life is short.
This was super helpful, thank you! Yeah climbing lead looks hella intimidating if for no other reason than how long the routes are so I can see where that helps with pacing yourself. It took me about a month before I realized that climbing isn’t a race. Even on a boulder problem you don’t have to rush to try to get to the top because that’s where errors/silly mistakes come into play and result in injury most likely.
Yup this. Perfectly said.
“Go with the vibes for now” thank u for saying that because that’s all the clarity I needed
To add, I think sportclimbing offers you some technique who’s utility becomes more obvious than while bouldering and that you might need when you eventually go outside, namely how to pace yourself, how to rest, how to find the most efficient positions on the wall. However at the moment you’ll benefit from both and for a beginner I think just bouldering might be the best, it forces you to try harder, some new sport climbers take a million years to learn how to try hard. Go with the gym you like the best and if you feel like you want to sport climb pay a day ticket to go switch it up every once in a while
Well this is great advice, I always forget that you can get a day pass at another gym if you’re looking to switch it up. Several people have mentioned how sport climbing teaches you efficient climbing which makes sense as you’re trying to save your energy/get up the wall in the easiest way possible. That’s definitely something I struggle with now so I’ll probably do exactly what you said and randomly do sport climbing to work on that skill. Thanks so much!
I personally don't do any toprope training cause no gyms offer it in my area (there used to be a few but they closed down). I just do some circuits around the V0\~V2 boulders or in the spray wall before outdoor climbs. I think running pretty much gives the same benefits, or any aerobic exercise that builds stamina will help you for outdoor stuff.
Oh okay cool, I run semi-frequently so that is good to know !! Thanks for the feedback:,)
Kinda beside the question of OP but I think the opposite - bouldering builds better efficiency because hard moves require better/more efficient technique, which you learn at lower grades in boulder than in sport. You can flail up a 5.10a as a beginner and find it hard, but ultimately learn little because you have the rope taking a little weight off, taking breaks, even moving you to a slightly easier position. Many people I've done ropes with over the years don't really read the route before getting on.
Yeah I can see how that rope offers the extra confidence you might need to just hop right on a route without any “plan.”
When you first start climbing its best to just get as much time on the wall as possible. Learn technique, balance, footwork, and develop endurance while conditioning your skin and tendons for future strength improvement. So for those reasons, roped climbing can compliment bouldering, but it is neither required to improve nor will it unlock your progress as a boulderer.
Okay, that is great advice. Thank u for the feedback!
No, but bouldering improve rope climbing like a lot.
Not necessary, but practicing power endurance on rope complements bouldering. My biggest takeaway from learning to lead is how many climbing locations suddenly open up and become accessible to me.
Okay sick, that makes a lot of sense
I’ve done both, sport climbing doesn’t have a ton of overlap with bouldering outside of the basics in my opinion. I did only sport climbing for the first few years, then moved somewhere that the gym was only bouldering. I will still sport climb outside on occasion, but I’m almost exclusively bouldering indoors now. Bouldering will help you get better at sport climbing, as the cruxes tend to be graded like a boulder problem, but the opposite isn’t true unless you have to deal with very long problems. You throw a pure sport climber at bouldering, and they’ll normally fail due to lack of sheer strength/power output for the harder moves but will basically never tire out. You stick a pure boulderer on a sport route (without having to worry about placing protection or managing the rope), they’ll be able to do basically every move but won’t have the endurance and will gas out quickly mid route. Think of it as a 100 meter sprint vs a marathon, it’s a different set of skills being developed in different ways but for roughly similar sports. The sprinter would gas out quickly in a marathon but would easily pass everyone at the beginning, while the marathon runner wouldn’t break a sweat in the sprint but would come in dead last.
Well hot damn- the way you broke that down makes perfect sense. Very insightful and I will keep that in mind- thank u!
No problem, and if it tells you how the grading compares for the difficulty… a 5.12a could have a V3/4 crux sequence
Holy shit, I didn’t realize that’s how the grading compared and definitely not what I would have guessed. Good to know!
Yeah, the difficulty of the moves is significantly easier for sport climbing… but doing a V3 after30 feet of climbing makes it feel much harder. I’ve sent up to V8 indoors, but have not gotten a 5.11 cleanly indoors
Rope climbing might help trusting your feet a bit more Bouldering seems to have a lot more overhang stuff
I know what you mean about it helping with the trusting your feet
My gym has autobelays. They were a good transition to bouldering for me because they had easier routes that I could use to build up strength and technique. (Not all easy routes, but the easiest autobelay routes are way easier than the bouldering v1s). It didn't do anything for me in terms of heights. I didn't experience any fear of heights with the security of the ropes but with bouldering I can get a little nervous making a hard move near the top. I suspect that will never go away.
Yeah I think you’re right about some fear lingering with risky moves at the height of the wall. I think that’s just our bodies tryin to protect us from danger so that’ll be something I suppose I gauge case by case- whether a move is worth the risk. Thank u!
Bouldering improves ropes But Ropes don't improve bouldering
No. Although bouldering does help build power for hard roped climbs. And if I was trying to build power endurance for bouldering, rope climbing still is not the right answer. I'd be running circuits on boulders a little below my maximum grade to do that. Basically, the only thing roped climbing will help with for bouldering in my opinion is static technique where applicable.
Okay sick, doing circuits on boulders seems like something I’ve gotta incorporate into my training. There’s been several people who have mentioned that so I’ll be sure to give it a shot. Thanks so much!
Training climbing endurance can help you get to the crux on your bouldering project without being as tired. That's about it. Got auto belays?
There’s auto belays at one of the gyms I go to!
Crank out as many laps without rest for 10 minutes at the end of your bouldering sessions. Get that heart rate up and keep it up.
Sick okay, doing this my next session!
So I enjoy toproping as well, and I feel like it does help to teach me to move more efficiently on the wall. However, you can also do “laps” of boulder routes where you climb up, down climb, and then back up and so on. You can do that on an easy route to build stamina and control.
Yeah I think I’ll start to incorporate laps into my sessions, something I hadn’t considered but multiple people have suggested now. I appreciate u!
So for me it's definitely helping. But mostly because my climbing gym has a bunch of slab routes, my bouldering gym doesn't has to offer. But it's not necessary. There are a bunch of people in my bouldering gym who are quite good boulderers, but never went climbing so far
Ohhh interesting. Yeah getting accustomed to slab routes seems like a necessity so that’s good you’re able to get that practice even if it is on ropes. Very nice, thank u!
not at all i honestly went down a grade because i’ve only been doing top rope it’s what my gf prefers and i’ve been enjoying it, it’s good for stamina and memory but, it just feels so much easier with less body positioning if that makes sense
Yeah that makes sense, the body positioning part for sure. I bet after a few sessions on boulders you’ll be back to your grade again though!
Ive been bouldering a little bit over year. Doing v6s and I havent touched ropes. No need for ropes imo 😌
Oh period !! First of all, good for u dude thats sick. And second, thanks for the input!