Rock Climbing for Beginners!

Step 1: What You Need

Harness
Climbing shoes
chalk bag
sock
chalk
water bottle (highly recommended)
rock climbing location (indoor gym recommend)
Wear gym clothes (Do NOT wear short shorts!) Spandex shorts are recommender to allow maximum flexibility.

Step 2: Step in Harness

When stepping in the harness make sure that the legs are not tangle, and the left leg loop is on the left and the right leg loop is on the right. To insure this the front of the harness is usually open and the back has padding. Once your feet are in the legs loops pull up the harness up.

Step 3: Tightening the Waist of the Harness

Take the strap and weave it through the metal buckles. Make sure that the harness is as tight as possible (if you can put your hand between your body and the harness and move your hand, then the harness is too loose and will ned a smaller size).Once the strap is as tight as possible double back the strap (shown in picture 3)

Step 4: Tightening the Leg Loops

My harness is an auto lock for the leg loops, so there is no double backing. Just pull the buck till the leg loop is tight. (First photo is before and the second photo is after of what the straps should look like)

Step 5: Shoes

Rock climbing shoes are like putting on regular shoes, but the tightness is what matters. First make sure you are wearing comfortable socks that will cover your entire foot. When wearing the shoe your toes should be touching the toe cap. As well, the sides of the shoe should be tight. When tying or strapping the shoes on make it as tight as you can. This is important because you do not want your shoes to fall off when climbing.

Step 6: Making a Chalk Sock

Find a thin sock and buy some climbing chalk (chalk will prevent your fingers from slipping off the rocks). (this and the next few steps can be skipped if you buy a chalk sock.

Step 7: Fill Sock With Chalk

Make the sock inside out then out your hand inside of the sock. Pick up some chalk then pull the sock right side in (like you are picking up dog poop)

Step 8: Tie It Off

Tie the sock too keep the chalk inside

Step 9: Chalk Your Hands

Roll and squeeze the chalk bag in your hands until the sock turns white. This will let you know that the sock is thin enough. (Important make sure the sock has no wholes...Then natural microscopic holes are big enough to get the right about of chalk on your hands)

Step 10: Insert the Sock Into Your Chalk Bag.

Put the sock in your chalk bag and pull the black string to tighten the bag so the chalk does not fall out. When climbing it is okay to keep the bag open for easy access. 

Step 11: Strap on the Chalk Bag

On your chalk bag there should be a strap with a buckle. Rap the strap around your waist and make sure the strap goes under the harness straps. Another way to attach it to your body is by clipping it to the back small strap on your harnessIf you would rather wrap the strap around your waist, you can put the strap through that loop just to make sure your chalk bag will not slide off. Tighten the strap bag so it fits like a belt.

Step 12: Placement of Chalk Bag

for most climbers it is most comfortable to have the chalk bag on you lower back, hanging over your butt. This prevents any interferences with your bag when climbing

Step 13: Choose a Type of Climbing

*Pictures are from google search*
Bouldering: Bouldering is when you climb without any harness.
When using any belay method you either have a clip that clips onto the front loop of your harness or you have a rope that you tie between the two loops the rope is going through.
Auto Belaying: Auto Belay is a mechanism that lets you climb a wall with out anyone else, and will let you down slowly when you fall or reach the top.
Top Rope Climbing: Tope rope climbing is when their is an anchor at the top and a belay partner pulls the rope accordingly. When you fall or are ready to come down, you and your partner will communicate that and he or she will gently lower you.
Lead Climbing: This type of climbing is typicaly used for more advanced climbing. The climber will anchor themselves to clip on their way up, while your partner give you slack accordingly. When you are ready to come down or fall you communicate that to your partner and he or she will lower you.
Self-Belaying: Self -Belaying is dangerous and for more advanced climbers (some gyms do not allow this type of climbing).  There will be an anchor like top rope climbing. In this type of climbing you belay yourself though a mechanism called a grigri. The grigri should have instruction of how to place the grigri to the rope. While climbing ,you pull the rope till so there is not much slack. To lower yourself you pull the level towards your self. Make sure your hand grips onto the lose rope.

Step 14: Leveling

*Picture is from google search*
When you go to indoor rock climbing gyms the walls are marked with a grade. Most grades start with the number 5 this means the wall is vertical, then following is a decimal. 5.1 to 5.6 is beginner, 5.7-5.9 is intermediate, and 5.10 and up is advanced. These routes are colored coded with either duck type or by colored rocks. At the bottom of each route should be a sign telling you the level and if the route is auto belay or not. If you do not stick to one color that is called rainbow climbing. Try to stick to one color so you can improve your climbing skills.

Step 15: Time to Climb

*Picture is from google search*
Alright you are ready to climb. Make sure you stretch. Important things to know when climbing keep your body close to the wall (do not stick out your butt), and climb with your legs and use your arms for balance (this will save more energy), because pulling your weight with mainly your arms will exhaust you quickly. As well, try not to bend your arms unless it becomes absolutely necessary.