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callandor
Jun 16, 2009, 2:03 PM
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So I've just started climbing and checked out my local bouldering wall...where to start?
I've searched around and have found nothing on the basics of bouldering law... ie how to choose your problems, what the markings mean (coloured tape, ticks, etc).
Due to not being able to climb with a partner a lot of the time bouldering is very appealing to me... would appreciate any advice on this!
Cheers!!!
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chilli
Jun 16, 2009, 2:17 PM
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check out the front page on the left side. there's a section called "getting started" under which is "part 2 - bouldering" that gives some really basic info; mostly about gear suggestions. not really entirely pertinent to your question.
below that is a link to "difficulty grades". this will give you an idea of how bouldering grades work. start with V0 and work those for a while, then work up (it shouldn't take you long to get bored w/ V0 - save maybe warmups)
if your gym has come kind of color scheme or point system to their ratings, there should be a key for those. start easy, and work up.
some problems are tracking (feet go on marked holds) and some aren't. typically the lower range (V0ish) are not tracking; and they are as you go up in grades. start on holds double marked w/ a sort of tape V, follow the tape of matching colors through your given problem.
i don't know what else to tell you, other than talk to somebody at your gym. they'll be a lot more helpful than asking on the interweb.
edit: look @ this thread too - bouldering basics
(This post was edited by chilli on Jun 16, 2009, 2:33 PM)
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bill413
Jun 16, 2009, 3:36 PM
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Many gyms do not use specific colors for grades. They hopefully use contrasting colors when routes are near each other so you know which is which, but otherwise the colors don't mean anything. Unless, of course, your gym says otherwise.
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chilli
Jun 16, 2009, 5:01 PM
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bill413 wrote: Many gyms do not use specific colors for grades...
right. that remark was thrown in there b/c i went to a gym for a bit that had a color scheme applied to boulder problems. but agreed, more commonly problems are so crowded into the cave (or wall as case may be) that that system breaks down quickly.
edit: it wasn't a single color for every rating. but the whites were V0, green=V1-V2, orange=V3-V5, yellow=V6-V8 or something like that. i don't remember exactly b/c marc's changed over to non-range-associated colors in the past yr or 2
(This post was edited by chilli on Jun 16, 2009, 5:16 PM)
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cracklover
Jun 16, 2009, 6:16 PM
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callandor wrote: So I've just started climbing and checked out my local bouldering wall...where to start? I've searched around and have found nothing on the basics of bouldering law... ie how to choose your problems, what the markings mean (coloured tape, ticks, etc). Due to not being able to climb with a partner a lot of the time bouldering is very appealing to me... would appreciate any advice on this! Cheers!!!
If you're going to a gym, ask the managers at the gym. They can honestly tell you better than any of us.
The only thing that's common to all bouldering is you start at the bottom and end at the top. But I bet you knew that already!
Cheers!
GO
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cracklover
Jun 16, 2009, 8:40 PM
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bill413 wrote: cracklover wrote: The only thing that's common to all bouldering is you start at the bottom and end at the top. Wait - some routes just traverse. 
D'oh! Nevermind my advice, I've always been a lousy boulderer anyway.
Cheers!
GO
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bill413
Jun 16, 2009, 10:48 PM
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cracklover wrote: bill413 wrote: cracklover wrote: The only thing that's common to all bouldering is you start at the bottom and end at the top. Wait - some routes just traverse. D'oh! Nevermind my advice, I've always been a lousy boulderer anyway. Cheers! GO 
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WordsVerbatim
Jun 24, 2009, 3:42 PM
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callandor wrote: So I've just started climbing and checked out my local bouldering wall...where to start? I've searched around and have found nothing on the basics of bouldering law... ie how to choose your problems, what the markings mean (coloured tape, ticks, etc). Due to not being able to climb with a partner a lot of the time bouldering is very appealing to me... would appreciate any advice on this! Cheers!!!
As others have mentioned, it will depend on the gym. However, I can tell you how my gym does it so maybe you can have an idea how it's done differently? (Without colors to represent grades.) My gym typically just has colors to mark the problems in order to distinguish them. VB-V9 is always written below the start hold. Occassionally the setters will name the problems as well with silly names that make little sense. Heheeh. 
(This post was edited by WordsVerbatim on Jun 24, 2009, 3:45 PM)
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callandor
Jun 25, 2009, 1:36 AM
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Thanks all for the tips...
So I've come to the conclusion that each route has its own colour with a start hold labelled with a 1, 1-, 2, 2- etc. I'm assuming they are the difficulties?
Cheers again!
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jt512
Jun 25, 2009, 1:58 AM
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callandor wrote: I've searched around and have found nothing on the basics of bouldering law...
Have you asked a bouldering lawyer?
Jay
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WordsVerbatim
Jun 25, 2009, 3:11 AM
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callandor wrote: Thanks all for the tips... So I've come to the conclusion that each route has its own colour with a start hold labelled with a 1, 1-, 2, 2- etc. I'm assuming they are the difficulties? Cheers again!
Yes. if we're talking about the US grading system, the bouldering grades will be VB (V-Beginner) through V14. The grades can also be positive or negative (within the grade itself) depending on the difficulty of the problem. So the scale would look something like this: "V1-, V1, V1+" and so on. I hope that made sense.  Hehe.
(This post was edited by WordsVerbatim on Jun 25, 2009, 3:12 AM)
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bill413
Jun 25, 2009, 3:17 AM
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WordsVerbatim wrote: The grades can also be positive or negative (within the grade itself) depending on the difficulty of the problem. So the scale would look something like this: "V1-, V1, V1+" and so on. I hope that made sense. Hehe.
Of course, if I did a negative V4, and a positive V2, that should give me a plus V8. Woot!
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WordsVerbatim
Jun 25, 2009, 3:35 AM
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bill413 wrote: WordsVerbatim wrote: The grades can also be positive or negative (within the grade itself) depending on the difficulty of the problem. So the scale would look something like this: "V1-, V1, V1+" and so on. I hope that made sense. Hehe. So, WV, Since grades can be negative or positive; if I do two negative V2's, that means I've done a positive V2? Or does it mean I've done a positive V4? Or...[I hope not] does it mean I've done a negative V4? Of course, if I did a negative V4, and a positive V2, that should give me a plus V8. Woot!
I suppose if one chooses to look at it that way, it is possible. Why not. Of course, I do not write the laws of bouldering. Tis a shame. 
(This post was edited by WordsVerbatim on Jun 25, 2009, 3:38 AM)
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curt
Jun 26, 2009, 4:39 AM
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jt512 wrote: callandor wrote: I've searched around and have found nothing on the basics of bouldering law... Have you asked a bouldering lawyer? Jay
And if you don't get an answer you're satisfied with, you can PM the user "jgill" here--and appeal to the bouldering Supreme Court.
Curt
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