Long and cold evenings are approaching and if you have no idea how to spend them actively, I will describe an idea that may become an interesting passion. In today’s post, we will try to answer the question can women do bouldering?
Everyone knows that sport is healthy for both men, women, and children. There are many sports that we can do regardless of gender or age. One of the interesting sports is bouldering, which is also an extreme sport.
So, can women do bouldering? There are no contraindications for women, and the sport has a positive impact on the whole body. Starting from the basics, we can continuously improve our skills.
What are the positive effects of bouldering?
It is true that if we are thinking of starting this sport, the sooner we do it the better. Even children as young as a few years old can be found climbing or bouldering with their section and coaches, or even with their parents who are passionate about the sport. If you, too, would like to try bouldering, you will find important hints in this post.
The beginning in this sport, as in any other, is not too easy, but if you start with the basics and easy routes as you gain skills, your level will increase. Climbing is good for the whole body, it improves balance and motor coordination. As well as climbing, it is worth doing other sports such as yoga, stretching, or some cardio. We already know if women can do bouldering, it is often the case that they are even better at it than men.
Tips for beginner women climbers
Bouldering is characterized by a lack of rope protection, which is why falls are very common. For this purpose, special mattresses, the so-called crash pads, are used, on which we can fall without any serious damage. If you are just beginning your adventure with this sport, it is worth remembering that it is an extreme sport. Therefore, it is worth paying attention to several important issues concerning bouldering:
- The right shoes, unfortunately, sports shoes are not suitable for bouldering or the rope wall. Climbing shoes are important here; they are lined with special rubber to create the right amount of friction and to be able to stand accurately even on small elements. Prices vary from a few hundred dollars to even a few thousand.
- Comfortable clothes, not necessarily typical climbing clothes, first, lightness and comfort while performing various types of movements. Sports clothes, for gymnastics or yoga, are also suitable.
- Magnesia, a type of talcum powder, is used in various sports such as gymnastics. In order to prevent our hands from sweating and slipping when climbing and coming into contact with balds, we should get magnesia. It can be in the form of powder, liquid, or even special balls which we rub in our hands.
- A rope and safety harness, this piece of equipment is not needed for climbing, but high walls. Also, depending on the type of climbing you choose, you need to pay attention to the necessary equipment.
These few items are essential for proper and safe bouldering. The right equipment is another matter, and the fear of falling or the fear of heights is yet another. In this post, you can read about how to deal with fears associated with climbing.
Does bouldering improve your stamina?
Both bouldering and climbing at altitude or on rocky terrain require the climber to have considerable strength, coordination, and agility. Women usually have it a little easier in the beginning due to their lighter weight than men. So can women do bouldering? They can, and are even successful in the sport. It is also important to remember that while weight in itself is very important, the ratio of body mass to muscle mass is even better.
I am not talking here about drastic diets which will not only deprive us of fat but also muscle. A good idea is intensive training followed by a properly balanced meal.
Many climbers take with them not only water to quench their thirst but also protein or isotonic drinks to supplement the necessary ingredients during intensive training. According to our observations, it is optimal to practice bouldering 2-3 times a week, after one day of hard training to give your body time to rest and regenerate. Here are some sports activities that can enhance your bouldering performance:
- Cardio exercise can be for example swimming, jogging, or even a treadmill or orbiter at home.
- Exercises with weights, this can be for example dumbbells to strengthen our arms, they can also be used for squats. Adjust the weight to your preference, you can increase the load over time.
- Bodyweight exercises, i.e. gymnastics, push-ups, squats; circuit training, i.e. combining several exercises, works great here.
- Stretching, yoga, Pilates, or other. It turns out that it’s very useful to be flexible when climbing, sometimes you need to do a more difficult position or a big stretch. So ladies stretching is something for us.
- A healthy diet, of course, diet is important for any sport or even everyday life. Also, when practicing bouldering, you should take care of your nutrition and replenish important ingredients after training in the hall.
What are the disadvantages of climbing?
Like any extreme sport, climbing has its difficulties and can sometimes be dangerous. That’s why it’s so important that those who start practicing this beautiful sport should seek advice from a coach or participate in a climbing section.
It’s important to master the basics and then climb at your own pace, remember when it comes to bouldering it’s better to do a few times easier route than to try high level right away.
Bouldering is a demanding discipline that motivates you, but it can also cause many injuries, abrasions, and wounds. Unfortunately, there is no way to avoid it and both beginners and advanced people can experience it, a bad grip, falling off, or even sliding down a sloping wall is not pleasant.
However, as we improve our skills, this will happen less and less. The important thing here is to practice falling from different heights in a controlled manner so that it is not too stressful when it happens unexpectedly.
In Summary – Can Women Do Bouldering? (Tips For Beginner Women Climbers)
Bouldering is both a beautiful and challenging sport, for anyone who wants to try something new and improve their fitness. The contraindications are really our fears and anxieties, whether of falling or heights, but with practice, these can be tamed and overcome. So, can women do bouldering? Yes, it is a sport in which both good physical fitness and a stretched body are useful.
This sport has many positive effects on women, such as better stamina, more strength, an athletic figure, and many others.
