Mark your space
Mark it once. Every card in sport climbing starts from this space and adds what it needs.
The space
At home or in a park a playground frame, wall bars or a low traverse wall with soft ground; at a gym a bouldering wall with 40 cm landing mats and a tape line at the maximum foot height (about 2 m), and top-rope walls.
Where it fits: playground, school gym (wall bars), climbing gym.
Mark in this order
- Ribbons or tape as footholds and handholds
- A start and finish
- The maximum-height line
Chalk or tape is enough. Tick each mark as you make it.
Practice kit first
None at home beyond sports shoes and ribbons; at the gym climbing shoes (not required on big holds), harness, belay device or locked carabiner, rope (gym supplied or checked).
Safety
Thick mats under any bouldering; stay off the mat when not climbing; never climb above or below someone; not above the line; spotters protect the head and upper body while the feet are up to 1.8 m off the ground; climb down or jump down only from a height you can control; harness and helmet fitted and checked, the climber always tied to the rope or belay; partner check with eyes and hands before every roped climb; jewellery off; nails and hair that pose no hazard; check gear for damage; never force a child higher.
awiseathlete.com/sports/sport-climbing/setup