15/01/2018
A new year for a new challenge. The Crystal offers a series of sessions designed to give you confidence and an understanding of the basic techniques required for indoor climbing.
Spaces available on the Tuesday evening Adult sessions, check with reception at the Crystal.
From the BMC (British Mountaineering Council) website
Climbing gyms (or ‘walls’ for short) are one of the easiest and most practical ways into climbing. They help you improve quickly and can also be great fun – whatever your climbing ambitions!
If you’ve never been to a climbing wall before, your first visit can be both intimidating and exciting, and there are a few basic skills you will need to learn before being allowed to climb unsupervised.
Most indoor walls now require beginners to do a taster session, an introductory course or to be supervised by an experienced friend, so if you’re thinking of starting you should first call your local wall and find out when these are offered, how long they take, and what they involve. Such sessions are one of the best ways to learn the ropes, and help ensure that climbing walls are as safe as possible for everyone.
Your instructor will show you crucial skills such as how to correctly put on a climbing harness, how to attach yourself to the rope, how to belay another climber and how to safely lower them to the ground once they’ve reached the top. They might also cover warming up, basic climbing moves, how to use the different types of handhold and foothold, and how to use a bouldering wall. The wall will usually lend or rent you equipment for your beginner's course