Some outdoor beginner mistakes

Rock climbing is booming and I see more and more outdoor beginners trying their luck. Many of them, however, make the same mistake. Instead of warming up on some very easy routes they start almost at their max grade. This approach is possible in the gym as the setters have made the routes progressively harder, there is never a distinct crux, and that most of the time you are top roping. Furthermore, indoor grades are often softer.

Outdoors, it just might be that the crux is at the start. I often see outdoor beginners getting stuck there feeling miserable.

On the contrary, start with very easy routes that you can top rope a couple of times getting that good feeling of being prepared both mentally and physically. If you later anyhow get stuck on some hard moves, understand that it is often just about muscle recruitment, meaning that you are getting stronger for each try as you get all muscle coordinated for the crux. If you cannot do some hard moves within a couple of tries, just move along upwards to the top. Once being lowered, if you are not pumped, stop at the crux and try again and make your muscle learn the coordination and get stronger. Then rest for like 15 minutes and try again. If you cannot do the moves it is time to try your luck on some other routes instead.

In general, what you want to achieve being out climbing is first of all the good feeling, and secondly to climb as many meters and moves as possible. Outdoors, you will be challenged with many new different, strange and even awkward moves that you have never tried indoors. On the other hand, the route setters indoors mission is to set nice and pleasant moves that will make you come back and buy another entrance.