Safety & Skills
9 guides
How to Belay: A Beginner's Introduction
Learn what belaying is, how it protects a climber, and why you must practice with a qualified instructor before belaying anyone at the gym.
July 4, 2026
Skin Care for Climbers: Protecting Your Hands
Build healthy calluses, treat flappers, and keep climbing skin in good shape with this practical hand care guide for beginner climbers.
July 3, 2026
Common Climbing Injuries and How to Prevent Them
Learn how beginners get hurt climbing, which injuries are most common, and how to prevent them through smart training, warm-ups, and rest.
June 26, 2026
How to Warm Up for Climbing (and Avoid Injury)
A practical climbing warm-up routine covering pulse-raisers, mobility, easy pyramid climbing, and gentle finger prep to reduce injury risk.
June 24, 2026
How to Clip Quickdraws When Lead Climbing
Learn gate orientation, the pinch and snap techniques, and how to avoid back-clips and z-clips before your first lead climbing attempt.
June 20, 2026
Climbing Gym Etiquette: The Unwritten Rules
A practical guide to climbing gym etiquette for beginners, covering fall zones, beta, chalk, hold brushing, and how to share the wall safely.
June 19, 2026
The Buddy Check: Partner Checks Before You Climb
Learn what the climbing buddy check is, why it prevents serious accidents, and how to do a complete partner safety check before every single climb.
June 16, 2026
Climbing Commands Every Beginner Should Know
Learn the standard call-and-response climbing commands that keep climbers and belayers in sync — and why clear communication is a core safety skill.
June 12, 2026
How to Tie In: The Figure-Eight Follow-Through Knot
Learn how the figure-eight follow-through knot works, why it's the standard tie-in, the exact steps, common mistakes, and why a buddy check is non-negotiable.
June 7, 2026