Getting bored of climbing indoors?

If your getting bored of climbing the same wall and same routes everytime you visit yor rock gym i think its time that you might want to think about climbing OUTDOORS. Outdoor climbing can be alot more fun and thrilling, but im just gonna warn you that it is VERY dangerous. Just dont be full headed and climb with out a harness thinking your to good or do things your not capable of doig because it could lead you to physical harm. Ok now with that warning out of the way, climbing outdoors is virtually the same as climbing indoors. You can still boulder and top-rope but this time your walls might be a little higher and not FLAT. And if you are having trouble finding a place to climb there is is an easy way to find the nearest place to climb, either by googling local outdoors climbing spots around your area or if you to lazy click on this link: http://www.rockclimbing.com/routes/
Now here is some videos and pics of some outdoor related climbs.

Rock Climbign legend and Idol.. DAN OSMAN.

Dan Osman was an Asian American Extreme Sport practitioner, known for the dangerous sports of "Free-Soloing" (rock climbing without ropes or other safety gear); and "rope jumping" (falling several hundred feet from a cliff then being caught by a safety rope), for which his record was over 1000 feet. He was also known for living a bohemian lifestyle, rarely working, and living in a tree house for months at a time. He was the star of several rock climbing videos, which brought free-soloing to a wider audience. He is a star in many rock climbing videos posted on YouTube. Here is several videos you can check out to see how amazing and insane this guy really was.

Unfortunatley Dan Osman died on Novemeber 23, 1998 at the age of 35 when he preformed a 1000 foot controlled free fall jump at Yosemite National park and his rope snapped.

Bouldering Vs.Top Roping (two ways to climb Indoor)

There are different ways to climb when your climbing in a rock gym. The two most common ways are Bouldering and Top Roping.

Lets start out with the easiest way to start climbing, and that is Bouldering. Bouldering is climbing on short, low routes without the use of the safety rope that is typical of most other styles. Protection, if used at all, typically consists of a cushioned Bouldering Pad below the route and/or a spotter, a person that watches from below and directs the fall of the climber away from hazardous areas. If you do not have a spotter your gym would typically have a soft cushioned area at which to fall into ( i.e. Shredded up car tires, a rubber floor, or a crash pad). Bouldering is the easiest way to start climbing becuase you dont need anyone to belay you on a rope and you can only climb two times your height, which makes you feel very comfortable and safe. Also with bouldering anyone can just hope on the wall and climb its easy and theres no equipment involved. Here i am going to post a video of someone bouldering and post a picture of a typical bouldering pad.

Top Roping is climbing with the protection of a rope that's already suspended through an anchor at the top of a route( or wall). A belayer controls the rope, keeping it taut, and prevents long falls. For people who are more daring and not as afraid of height, top roping is for you. In rock gyms they have various differnt angles and heights to top rope on. To be able to top rope though you are going to need to wear a harness, becuase a harness is what is keeping you attached to the rope and keeping you safe. Now i will share a picture of a typical wall set up for top roping.

Just started climbing?

If its your first time climbing the easiest and safest way to climb is to find the nearest Indoor Rock gym. Once you get a member ship the first thing you will need is EQUIPMENT! Most rock gyms will rent you theyre equipment for a small price, but if your a really going to get into climbing i suggest you invest in some equipment.The first thing you will need is a HARNESS. A harness will keep you securly attached to the climbing rope and alows your to climb up the rock wall. A good reliable brand for rock climb harnesses are Black Diamond. An average harness runs are $70-$100. Heres a picture of a typical Black Diamond Harness.

Another peice of equipment that you will need in climbing and one that helps you out a lot are CLIMBING SHOES. Climbing shoes help your feet grip on to the wall better, which in turn keep you safe but reducing the chance of your foot slipping and you possibly falling and hurting youself. Some good brands to look for when shopping for Rock Climbing shoes are: Mad Rock, 5.10, La Sportiva, and Scarpa. I prefer 5.10 personally. And a little tip when buying or ordering rock shoes is that they should run about a whole to a half size small. You want your climbing shoes to feel snug and tight to your feet. Here is a nice pair of shoes from the 5.10 brand.

The last and final peice of equipment that you will need to invest in to improve your skills in rock climbing is a CHALK BAG. A chalk bag is exactly what it sounds like; it a bag with chalk inside of it. When Climbing you would attatch this bag to your pants. When your hands start to sweat or become a little slippery you just dip your hands in the chalk bag and it dry the sweat right up and makes ur hand grip much better. A good chalk bag to start out with is Prana. And a chalk bags cost is about 10-20$. Here is what the chalk bag with the chalk ball may look like.

And that is all you need to know to get started with rock climbing. Just remember to take your time, dont giveup, and if your feet start to hurt let them get a little breathing time becuase i know how it feels after a hard climb in your shoes.